Lucky Star (Tales of Young Americans) [Hardcover]

Judy Young (Author), Chris Ellison (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 6 and up | Grade Level: 1 and up | Series: Tales of Young Americans

It is 1933 and the Great Depression has ravaged the nation. Millions of people are out of work; thousands of families are struggling to keep a roof overhead and food on the table. But Momma still finds ways to count her blessings (lucky stars) from Ruth’s new shoes to Poppa’s new job. But where Momma sees the ‘bright,‘ Ruth only sees the dark. Her shoes are hand-me-downs from a neighbor and Poppa’s new job keeps him away from home for months. And now their town can’t afford to keep the school open. Ruth will not be going to fourth grade even though she’s one of the brightest students in her class. How can anyone find the good in that?

But when Ruth stops thinking of her own problems and focuses on someone else’s, she realizes that being a lucky star is the best way to start seeing your own lucky stars.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 1–4—It is 1933, and Ruth is feeling the effects of the Great Depression. Her father has a job with the Civilian Conservation Corps, but it takes him hundreds of miles from home. With her mother also working and the school closed because the town cannot afford to hire a teacher and heat the building, she is pessimistic about the future for herself and her younger sister, Janie. Their mother is a constant source of optimism, telling the nine-year-old, "We don't have much but remember, there's always someone who is worse off than you are. So count your lucky stars that you've got what you've got." Then one morning Ruth decides that she will instruct the younger children in the neighborhood. She teaches them their letters by writing in leftover biscuit flour and uses pebbles to illustrate basic math. An author's note provides historical context about the Depression while the story itself concentrates on the human elements. The illustrations reflect the family's love and warmth. Rich, vibrant colors light the home and the surrounding countryside. Pinks, blues, and yellows are repeated in the characters' clothing and the flowers in the garden. Sepia-toned images are used for flashbacks when Ruth considers previous events. This title succeeds in capturing a particular time period as well as in delivering a timeless message.—Lucinda Snyder Whitehurst, St. Christopher's School, Richmond, VA
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

About the Author

Chris Ellison, after receiving his formal art training at the Harris School of Art in Franklin, Tennessee, and then later at the Portfolio Center in Atlanta, Georgia, has illustrated both children's and adult historical fiction for the past 14 years. His first children's book, King of the Stable, was awarded the Gold Medallion from the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association in 1999. Let Them Play is his first picture book with Sleeping Bear Press. Though a native of Louisiana, Chris currently resides in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, along with wife Lesley and young son Henry.

Judy Young has always had a fascination with words and a love of language, which she expresses through her poetry. Judy's poetry has won many awards and has been published in literary journals and magazines. Her interest in words and language also led her to receive a Masters in Arts in Speech and Language Pathology at the University of Tulsa in 1980. As a speech and language pathologist, Judy works with elementary children, helping them to understand and use language. She also encourages children to write by reading and discussing poetry in elementary classrooms. Judy and her husband, Ross, live in the country near Springfield, Missouri. They have a daughter, Brett, a son, Reid, and five dogs.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 6 and up
  
• Hardcover: 40 pages
• Publisher: Sleeping Bear Press (April 28, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1585363480
• ISBN-13: 978-1585363483
• Product Dimensions: 11.2 x 9.2 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #421,333 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

When Judy was about ten years old, she showed her grandmother a poem she had written. Her grandmother encouraged her to keep writing and Judy has done so ever since. Judy's fiction, poetry and nonfiction children's books are used extensively in classrooms across the country and have also been honored with numerous awards and recognition. One of Judy's most cherished honor was having "R is for Rhyme, A Poetry Alphabet" performed by the Tanner Creative Dance Program and Children's Dance Theatre of the University of Utah for their 58th annual performance.

A frequent speaker at schools nationwide, Judy's author visits include both educational presentations and poetry writing workshops for elementary and middle school students. Judy also conducts writing workshops for teachers for their professional development in-services and is a frequent speaker for educational organizations and professional conferences. With twenty years previous experience in the public schools, Judy has first hand experience with improving students' writing skills and her presentations and workshops are directly related to school curriculum.

Judy resides in the country near Springfield, MO, where she writes full time. Her husband, Ross B. Young, is a professional artist. He illustrated Judy's "S is for Show Me, A Missouri Alphabet" and "Show Me the Number, A Missouri Number Book." They have a grown daughter and son, and several dogs. When not writing or speaking at schools and conferences, you can find Judy hiking, fishing, or gallivanting around the country in "Arlo," the Young's traveling studio.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Rutgers University Project on Economics and Children, August 15, 2008

By 

Yana V. Rodgers "econkids.rutgers.edu" (New Brunswick, NJ) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Lucky Star (Tales of Young Americans) (Hardcover)

Ruth, a young girl growing up during the Great Depression, has trouble understanding why her mother always seems to see the positive side of bleak situations. "Count your lucky stars" constitutes Momma's inevitable reply to her two daughters as she teaches them how to handle life in the face of job loss, food insecurity, hand-me-down shoes from the neighbor, and the closing of the local school. When Ruth's father gets a new job far from home through President Roosevelt's Civilian Conservation Corps program, Momma counts her lucky stars that the family can pay the mortgage while Ruth sees his departure from home as another star that burns out. Only when Ruth takes the initiative to use her skills in addressing the needs of the youngsters around her does she begin to have a brighter outlook on life.

This outstanding book will help children to gain a richer exposure to principles that are crucial for a basic understanding of the economic world around them. The lessons about unemployment, scarcity, and recession contained in The Lucky Star are important building blocks toward achieving a solid grasp of economics. Teachers and parents can use the book's poignant illustrations and clear text to help children come to terms with potentially difficult economic times they may be experiencing themselves.

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Depression, October 30, 2010

By 

Catherine W. Hughes (Cambridge, MA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Lucky Star (Tales of Young Americans) (Hardcover)

When the Great Depression spread across the country, children, like Ruth, learned to count their lucky stars. September came, but the local school remained closed. Her father left to join the Civilian Conservation Corps, and her mother found work back at home. Suddenly, Ruth, the winner of last year's spelling bee, became the teacher for her younger sister, Janie, and their friends. She helped the children to spell and do math, and read to them from The Book of Knowledge. Though it may feel heavy-handed to some, this is a wonderful book with a message about perseverance. Children ages 5-8 will benefit from this message, while also learning about the Great Depression.