A Stroke of Luck

Anne Hutchings is an elementary-school teacher-librarian with the Durham
Board of Education.

These short, fast-paced, easy-to-read “Degrassi-esque” novels are
sure to find a wide audience with junior-grade students. The simple
plots deal with a variety of contemporary issues of interest to and
frequently experienced by today’s young people—moving, divorce,
economic hardship, overcoming shyness, eating disorders, making friends,
and so forth. The challenges and problems encountered by the characters
are dealt with realistically, and each story is brought to a satisfying
and optimistic conclusion. That each story features a particular sport
(gymnastics, basketball, and figure skating, respectively) will add to
their appeal with both avid and reluctant readers. Recommended.