Can a terrier named Lucky bounce back from some bad luck. "Lucky" the illustrated book by Craig Inglis is a puppy tale any child will love. With an easy-to-read story and beautiful illustrations by Richard Kinsey, the uplifting, enlightening picture book shows children that they can overcome even the most challenging of problems with the love of friends and with plenty of determination. Positive and joyful, this highly original, instructive book will spark animail lovers everywhere, and show children the power of positive thinking in difficult times, such as a life-changing physical disability, through the triumphant story of a lovable, plucky dog named Lucky.
I have been writing all my life. I have had articles published in the L.A. Times and have written over 80 songs. I received a B.A. in Cultural Anthropology, learning about people and their searches for a deeper meaning in life. I also studied Children's Literature in college and studied different myths from around the world. I have worked in the early childhood area as a teacher and learned about children and their needs.
Daisy Bookworm’s Thoughts: I like the illustrations because they are colorful. I like the tricks that the owner taught the dog. I was happy the dog lived after the accident. I thought it was funny how they were so happy they were almost flying. I would recommend this book for people younger than me. It was easy for me to read.
Dahlia Bookworm’s Thoughts: I like the pictures because they are funny. For example, the sun has an arm and waves to the man. I like how the dog learned lots of tricks and how he could still do them after his accident. I like how the puppy made the best of losing his leg. It was easy for me to read and I would recommend it to kids younger than me.
Mommy Bookworm’s Thoughts: I enjoyed the book. The illustrations are very colorful and have some funny details if you pay attention. For instance, the vet’s scrubs have “Cool Dog Doc” written on the pocket and the pet store is shaped like a dog. It is a sweet story about a dog who overcomes the challenge of losing a leg. It’s neat that the owner doesn’t just give up after the accident and continues helping the dog and they keep having a great fulfilling life together. When I looked at different sites, they didn’t say what age group the book is geared for. I classified it as 3-8 because I think that younger children would enjoy the pictures even though they wouldn’t be able to read the book yet. I think it is a book that can help children know it’s okay to be different and that you don’t have to give up when bad things happen.
Reviewed for THC Reviews Lucky is a cute picture book about a spunky little dog who looses a leg in an accident, but doesn't allow his disability to hold him back. The story is a rather simple one and not quite as involved as I was expecting based on the synopsis. It is probably best suited for read-aloud with very young readers, and the easier vocabulary would be perfect for beginning readers as well. In spite of its simplicity, I cannot deny that Lucky conveys a positive message about not giving up when life throws you a curveball, as well as love and acceptance of anyone with a disability, and it does so in an upbeat way. The illustrations are a whimsical compliment to the story. There is a lot going on in the pictures that invites further exploration and interaction. My only complaint is that I wish Lucky's owner had adopted him from a shelter rather than purchasing him from a pet store. I think this would have passed along another subtle message to children about the importance of providing loving homes for all of our homeless animal friends. Overall though, Lucky was a gentle and enjoyable book that should appeal to any little one who loves animal stories.
Note: I received a copy of this book from the author via the publicist, Bostick Communications, in exchange for an honest review.
Lucky by Craig Inglis is an incredibly wonderful children’s book! This is a truly uplifting story about unconditional love and overcoming adversity that young readers can really dig into.
When we received the book I do as I always do when get Children’s books. I open the package and put it on the reading shelf to see if The Babes take an interest before we sit down to read. Twila immediately went over and picked up Lucky and Fox was tugging at her shirt and asking her to read it to him.
Twila sat down in the reading corner and began to read Lucky’s story. Fox sat and listened intently. Twila did a great job reading the book and only needed a little bit of help with a few big words. The layout is early reader friendly and the grammar and spelling are impeccable, which I find to be crucial in a children’s book. The illustrations are gorgeous and whimsical which make Lucky all that more endearing.
As Twila read the story out loud to Fox they both reacted with deep concern when Lucky had his accident and great relief when they knew Lucky was going to be ok. They watched as Lucky learned to live with his injury.
A tell tale sign to me that the kids really loved it is when they continue to talk about the book long after they have read it, after all they are both 4 years old right now (only for a few more days, Twila will be 5 on Thursday) and both flit around like little butterflies looking for their next adventure.
They certainly found that adventure, when I came from my office later in the day to find that Fox was down on all “threes” with one arm tucked in his shirt and Twila said “Ok, Lucky, Let’s FLYYY!” and took off running through the house playing Lucky the dog from the story!
