A Big Dose of Lucky

Secrets #3

by Marthe Jocelyn (Artist)

Moving forward doesn’t always happen in a straight line.

Malou has just turned sixteen—hardly old enough to be out in the world on her own—and all she knows for sure is that she’s mixed-race and that she was left at an orphanage as a newborn. Beyond that, it’s a mystery—a mystery that takes her to the little town of Parry Sound, where she finds lots of young brown faces like hers. Are these her relatives, and why doesn’t anyone want to talk about it?

Genres: Young Adult, Historical Fiction, Mystery, Fiction, Historical, Canada, Audiobook

264 pages, Paperback

First published September 29, 2015

About the author

Canadian born
22 books published for young readers"

Reviews

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this book. From racism, homophobia, and poverty, there is a lot of intersectionality shared more in this book than in any of the others because Malou is the only character among the orphans with brown skin. (Many of the books mention these issues briefly, but it's much stronger in this case.) It's interesting to experience how racism affects Malou, Jimmy, Abby, Lucy, and Pete. I could understand the fear, terror, and humiliation that they felt in the moments where they are confronted by bigots in a visceral way through Marthe Jocelyn's descriptions, and it helped me explore the world through their POV.

I understand why Malou pushed Frankie aside here and there as she was so focused on her search for her mother, but it seemed a little weird that he'd been an important figure and got pushed aside. I wonder whether anything will happen between them in the next instalment.

I liked how the characters learn things that are completely shocking and unusual to them, and they make this known. Things that are commonplace in contemporary times were experimental / outside of the status quo in 1964, so their reactions are fitting and helps ground the reader in the time period.

I'm very interested to see what happens with Malou and her new friends as the series continues.

[Jasmine · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is so Canadian, and so 60s, and so cute, and so quality.

[Leeanne G · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Strangers hold keys to your own locked doors. Fragments of your life are carried like lost buttons in other people’s pockets. Bits of plastic to strangers, retrieved from the sidewalk or the bus seat, but to you they may hold whole chapters missing from your story.” - Malou Gillis

I didn’t realize this was part of a series when I started reading. I don’t think it has to be read in order because the seven girls each go off to a different corner of the world in search of their families. I’m delighted that this one was set in Ontario. Even though I’ve never been to Parry Sound, it felt really nice to read a book set in my home province.

Malou has always been obsessed with reading stories about orphans - Anne Shirley, Mary Lennox, Sara Crewe, Jane Eyre, Clark Kent - and theorized with the other oldest seven girls at the orphanage about who their parents are or how they died. When a fire burns down the orphanage she’s always lived in, Malou is sent out into the world, alone, with only a baby’s hospital bracelet as a clue to where she came from. It’s a scary journey for a sixteen year old girl who knows almost nothing about the society outside the orphanage walls. She experiences hard core racism and sexism for the first time, navigates new relationships, and learns a new level of independence.

“Maybe white girls can never understand how many times a day a brown girl feels brown.” - Malou Gillis

This book is a super fascinating mystery of Malou finding out who she is and where she came from. I loved all the main characters, especially Malou and Jimmy. I feel that I learned a lot from their experiences, especially with racism. It was a wild ride of a story but I loved every minute! It even made me cry a bit. I was so upset when it ended! I wasn’t ready to leave Malou, Jimmy, Lucy, Pete, Abby, Frankie, and their families.

“You will find, upon occasion…that moving forward does not occur in a straight line. There will be digressions…distractions…perhaps a circle or two. You may discover that going backward—discovering your past—will be the best route to the next chapter in your life.”
- Mrs. Hazelton

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was fantastic!
I'm kind of afraid to say anything because spoilers would really, really spoil this book, I think. The basic idea is that this orphan brown girl in Ontario in the 70's is trying to figure out her history. It spirals out pretty quickly from there as she meets a bunch of really excellent (and some really not excellent) people, and things take a turn for the weird.

