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roseleaf24's review
4.0
This was a very quiet book, and somewhat bleak, but it captured age 12 perfectly. A constant unease and uncertainty about what to do, how to act, and why other people act the way they do. The family love comes through strongly, and even the frequent explanations of combine harvesting don't get overwhelming or halt the pace of the book.
makaylabrown's review
3.0
as far as a children targeted book goes, it’s good. it’s difficult to read at first, mostly because i felt sorry for how much shit these kids were dealing with from family comments and the cultural differences from myself and them. it eventually gets better but i wouldn’t be ranting and raving about this to anyone. probably just my own mistake for not realizing how young the target audience is when i bought it at a library sale! it was a “feel like i need to buy something” situation, you live and learn i guess.
animemiz24's review
I enjoyed reading this book, the story basically is a coming of age with first loves and a sense of sensible responsibilities. There is family themes as well as a reflection of rural American with the work of migrant workers.
jessethereader's review
This was a nice little slice of life story. At times it was frustrating to read, but only because the characters are put through several tough situations and it's rough watching them go through it. It's a book that has a quiet plot, but has a loud impact. One that will take time to process.
lannthacker's review
3.0
[FINALIST] A coming of age story with a unique setting, wheat fields during harvest. This is a quiet story, a snapshot of life as a contracted combine driver with philosophical musings on life, love and being different mixed in. It had a similar tone to Lynne Rae Perkins' Criss Cross.
ezrasreadingcorner's review
3.0
I find it really hard to describe my feeling towards this book. It was by no means bad, I actually loved the fact that this book provided us with a whole new point of view on the modern American work situation. As this book focuses on a Japanese family living in America and working as harvest workers during the summer, it tackled a topic I didn't really know anything about before. Added to that I liked the thoughtfulness of this book, the way it dealt with mental disorder, migration, hierarchies and family. However, I didn't really connect to any of the characters or the story at all, which resulted in me being bored a lot of the time. Just nothing happened and while it sometimes was interesting to just follow Summer's thoughts, most of the time the book just dragged, which was really sad. Another thing that bothered me was the relationship between Summer and her grandparents. Being someone who grew up with my grandparents living with us and having a very close relationship with them I was expecting a beautiful relationship between Summer and her grandparents, a relationship starting off quite bad and full of misunderstandings, but one that will turn into a loving one eventually. And even if it kinda did I was just so disappointed by the way it turned out. I found the relationship terribly cold-hearten and every time I thought that I would get all touchy and beautiful I got slapped in the faces. Furthermore I found every relationship in this book to be kind flat and cold and not a single one was able to give me what I was hoping for. To sum up my thoughts: A intersting read if you a interested in the harvesting culture of America and the struggle of a migrant family in the US then this might be something for you, I personally missed good character development, good relationships and a story where something actually happened.
sducharme's review
3.0
Japanese-American girl and her brother work as "custom harvesters" for a season with their very traditional Japanese grandparents. The story is long on characterization, short on conflict: a quiet book with little to excite the average tween reader.
kmcneil's review
3.0
The Thing About Luck by Cynthia Kadohata was a quiet and interesting book. It is not action-packed, so I wouldn't recomment it for elementary school readers who like fast-paced reads filled with adventure. I would recommend it for students who like realistic fiction about families and about growing up. The main character, Summer, is developed well, and I think pre-teen girls especially will be able to relate to her. I loved that Summer was a thinker, and recognized that she herself sometimes thinks about things perhaps more deeply than most. It was interesting to learn about the community of "wheaties" in the Midwest who travel between Texas and North Dakota to help harvest wheat. It's the kind of fiction that may not "wow" you, but which is very satisfying not only because it is a good story, but also because it helps you learn more about the world around you.
From School Library Journal 6/1/2013
Gr 5‰ЫТ8‰ЫУFans of Kadohata's Kira-Kira (S & S, 2004) will welcome this similarly gentle, character-driven exploration of familial bonds, this time set in the contemporary Midwest. With their parents called away to care for relatives in Japan, 12-year-old Summer and her younger brother, Jaz, accompany their grandparents, performing the grueling work that comes with the harvest season. In her likable voice, Summer observes the varying excitement, tedium, and challenges of harvesting wheat, sprinkling her narration with casual turns of phrase such as "OMG" and "epic fail" that will endear her to readers. Strong family ties suffuse this novel with a tremendous amount of heart. Though Summer's brother has been diagnosed with a number of disorders, she prefers to think of him as simply "intense," and, like most siblings, is alternately protective of and annoyed by his idiosyncrasies. Her grandparents, comically strict Obaachan and kindly Jiichan, bring warmth and humor with their cultural and generational differences. Kadohata expertly captures the uncertainties of the tween years as Summer navigates the balance of childlike concerns with the onset of increasingly grown-up responsibilities. She ponders the fragility of life after a brush with death from malaria, experiences newfound yearnings upon becoming preoccupied with a boy, and bravely steps up to save the day when her grandfather falls ill. The book's leisurely pace and extensive information about grain harvesting require some amount of patience from readers, but their investment will be rewarded by Summer's satisfying journey to self-actualization.‰ЫУAllison Tran, Mission Viejo Library, CA Copyright 2013 Reed Business Information.
From School Library Journal 6/1/2013
Gr 5‰ЫТ8‰ЫУFans of Kadohata's Kira-Kira (S & S, 2004) will welcome this similarly gentle, character-driven exploration of familial bonds, this time set in the contemporary Midwest. With their parents called away to care for relatives in Japan, 12-year-old Summer and her younger brother, Jaz, accompany their grandparents, performing the grueling work that comes with the harvest season. In her likable voice, Summer observes the varying excitement, tedium, and challenges of harvesting wheat, sprinkling her narration with casual turns of phrase such as "OMG" and "epic fail" that will endear her to readers. Strong family ties suffuse this novel with a tremendous amount of heart. Though Summer's brother has been diagnosed with a number of disorders, she prefers to think of him as simply "intense," and, like most siblings, is alternately protective of and annoyed by his idiosyncrasies. Her grandparents, comically strict Obaachan and kindly Jiichan, bring warmth and humor with their cultural and generational differences. Kadohata expertly captures the uncertainties of the tween years as Summer navigates the balance of childlike concerns with the onset of increasingly grown-up responsibilities. She ponders the fragility of life after a brush with death from malaria, experiences newfound yearnings upon becoming preoccupied with a boy, and bravely steps up to save the day when her grandfather falls ill. The book's leisurely pace and extensive information about grain harvesting require some amount of patience from readers, but their investment will be rewarded by Summer's satisfying journey to self-actualization.‰ЫУAllison Tran, Mission Viejo Library, CA Copyright 2013 Reed Business Information.