Publishers Weekly
★ 01/08/2024
When French and Ojibwe 11-year-old Selena Lucy Landry’s guardian dies, she’s placed in the care of the Martins, a large Ojibwe family, in this uplifting tale by Johnson (The Star That Always Stays), a member of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians. Already apprehensive about the move, Lucy feels further anxious and isolated when she learns that the family inhabits a lighthouse on a small island in the middle of Lake Superior. Even as she copes with grief, Lucy tries hard to fit in with the six Martin children, regaling them with fanciful, sometimes true, stories. After she recounts the tale of a nearby capsized boat that carried a ruby necklace, her pseudo-siblings gently rib her about the epic’s validity, prompting Lucy to set out in search of the necklace, certain that obtaining it for the Martins is her only way to gain acceptance. In this tender, wholesome book about family, Johnson acknowledges the importance of kindness and patience, especially in matters of grief and settling into new places and situations. Third-person passages deftly detail Lucy’s tumultuous emotions and winningly balance the mystery of the shipwreck; Anishinaabe text throughout emphasizes how culture and environmental preservation shape the Martin family’s values. Ages 8–12. Agent: Jessica Schmeidler, Golden Wheat Literary. (Mar.)
From the Publisher
★ "A heartwarming tale of belonging and learning that life’s treasures aren’t always shiny."—Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review
★ "In this tender, wholesome book about family, Johnson acknowledges the importance of kindness and patience, especially in matters of grief and settling into new places and situations."—Publishers Weekly, Starred Review
"Fans of L.M. Montgomery seeking diverse characters will rejoice at this heart-warming, feel-good adventure, as will families looking for books representing home learners."—School Library Journal
"Spunky, precocious, and especially talented in elaborate storytelling, Lucy is surely kin with Montgomery’s Anne, and the cozy tone and mild excitement make it an easy readalike for fans of those books."—The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
"Beautiful and wonderfully unique … An endearing portrait of an orphaned girl finding her courage, heritage, and family."—L.M. Elliott, New York Times bestselling author of Storm Dog and Louisa June and the Nazis in the Waves
"Beautifully celebrates the gift of found family, and the discovery of courage within yourself." —Kate Albus, author of A Place to Hang the Moon
"Lucy Landry is a charming and fanciful heroine reminiscent of Anne Shirley, who reminds us that even in dark times, we can be a light for others."—Alyssa Colman, author of Bank Street Best Book of the Year The Gilded Girl
"This heartfelt tale reminded me of Anne of Green Gables and A Little Princess in the best ways."—Amy Lynn Green, author of The Blackout Book Club
"A tender book about family and courage and finding true treasure, Lucy Landry gives all the cozy, nostalgic vibes of ‘vintage kidlit’ from the fresh perspective of an Indigenous heroine." —Caroline Starr Rose, author of May B.
"A shining tale of fear and courage! Anna Rose Johnson packs a lot into this slim story, and the results are truly luminous."—Chris Abouzeid, owner of Belmont Books
"Anna Rose Johnson has created a wonderful protagonist in Lucy, who alternates between shy self-doubt and telling fanciful stories about herself and her parents to boost herself up."—Melissa Dassori, author of J.R. Silver Writes Her World
"Heartwarming, wholesome, gripping, family-focused, historically accurate in time and sensibility, with a great resolution." —Kaela Noel, author of Coo
School Library Journal
02/01/2024
Gr 3–7—Selena Lucy Landry (Lucy, for short) is full of imagination, wonder, and a taste for adventure—with one exception. After losing her father in a shipwreck, she has an overwhelming fear of the sea. This proves particularly difficult when she is sent to live with the Martins, a large Anishinaabe family of lighthouse keepers on a tiny island in Lake Superior. She arrives desperate to be loved but can never seem to say or do the right thing. Soon, however, a window of opportunity appears. The Martins live close to Mermaid's Corner, the site of a shipwreck her father often told her about. Can she find the ship's treasure that her father longed to discover? Will seeking it bring her closer to the Martin family, or is Lucy destined to not only be an orphan, but an outcast forever? Lucy has an enchantment reminiscent of Anne Shirley's, but Johnson adds so much depth to the 19th-century orphan story by weaving it with the girl's self-discovery as she connects more deeply with her Ojibwe heritage through her newfound foster family. There is also a nod to homeschooling as the Martins live far from school, and take pride in having their mother as a teacher. VERDICT Fans of L.M. Montgomery seeking diverse characters will rejoice at this heart-warming, feel-good adventure, as will families looking for books representing home learners.—Amira Walker
Kirkus Reviews
★ 2023-12-16
Lucy, a French and Ojibwe orphan living in Michigan in 1912, struggles to fit in with her new foster family.
Living with the Martins, an Ojibwe family who are lighthouse keepers on an island in Lake Superior, isn’t ideal for someone who’s “allergic to lake water.” Eleven-year-old Lucy long ago lost her mother to illness. When she was 9, her frequently absent sailor father died in a shipwreck. After her caretaker, Miss Mamie, passes away, Lucy experiences even more upheaval. She’s haunted by her father’s death—the origin of her fear of water—but she cherishes his stories of the 1866 wreck of the Elva Jane near her new home. The six Martin children have little tolerance for imaginative Lucy’s fabricated stories, and from her loneliness grows a need to reconnect with Papa, motivating her to seek the ruby necklace that went down with the Elva Jane. This quest gives her a purpose but endangers the Martin kids and threatens Mr. Martin’s job. In a climactic moment, Lucy must draw strength from Papa’s memory and face down her fears. This charming page-turner centers a courageous young person whose journey is also a powerful testament to the importance of placing Indigenous children in homes that reflect their cultures. Despite the bumpy start, Lucy finds comfort in connecting with her Ojibwe heritage and also begins to learn some Anishinaabemowin words from the Martins.
A heartwarming tale of belonging and learning that life’s treasures aren’t always shiny. (map, author’s note, glossary) (Historical fiction. 8-12)