Later tonight when it was time for bed and time to choose the bedtime story, they broke away from the longer chapter book we’ve been reading from every night and asked to hear Lucky. Then Fox asked if he could sleep with the book (he usually sleeps with Eeyore and a dinosaur book), tonight it was Lucky.
If you have small children, pick up this book! It really is a wonderful lesson and the kids really do love it!
When I asked The Babes how many cookies Lucky got they both yelled a resounding 5! What do The Babes Think?
The Babes give Lucky by Craig Inglis, Illustrated by Richard Kinsey 5 cookies.
Perseverance and effort create success. Young children need to learn the good produced by these virtues and story time reading of Lucky will help. Adopting Lucky, a terrier dog, from an animal shelter was one of the best decisions the main character of the story ever makes. Then, Lucky is struck by a car. Lucky must undergo an amputation surgery and loses a front leg. Will Lucky recover? Love is enough to overcome Lucky’s handicap. Life is still wonderful and Lucky’s master never stops loving his pet.
This children’s book is filled with good lessons. From the beginning, only loving acts and the products of effort are shown. One example of caring is Lucky’s master adopting Lucky. The goodness that comes from work is shown by Lucky and his master training and learning tricks. When tragedy occurs, Lucky does not cower or stop trying. After losing a limb, Lucky immediately begins relearning how to move and is soon able to perform all his previous tricks and a new one.
Simple language and friendly pictures indicate that this book is meant for a young audience. Children can best appreciate Lucky. Small readers from age’s three to seven will learn and love to read Lucky. The colorful illustrations and short sentences will keep a child’s interest and maybe encourage independent reading. Parents should read this book with their children and encourage them to be like Lucky and his master. This picture book deserves five out of five stars. An excellent message, good storyline, and interest-capturing pictures merit recognition.
Wonderfully heartwarming and compassionate tale teaches children to see beyond imperfections.
The irony of the name of the dog in this story and what happens to "Lucky," first and foremost teaches children that bad things can happen to anyone. How can a dog with the name "Lucky" have this happen to him? With its colorful and simple illustrations I find this book is a good teaching tool in helping children learn that luck is really just a myth and accidents are a product of actions, whether those actions be good or bad. It also helps children look past those with disabilities and not treat them differently because of that disability, whether it be an animal or a human. Setting an early foundation against discrimination and discernment during toddler and preschool years is the best gift a parent or caregiver can give a child. "Lucky" can help teach youngsters how to love unconditionally and also how to be a compassionate pet owner. "Lucky" can also help parents or caregivers teach these lessons before a child may come across a situation where the child is in the presence of a disabled person for the first time, which often leads children to stare or even point at a disabled person, making for an awkward and uncomfortable situation. "Lucky is one of those book that will end up with bent corners and crumpled pages as children will ask parents or caregivers to read it over again and again.
Lucky Written by: Craig Inglis Illustrated by: Richard Kinsey ISBN: 9781463777562 Published November 5, 2011 by CreateSpace Available Format: Paperback
My Rating: ★★★★☆
Any animal owner/lover will relate to the tale of sweet little Lucky. Chosen as a companion, he soon endures a serious injury, after which he must learn to overcome and carry on his charmed, canine life with his best human friend. Lucky doesn’t let things get him down, and he is able to bounce back quickly with just a slight physical difference.
Overall, my children and I really loved this little story. The illustrations are colorful and entertaining, and we loved the size of the books – easy for younger readers to see and hold. The only thing that put me off a bit was the focus immediately after Lucky’s accident when he was barely breathing and the time while the doctor was working on him. Honestly, it kind of scared my children. While I try to be pretty open with them about serious things like this, I felt it took a little away from the overall story, which is really heartwarming and positive. The fact that little Lucky was able to quickly overcome his disability and have a perfectly normal and happy life certainly makes up for the scariness in the middle.
The book Lucky is about a lonely man who befriends a dog and names him Lucky. They have lots of fun together until tragedy strikes and Lucky loses a leg. Lucky has to re-learn how to walk, but the man loves him through it and they end happily ever after.
The illustrations are whimsical and adorable, Kinsey has a distinct style in his art that really adds to the story. I'd love to see more illustrations from him. I read this book to my 4, 7 and 10 year old. We enjoyed it, except we found the end a bit odd when Lucky relearned to walk on three legs and "was even better than before" and he felt like he and "the man" were flying. I assumed it was metaphorical, but kids were confused. Did Lucky really learn to fly? Or did they feel like they were flying because of their close friendship and happiness at being together? The odd ending kept this book from a 5 star rating on the story, but I still enjoyed it.
