These Unlucky Stars
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5.0 • 1 Rating
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- $6.99
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- $6.99
Publisher Description
Ever since her mother left a few years ago, Annie has felt like the odd one out in her family. Her dad and brother are practical and organised - they just don't understand the way she thinks, in lines and colour. Everywhere she turns, she feels like an outsider, even at school, so she's been reluctant to get close to anyone.
When a "Ding-Dong-Ditch" attempt goes wrong, Annie finds herself stuck making amends with Gloria, the eccentric elderly lady she disturbed. As she begins to connect with Gloria and her weird little dog, it becomes clear that Gloria won't be able to live on her own for much longer. But it's this brief and important friendship that gives Annie the confidence to let people in, and see how rich life can be when you decide to make your own luck and chart your own path to happiness.
In this heartwarming novel, acclaimed author Gillian McDunn shows us that even the most unexpected friendship has the power to change us forever.
Acclaim for Caterpillar Summer
An Indies Introduce Pick
A Texas Bluebonnet Selection
A Parents Best Book of the Year
A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year
An Amazon Best Book of the Year
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
An accident-prone middle schooler blames her lot on an unlucky star in McDunn's (The Queen Bee and Me) endearing contemporary novel. When an attempted doorbell ditching ends with a broken arm for elderly neighbor Gloria Crumb, rising seventh grader Annie P. Logan spends the summer assisting the stubbornly independent woman with her clutter. She also helps the residents of her North Carolina town prepare for their first festival, which they hope will put the struggling town on the map. Caring for Gloria's beloved hound helps Annie overcome her longtime fear of the creatures, sparked by a dog attack, and as the two unearth old pictures—of Gloria's siblings, travels, and surprising talents—Annie begins to wonder about these changing versions of the now frail woman she visits daily, and the choices and experiences that define who a person becomes. Annie's journey to break free of the guilt she carries, about Gloria's accident and her own mother's leaving, and to embrace her true self—including the wild imagination and creativity she shared with her mom—offer quiet triumph through a tenderly drawn intergenerational relationship and Annie's expressive voice. Ages 8–11.
