The winner of the National Book Award for Young People's Literature,
from Newbery Medalist Cynthia Kadohata. There is bad luck, good luck,
and making your own luck--which is exactly what Summer must do to save
her family.
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 was selected as a National Book Award Finalist.