After my first reading of Lucky, I wondered why author Craig Inglis would choose to write a children’s story about a dog named Lucky who is hit by a car and loses his leg. What an awful thing to think about, especially for a young child. However, upon re-reading Inglis’ book I realize the power of this story for those children who may have had a pet injured in an accident. Ingles, rather than dwelling on the negative and sad aspect of a dog losing his leg and being permanently handicapped, shows the reader that all things are possible even after a tragic accident. Lucky is still very much loved and has learned that, by working hard, he can do anything – some things even better – than a four-legged dog can do. Having three legs instead of four does not change his ability to do tricks OR change the way his owner feels about him. As Inglis wrote, the man and Lucky are so happy “it almost seemed like they could fly.” The message here is that Lucky is not just the same dog as before, he is better.
One day a man realizes something is missing in his life. He decides he would like a pet and chooses to adopt a dog he names Lucky. They spent time together learning tricks, walking in the park and had the most happy life. The two become the best of friends. Then one day, Lucky darts out into the road and is hit by a car. Unfortunately, he looses a leg. With the man's help, Lucky learns to overcome his challenges by learning his tricks all over again. The text is simple and short. The illustrations are colorful and full of expression of happiness, sadness, uncertainty and acceptance. It does have a positive can-do outcome for Lucky. This story may help children better understand if they have a pet recovering from an injury or disability, that things can happen and change but anything can be overcome with determination and love. I did receive this book from the author for my honest review.
Lucky is a wonderful dog and great company for a man who was all alone. Together they took walks in the park and Lucky learned cool new doggy tricks. He fetched, begged and sat on command. One day, Lucky darted across the street and was hit by a car. The man rushed Lucky to a pet hospital. It was touch and go for Lucky. The doctor could not save one of his legs. It didn't matter the man loved Lucky more than ever. Together they worked at teaching Lucky his tricks all over again. This time with three legs instead of four. Lucky was better than ever.
Lucky is a fun story young readers will love. This is a great way for parents and teachers to start a conversation about pets with disabilities and even kids with disabilities. Lucky can teach young readers that people and pets with disabilities can still do lots of things.
The story starts off with a man waking up. From the picture we see him smiling from his bed and waving to the sun, who waves back. He is a happy man but feels something is missing from his life. He decides to get a dog. He checks several places and finally finds the dog he wants. They have a great time together. One day the dog gets away from him and runs in front of a car. He is hurt. The doctor saves his life but he loses a leg. He has to learn to do the tricks the man taught him all over again. The man lets him know that no matter what he is still the same to him and he still loves him just as much. This is such a simple story to teach kids about disabilities and how just because someone with a disability can't do things the same way you can, doesn't mean they are not a great person to get to know. Wonderful book. Fun and whimsical illustrations.
LUCKY by Craig Inglis is an delightful children’s book. It is the story of Lucky,is a lovable terrier who is run over and losses a leg. This is the remarks my seven year old granddaughter said “The man said he wanted to have a pet dog. He wanted a Terrier,he named him Lucky. Lucky got run over by a car,and lost his leg.I loved Lucky the dog”. “Lucky”, is a story of physical disablity,determination,challenges and love for your pet. A must read for any animal lover,children,and anyone who loves a wonderful story. Received for an honest review from the author. Details can be found at Createspace and mybookaddictionreviews.wordpress.com.
Craig Inglis created a lovely story that is complemented by nicely done illustrations created by Richard Kinsey. This is a sweet story about how the lives of a man and a dog got intertwined by a strong sense of friendship and companionship. One of my favorite things about this, is that it can be used as a tool to teach kids about compassion and empathy.
Colors are really pretty and character design is interesting. Illustrations have a style of their own that effectively complements the story.
I recommend Lucky and my little girl too. She loves to browse the illustrations and listening to the story.
This is an incredible story about love and perseverance. Every reader will instantly fall in love with Lucky and his story. Not only will this book show your childre you can't give up. It's also a wonderful jumping off point to bring up a discussion about people who are different. The illustrations as well as the sentence structure will make this a favorite for all kids. It was a wonderful story! I highly recommend it!
What an adorable book! I loved the illustrations and the story was just divine. I'm passing it onto my friend's little sister! Thanks Goodreads Giveaway