The Thing About Luck

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Synopsis

There is bad luck, good luck, and making your own luck—which is exactly what Summer must do to save her family in this winner of the National Book Award by Newbery Medalist Cynthia Kadohata.

Summer knows that kouun means “good luck” in Japanese, and this year her family has none of it. Just when she thinks nothing else can possibly go wrong, an emergency whisks her parents away to Japan—right before harvest season. Summer and her little brother, Jaz, are left in the care of their grandparents, who come out of retirement in order to harvest wheat and help pay the bills.

The thing about Obaachan and Jiichan is that they are old-fashioned and demanding, and between helping Obaachan cook for the workers, covering for her when her back pain worsens, and worrying about her lonely little brother, Summer just barely has time to notice the attentions of their boss’s cute son. But notice she does, and what begins as a welcome distraction from the hard work soon turns into a mess of its own.

Having thoroughly disappointed her grandmother, Summer figures the bad luck must be finished—but then it gets worse. And when that happens, Summer has to figure out how to change it herself, even if it means further displeasing Obaachan. Because it might be the only way to save her family.

Cynthia Kadohata’s ode to the breadbasket of America has received six starred reviews and won the National Book Award.

Chapters

  • The Thing About Luck 01 Open

    Duration: 39s
  • The Thing About Luck 02 Chapter1

    Duration: 14min
  • The Thing About Luck 03 Chapter2

    Duration: 08min
  • The Thing About Luck 04 Chapter3

    Duration: 10min
  • The Thing About Luck 05 Chapter4

    Duration: 24min
  • The Thing About Luck 06 Chapter5

    Duration: 20min
  • The Thing About Luck 07 Chapter6

    Duration: 27min
  • The Thing About Luck 08 Chapter7

    Duration: 30min
  • The Thing About Luck 09 Chapter8

    Duration: 23min
  • The Thing About Luck 10 Chapter9

    Duration: 14min
  • The Thing About Luck 11 Chapter10

    Duration: 14min
  • The Thing About Luck 12 Chapter11

    Duration: 16min
  • The Thing About Luck 13 Chapter12

    Duration: 20min
  • The Thing About Luck 14 Chapter13

    Duration: 17min
  • The Thing About Luck 15 Chapter14

    Duration: 29min
  • The Thing About Luck 16 Chapter15

    Duration: 19min
  • The Thing About Luck 17 Chapter16

    Duration: 18min
  • The Thing About Luck 18 Close

    Duration: 59s