Three Times Lucky

Three Times Lucky by Sheila Turnage

Published by Penguin Group

2012

Age 10 and Up

Shelf: Middle Grade 

Opening Line: "Trouble cruised into Tupelo Landing at exactly seven minutes past noon on Wednesday, the third of June, flashing a gold badge and driving a Chevy Impala the color of dirt."

Favorite Quotes: 

"When you feel lost, let the stars sing you to sleep.  You'll always wake up new."

-"It's common knowledge."
-"There's nothing common about knowledge."

Blurb:
Trouble was the last thing on Mo LoBeau's mind.  These were the lazy days of summer filled with the sweet sounds of tree frogs and crickets in Tupelo Landing, North Carolina.  For this rising sixth grader and aspiring detective, serving crepes and peanut butter entrees at the café seemed idyllic.  But when Tupelo Landing becomes a murder and kidnapping scene, Mo's natural detective skills are put to work. 

Within its pages:
Three Times Lucky's magic lies in its narrator.  Mo's southern charm and cadence flow effortlessly through the pages. Mo's voice and use of poetic language makes this a perfect book for lessons in the use of similes, metaphors and personification:

"Miss Lana's voice is the color of sunlight in maple syrup."
"My anti-invitation hanging in the air like eau the skunk." 
"The frost in her voice nipping my ears."
"Her quiet laugh sounded the way she looks without her make-up."
"Spinning wheels and flying gravel chewed up the end of my sentence, spitting it across the parking lot like a fighter spitting teeth."
"Uneasiness ran its fingertips across my shoulders"
"Her silence stretched like old elastic about to give."

It's Mo's power as a narrator that made Three Times Lucky such an enjoyable read.  You find yourself re-reading her descriptions, sometimes laughing out-loud and other times marveling at her wit and ability to find the right word at just the right moment.  


Shelf  it!
If you're searching for a good mystery book, with a strong female character, filled with small-town charm, this book belongs on your shelf. Enter Moses (Mo) LoBeau, a spunky and upbeat character, who has a sensational sense of humor, tons of grit, and an absolutely charming sidekick, her best friend Dale.  You have to admire her strength, determination, and perseverance.  And sometimes having a little luck helps too!    

On a journey, to find her upstream mother, Mo helps us realize that sometimes what we need is directly in front of us. That not all families look the same or come about in the expected ways.  The bonds and relationships we form with others are sometimes immeasurable. The characters and relationships in this book will resonate with you long after you read the last page.  For those of us who have longed for a new Scout Finch, we have found her in Mo.  

The action and suspense are totally gripping.   As the leader of the Desperado Detective Agency, Mo really gets to put her detective skills to good use.  Will Mo and Dale be able to solve this mystery before it's too late?

Three Times Lucky is sure to be a page turner, and one you won't soon forget.  And believe us when  we say, it's even better the second time around.