The Lucky List

Gr 8 Up–Emily Carter hasn’t been the same since her mom died three years ago. She’s become anxious and afraid, and made a mess of her social life when she publicly kissed someone other than her boyfriend at junior prom. On top of it all, her best friend is away at camp and Emily and her dad are moving out of her childhood home. The summer is looking bleak, until her dad’s best friend moves back to town, along with his daughter Blake. While packing up her mom’s closet, Emily and Blake discover her mom’s bucket list from the summer before her own senior year, containing items like “get a tattoo” and “get over my fear of heights.” Emily sees completing the list as a way to connect to her mother, as well as fix her social life. With Blake’s help, Emily may discover more about herself along the way. The first-person narrative subtly explores the interplay of Emily’s grief, social pressures, and self-discovery in a quietly meaningful tone. The romance takes a backseat to Emily’s coming-of-age but remains an important part of her story. Blake is slightly two-dimensional, but readers will nevertheless be rooting for the two to get together. Emily’s race is never explicitly mentioned; Blake is noted as having a Japanese mother.