The Higher Power of Lucky

This Newbery Medal-winning novel follows ten-year-old Lucky Trimble, who lives in the tiny California desert town of Hard Pan. Still grieving her mother's death, Lucky fears her French guardian, Brigitte, plans to abandon her. Driven by anxiety and a quest for a 'Higher Power' to guide her, Lucky runs away during a sandstorm with her dog, only to find her five-year-old friend Miles lost and injured. The story explores themes of grief, abandonment, friendship, and the true meaning of family, culminating in a heartwarming resolution. Parents should be aware of a brief, anatomically correct mention of the word 'scrotum' that caused minor controversy upon publication, though it is presented in a non-sensational context.

Fearing that her legal guardian plans to abandon her to return to France, ten-year-old aspiring scientist Lucky Trimble determines to run away while also continuing to seek the Higher Power that will bring stability to her life.