The Lucky Ones

Ellis Earl Brown, a Black 11-year-old living in 1960s Wilsonville, Miss., dreams of becoming a teacher or a lawyer, “or I can be both at the same time.” Though his house has a leaking, rusty tin roof, and his overworked mother spreads herself thin caring for his siblings and various extended family members, they make do with what they have and live a life filled with love. When confronted with the possibility that he might be pulled out of school to help make ends meet, though, Ellis Earl worries that his aspirations are forfeit. Then a kind teacher, Mr. Foster, lends him a copy of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and Ellis Earl finds comfort in the pages, seeing himself in Charlie’s situation and looking toward a better tomorrow. Ellis Earl, Mr. Foster, the Brown brood, and their predominantly Black community are astutely characterized, imbued with eclectic and lovable personalities. Jackson (A Sky Full of Stars) delivers a touching novel that resonates today, centering the crucial impact of community on one family’s financial precarity. Ages 8–12. Agent: Elizabeth Bewley, Sterling Lord Literistic. (Apr.)