Lucky Strikes
Crazy schemes, sweetness in funny, poignant Depression tale.
Parents say
Based on 1 review
Common Sense is a nonprofit organization. Your purchase helps us remain independent and ad-free.
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.
Suggest an Update
A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this book.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Lucky Strikes, set in the Depression-era hill country of Virginia, is a fast-moving, suspenseful, poignant, hilarious, and cheer-worthy tale of three orphaned kids trying to keep the family business afloat and themselves out of the foster care system. Crude language, liquor, and tobacco are part of the scenery (Lucky Strikes was a popular cigarette brand; its sales were discontinued in the United States in 2006). And dicey situations, such as the drunken fortune-teller recruited to save the day, are plentiful. The villain is a predatory soul who'll stop at nothing to get what he wants, whether it's the family business or unwilling women. The story includes arson, assault, vandalism, murder, and suicide, as well as an attempted rape. Despite all the dark forces, though, the story (and narrator, 14-year-old Melia) retain a strong moral compass, with satisfying, heartstring-tugging messages about grit, determination, family, and community.
Community Reviews
Report this review
What's the Story?
LUCKY STRIKES take place in Depression-era Virginia, where Bertha's Oasis is the last independent Standard Oil station in the region. Then Bertha Hoyle, its feisty, red-headed owner, dies, leaving her three kids -- 14-year-old Amelia, 11-year-old Earle, and 9-year-old Janey -- on their own. Melia, as she's known, has actually been running things for months and is a skilled mechanic. But she also knows that as soon as the authorities find out her mom's gone, the foster care system will take them all away and split them up. That's not the only problem, either: The rich man who owns all the other Standard stations wants to add Bertha's Oasis to his empire and doesn't care what he has to do in the process. Just when things couldn't look worse, a disheveled hobo reeking of alcohol falls off a truck in front of the station. Melia gets an idea and, a few Lucky Strikes later, they have a fateful and highly unlikely deal.
Is It Any Good?
Danger, death, darkness, and drink are no strangers to Louis Bayard's YA debut, but at its heart it's a cheer-worthy, feel-good tale about family, determination, community, and defying stereotypes. Lucky Strikes is set in rural Virginia in 1934, and tobacco (including the brand the title is taken from), liquor, and crude language are plentiful. But 14-year-old Melia -- tough on the outside, often terrified inside, but never one to let it get the better of her because the stakes are too high -- is hard to resist. So is her narrative voice, as here when she's explaining her plan to Hiram:
"'Point is,' I said, 'I ain't old enough to be in charge of them two children. Which is the ... stupidest thing I ever heard, but that's the state of Virginia for you. So what I'm proposing is -- well, it's a business arrangement, that's all. Say some folks from the county come out here and they say, Whoa now, where be the father to these here children? Why, all you got to do is step up and say, That's me. I am the feller in question. Then these selfsame folks, they go away and leave us alone. It's a romp in the clover when you come right down to it.'
"'Oh, sure,' he said."
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the view of the Great Depression in Lucky Strikes. How is life different today? How are things the same? Were you surprised at kids being regular smokers in the story?
What's the appeal of historical fiction? What are some of your favorite stories about other eras in books or movies?
If you suddenly had to take care of your family by yourself, how would you cope? Whom could you count on for help? What would be the hardest thing to deal with?
Book Details
- Author: Louis Bayard
- Genre: Coming of Age
- Topics: Brothers and Sisters, Friendship, Great Girl Role Models, History
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: Henry Holt & Company, Inc.
- Publication date: July 5, 2016
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 12 - 18
- Number of pages: 320
- Available on: Nook, Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
- Last updated: July 13, 2017
Our Editors Recommend
-
The War That Saved My Life
Abused girl finds courage, family in compelling WWII story.
-
The Grapes of Wrath
Gritty Steinbeck classic brings Great Depression to life.
-
Paper Moon
Tatum O'Neal's smoke- and booze-filled caper.
For kids who love coming-of-age stories and historical fiction
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate