The Higher Power of Lucky

Set in the tiny desert town of Hard Pan, California, this Newbery Medal-winning novel follows ten-year-old orphan Lucky Trimble, who is being raised by Brigitte, her French-born guardian and her late father's ex-wife, after Lucky's mother was accidentally electrocuted during a storm. Eavesdropping on twelve-step recovery meetings held nearby, Lucky becomes fascinated with the idea of finding her own 'Higher Power' to help her navigate grief and uncertainty, eventually running away in search of answers and a sense of belonging. The story explores themes of loss, found family, self-reliance, and spiritual searching, and features a culturally diverse guardian figure along with a quirky, tight-knit small-town community. It also touches candidly on difficult topics like death, addiction recovery, and fear of abandonment in an age-appropriate way for middle grade readers.