The Luminous Life of Lucy Landry
1912 Michigan. Of Ojibwe and Acadian heritage, Lucy Landry has suffered many losses in her eleven years. Her mother died when she was little. Her Da, a sailor, drowned in a shipwreck two years ago, and now her dear guardian, Miss Mamie, has passed away. Her way of coping with sadness and fear is to daydream and to take on the personae of characters: the Queen, Small Waif Girl, and others. Lucy doesn’t want to go live with the Martin family in a lighthouse until she hears they live near Mermaid Island. Lucy’s Da’s dream was to find a ruby necklace lost in a shipwreck off the coast of Mermaid Island. The Martin family includes six children, and the lighthouse is a small space that must be kept clean and orderly. If the inspector finds one more fault with the lighthouse and its keeping, Mr. Martin may lose his job. Lucy struggles to adapt to this new environment, although she longs to be a part of the family.
Several characters call Lucy an “odd child,” which is a good description. She is whimsical, haughty, remorseful, irresponsible, and incredibly brave. I found her delightful. Her ability to face her greatest fear is credible, but the act also entails skills she doesn’t have, making the ending wonderful if a bit unbelievable. Johnson smoothly incorporates interesting settings and other details, such as words in the Anishinaabemowin language and the history of the Acadian people. The islands and Michigan coast of Lake Superior come alive with dangers and adventure, an unusual and fascinating setting, especially for children. Ages 8-12.
