30 Aug / Just My Luck by Cammie McGovern [in School Library Journal]
Benny’s father endures long-lasting effects when he suffers a brain aneurysm. Benny’s life was already tough: his brother George, who has autism, requires special attention; Benny’s best friend moved away, and making new friends hasn’t been easy. Now with his father’s recovery uncertain, the whole family is facing the toughest time ever.
Meanwhile, at school, a new program encouraging random acts of kindness awards kids with named footprints displayed on walls, and Benny feels like he’s the only kid who isn’t getting any recognition, no matter how hard he tries. Through LEGO-populated films, a homemade carnival, and a well-placed literary homage, Cammie McGovern – herself the mother of a son with autism and here making her middle grade debut – deftly propels Benny toward awareness of his own resilient, amazing soul.
Eternally youthful-voiced narrator Kirby Heyborne effortlessly imbues the characters with multifaceted personalities. An ideal acquisition for all libraries, especially for summer but recommended for any season.
Review: “Xpress Reviews: Audiobooks,” School Library Journal, September 2016
Readers: Middle Grade, Young Adult
Published: 2016