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I first discovered The Lucky Star while exploring the Tales of Young Americans series. Gloria Whelan’s contributions to this collection had deeply impressed me, so I began the project of tracking down each title for my library. As I did, I quickly discovered that the series is uniformly excellent, each book offering something rich and worthwhile for young readers.
I discovered Judy Young through her wagon train story in this series, A Book for Black-Eyed Susan. That story remains one of the best titles I’ve read from the series. Young was able to turn a wagon train tragedy into something beautiful. I was eager to see what she would do with a Depression-Era story. The result is just as touching and powerful as I’d hoped.
The Lucky Star follows young Ruth and her family as they navigate the deepening challenges of the Depression. What begins as simple hardship escalates into job loss, the closure of the local school, and eventually, the separation of their family when Papa must leave for the work camps. But woven into the story’s difficulty is a beautiful, persistent thread of hope.
Ruth’s mother always tells her to “count your lucky stars,” and each family member finds their own to cling to. Ruth, whose love of books and learning is strong, becomes her younger sister Janie’s teacher during the day. Before long, she is also teaching the neighborhood children, using flour spread on the kitchen counter as a writing surface.
The story is marvelously paced, allowing the reader to sit with each new trial just long enough before offering a flicker of light. It never shies away from the reality of the time, but it also celebrates resilience, resourcefulness, and the quiet heroism of children who step up in times of need.
Chris Ellison’s illustrations are a perfect match. Cool blue and grey tones evoke the weight of the era, while warm touches offer comfort and beauty. Particularly moving are the sepia-toned scenes used to depict memories or moments of deeper sadness. These visual choices are subtle but deeply effective, adding richness and emotional depth to an already poignant story.
I would gladly recommend The Lucky Star to families looking for meaningful read-alouds, students studying the Great Depression, and anyone who appreciates historical fiction with strong characters and meaningful illustration. It’s a story of hardship, yes, but more than that, it’s a story of light in the dark, like stars in the night sky.