Lucky Stars (Richard Jackson Books (Atheneum Hardcover)) [Hardcover]

Lucy Frank (Author)

Book Description

Series: Richard Jackson Books (Atheneum Hardcover)

On stage is the last place on Earth Kira, Jake, or Eugene want to be.

"I'm not a human jukebox," Kira tells her dad, "or a dancing doll, or a puppet, where you press a button and I'll entertain you!" Yet since arriving in New York City, she's had to sing "Amazing Grace" and "Me and Bobby McGee" with him and her two little brothers, Chris and Charlie, for handouts on a subway platform. Singing like an angel. Wanting to stop singing forever.

Jake sings, but only in his dreams. In real life he'll do anything to keep his mouth shut because of his stutter.

Eugene's greatest dream is that the world will laugh with him and not at him. Eugene sings like a foghorn.

Ms. Hill, the school's music teacher, has ambitions for them all.

"My alto section could use some boys," she tells Jake and Eugene after they've been thrown out of the lunchroom for a kimchi incident, and she spots them eyeing her poster:

is there a singer inside you trying to get out? you know you want to sing. join the chorus!

"Uh, I don't think that would be us," Eugene says. "We're nonjoiners. Trust me. This works for everyone."

Until Jake meets Kira.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 5-8 -This story of three eighth-graders who try to overcome personal obstacles to realize their talents unfolds in alternating voices. Kira has moved from her grandmother's upstate home to live with her rock-musician father and younger half brothers in a squalid New York City apartment. Her beautiful voice is a great asset to the family's subway station performances, but the 13-year-old balks at this embarrassment. Jake, who stutters except when he sings, is testing the limits of his parents' and his teachers' patience by constantly cutting class. His pal Eugene Kim, a natural comic with a foghorn voice, balances work in his parents' grocery store with school and his attempts to keep Jake from going too far in acting out. The three come together in a special chorus class where their charismatic teacher helps them develop the inner resources they need to cope with their situations. Their friendship grows as they collaborate on a project to save a stray duck, fend off the unsettling appearances and demands of Kira's stepmother, and try to figure out how they can manage to perform in the talent show. Deft characterization, an authentic sense of place, and a good mix of serious and funny scenes make this a better-than-average novel. The author handles the delicate balance between friendship and love with sensitivity and offers a satisfying, realistic conclusion.-Marie Orlando, Suffolk Cooperative Library System, Bellport, NY
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

Gr. 4-7. As she has in previous books, Frank sets her story in New York City, where Kira is a recent arrival, in town from upstate to visit her father and his two young sons. It's quickly apparent to Kira that her father has an agenda. Her beautiful voice will help the family sing in subway stations, and Kira will be able to help care for her half brothers. But strong-willed Kira makes her own demands on her father (she wants him to get a real job) before she agrees to stay. At school, Kira meets friends Jake and Eugene. Jake struggles with a stutter and cuts classes to avoid speaking. Loyal Eugene always tries to cover for Jake, but he is getting fed up. The healing power of music is the theme of the book, which culminates in a talent show that allows each of the three friends to feel accepted. The story is somewhat disjointed, but it features strong characterizations, even among the supporting cast. Especially memorable is Jake, who realistically battles a speech problem that is always on his mind. A subplot about a duck is a distraction; it's the human characters who will touch readers. Ilene Cooper
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 304 pages
• Publisher: Atheneum/Richard Jackson Books (July 5, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0689859333
• ISBN-13: 978-0689859335
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6.3 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,309,044 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars i relate to the character, March 26, 2007

By 

Stephanie Lopez - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Lucky Stars (Richard Jackson Books (Atheneum Hardcover)) (Hardcover)

i picked up this book at an NSA (National Stuttering Association) convention. i liked it. I use to be just like this boy I tried to hide my stutter and had a lot of anger because it.