First sentence: "What are we going to do with young Lucy?"

Premise/plot: The Luminous Life of Lucy Landry is a children's historical fiction novel set in 1912. Lucy Landry is an orphan being sent to live with a new family--the Martins. The Martins live in a lighthouse and Mr. Martin is the lighthouse keeper. The family is already LARGE. They are strangers to one another. Lucy has a vivid imagination--especially when it comes to her identity and story. She is a girl on a mission. She wants to "complete" her father's mission--as best she can. He wanted to find treasure from a shipwreck. (The name of the ship is escaping my memory). Lucy is terrified of the water and not so fond of ships or boats, but her love of her father may prove stronger.

My thoughts: This one was an almost for me. I wanted to love it. I did. In the actual year 1912, one of the biggest trends in children's literature WAS orphans. THIS is the time of Pollyanna and Anne Shirley and Emily (of New Moon) and Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm. I'm sure there are dozens more. An orphan with a big imagination sounds like my cup of tea. The opening was giving off big vibes of Emily of New Moon--minus the cats. But I personally failed to bond with the characters. At one point--and I take full responsibility--I blinked and missed a crucial plot point. I spent the last half of the novel slightly confused and out of sorts. Not lost enough to truly have lost the plot. Yet just confused enough to feel something was missing. If I could pinpoint *where* I blinked and missed something, I would go back to the chapter and pick it up again. But I don't know where I lost it. I think I wanted a stronger emotional reaction to this one. I still think this one could largely be all on me--my fault. Your reading experience might be different. ( )

The Luminous Life of Lucy Landry is about a young Ojibwe orphan girl living near Lake Superior around 1912. Her father was a ship’s captain who was lost on the stormy, unforgiving waters of the massive lake. The lady who took her in after her father was lost, has now passed away and Lucy is once again homeless. Fortunately a family steps forward to take her into their home. The family, a dad, mom, and six children, live in a lighthouse on an island in Lake Superior. Lucy, who has been terrified of the lake waters since the loss of her father, is horrified. She can’t stand to go near the lake, much less live on a tiny island in the middle of its angry waves. As there is no alternative, Lucy will have to make some major adjustments to her life. Not only to living on an island, but also fitting into a large family. Lucy has always been a single child growing up in her twelve years. Will she be able to cope with the problems this new home will present. She does have one thing that can take her mind off her problems. Before he was lost in the lake, her dad had told Lucy of an old and valuable necklace that was lost in the ship wreck of the ship, Elva Jane near the island where she is being sent. If only she can find the necklace washed up on the shore. Then she feels she could put up with anything life throws at her. This book was provided for review by the publisher, Holiday House. ( )