10 Lucky Things That Have Happened to Me Since I Nearly Got Hit by Lightning [Hardcover]

Mary Hershey (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 8, 2008 | Age Level: 9 and up | Grade Level: 4 and up

EFFIE’S LIFE IS perfect now that she has two best friends, Nit and Aurora. Aurora’s a super-athlete, and when she decides to leave St. Dom’s for public school, where they have better sports, Effie panics. She’s got to come up with a scheme to make Aurora want to come back to St. Dom’s. Meanwhile, her mother’s old college friend, Father Frank, the priest, has come to stay under mysterious circumstances. Effie’s bossaholic sister Maxey starts acting like Saint Maxey. Effie’s life doesn’t seem so perfect anymore. . . .

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 4–6—In this sequel to My Big Sister Is So Bossy She Says You Can't Read This Book (Random, 2005), 10-year-old Effie Maloney is concerned about keeping her athletic friend Aurora in their private Catholic school instead of transferring to a public school that lets her play on a basketball team, and where she feels more comfortable. A second plot surrounds the adult males in Effie's life. Her father is in prison for embezzling, and a priest who is a college friend of her mom's is facing a crisis and has temporarily moved in. The family is supposed to keep his profession a secret, but Effie's sister gets religion. When Effie and her friend Nit plan a slumber party with a pirate theme, chaos reigns, with an uninvited guest, disastrous hair dyes, and a surprise visit from a monsignor. Each chapter opens with drawings of the characters featured in it. Full of too many plots and too little action, this book drags and seems a little petty. Public school children are made to look like ogres. Other characters are stereotyped or unbelievable. Readers would be better served by Marissa Moss's "Amelia" books (S & S) or Rebecca Rupp's Sarah Simpson's Rules for Living (Candlewick, 2008).—Debbie Whitbeck, West Ottawa Public Schools, Holland, MI
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From Booklist

Fourth-grader Effie, her sister Maxey, and their mom are back in this sequel to My Big Sister Is So Bossy She Says You Can’t Read This Book (2005). Effie’s life is perfect now that she has two best friends, Nit and Aurora—until the Valentine’s Day fiasco, when Aurora gets suspended from St. Dominic’s and may end up at public school. Effie is crushed at the thought of losing her new friend. In the meantime, Frank, a priest who is a college friend of Effie’s mother, mysteriously arrives and decides to stay. Effie wishes Frank would leave, and wants to know what he is hiding. With so much going on, it’s no wonder that Effie’s St. Patrick’s Day party doesn’t turn out quite as she had planned. Humor, warmth, and Effie’s Catholic values shine through in this entertaining story, in which luck, friends, and family save the day. Though a companion story, this book works equally well as a stand-alone title. Grades 4-6. --Shauna Yusko

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: Wendy Lamb Books (July 8, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0385735413
• ISBN-13: 978-0385735414
• Product Dimensions: 5.8 x 1 x 8.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,962,512 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Mary Hershey is a third generation native Californian and the author of fiction for kids and young adults. Mary's first novel My Big Sister is so Bossy She Says You Can't Read this Book (Random House 2005) was selected as a Book of the Week in the Washington Post Kid's Post. Her second book, The One Where the Kid Nearly Jumps to His Death and Lands in California (Razorbill 2007) was described by Publisher's Weekly as a "...poignant novel populated with complex, memorable characters." Kirkus dubbed her most recent release, Ten Lucky Things That Have Happened to Me Since I Nearly Got Hit by Lightning, (Random House) "hilarious." It's sequel entitled Love and Pollywogs from Camp Calamity (Random House) will be released in Summer 2010.


Ms. Hershey says that writing for children is the fulfillment of a life's dream, and beats her other dream of being locked in a Ben & Jerry's factory for a three day weekend. She credits a band of grammar-compulsive nuns, generous mentors, and the luck of the Irish for her success in publication.

Ms. Hershey holds a Masters Degree in Counseling & Guidance from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, and is a certified Personal Coach. When she is not composing really long book titles, she works for the Department of Veteran Affairs as an Administrative Officer. She can be found trailing her bliss all over the city of Santa Barbara where she lives.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars True Life Characters!, September 17, 2008

By 

Thalia Chaltas (California) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: 10 Lucky Things That Have Happened to Me Since I Nearly Got Hit by Lightning (Hardcover)

This book lifts you up and carries you forward all the way to the end! Effie is such a marvelous, spunky spirit, and she remains true to herself without being silly or embarrassing the reader. Even when she is confused and crazed in her thinking, she has integrity in her life, family and friendships. The other characters are just as solid, with real problems and good hearts. And of course, there is plenty of real-life humor! I highly recommend this book from a character standpoint on its own, not just a wonderful story. Ms. Hershey has done it again!

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I love Effie!, October 19, 2008

By 

Bonnie Ferron "Bonnie Ferron" (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: 10 Lucky Things That Have Happened to Me Since I Nearly Got Hit by Lightning (Hardcover)

I just finished 10 Things last night. The ending made me cry. I loved Father Frank and Effie's interaction (or non-interaction, as the case may be). Maxie's hair experiments reminded me of Anne of Green Gables when Anne dyes her hair. And Effie, loveable Effie. A heroine for all girls. A charming, charming book.