I was handed this book to read for a book club, and it looked interesting enough, and I thought I could read it fairly quickly. I'd never heard of it, nor did I know the premise behind the Secrets books, but now I'd REALLY like to read the rest of them!

I highly recommend this. It deals with a lot of historical issues of racism (among other "-isms"), but from a Canadian perspective, which is very cool.
At one point I yelled to my roommate, "She just went into a Beckers and bought pink popcorn and now I'm really nostalgic!"
It was really well executed too, very hard to put down.

Yeah, definitely very good!

[Cecelia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm at the end of A Big Dose of Lucky by Marthe Jocelyn. This was a random book that I selected entirely based on the cover. I couldn't resist the afro on the front. And, this book actually turned out to be a quick, entertaining, and highly enjoyable read. It is about an orphan who goes on a quest to discover her biological parents. So, there is some mystery mixed in with a bit drama. It is aptly named because Malou (the main character) has a lot of luck getting answers and finding the truth. It's a just a happy, feel-good kind of book. And, it's part of a series, so I will be adding the other books in the series to my to be read list!

[Serena · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a good book unfortunately I don't know that I can have it in my library as there is some pages that are quite descriptive about sex. I run a Catholic elementary library and I don't think it would be something that would be well received by some of the parents. It is a good story has great feel to it even though the ending left me feeling that I wanted more of a resolution but maybe there will be another book

[Shelley · Rating 3 out of 5]

When an orphan sets out to find out about her family she didn't know that finding her roots would be so difficult. But she is African American and the year is 1964 so this might be a little more difficult than she thought. What she finds might undo an entire town or at least a small group of her friends and families.

[Kendra · Rating 4 out of 5]

That was pretty funny. And historical!

[Kate Stericker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perhaps because I've already finished other installments in this series, I found the first part of the story, in which Malou receives her clue and gets settled in Parry Sound, very tedious to read. However, the last half of the book contained revelations that were genuinely surprising and wound up drawing me in far more effectively than any of the other Seven Secrets books.

[Arlie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Black bookworm teen raised in an orphanage outside Toronto follows clues to search for her family and identity. Discovers more than she bargained for and befriends the few Black, brown, and Indigenous folks in the rural Ontario town in which she finds herself. Women's hostel, Anishinabae reserve, racist violent white boys and grandmother (no gruesome details thankfully), charity shops and churches and the weirdness around giving and accepting charity, the legality of lesbianism, defining family, general racism, the problem of not defining and teaching sex education to young people, what the world was like and how little access to information kids had before the internet... This would be a great book to give my kid in a few years, maybe 11 or 12.

[Mel · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fast read. It touched lightly on some heavy topics, such as race and homophobia. It had the potential to be more hard hitting than it was, but unfortunately it just didn't get to that point. The ending kind of felt a little messy to me, but other than that I don't have any real compliants.

[Christina Tracy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an easy read, that I thoroughly enjoyed. I feel that it ended too soon, as I would like to see how Malou’s relationships with friends and families played out.

[Brittani]

A girl named Malou who just turned 16 and all she knows she was a newborn in the orphanage. She is mixed-race and gets messed with just because of her skin color. She stays with seven different girls and they all wonder who their parents were. Read and find out the mystery she finds out.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had high hopes for this novel, partly because its subject matter--adoption and family secrets--but also because of how it's set up with nifty subheads within the chapters. Those capture the sections quite well and serve almost as visual soundbites about what the section will cover. However, as the book moved to its close, I became increasingly dismayed by the utter disregard for medical ethics on the part of the main character as well as the interns who were involved in the baby-making business. The story concerns sixteen-year-old Malou, who is thrown into the wilder world after a fire destroys the orphanage in which she lives. She's left with a couple of clues as to her origin, and she heads to Toronto to see what she can learn. She's quickly befriended by several individuals, and begins work as a cleaning woman at a hospital in Parry Sound. When she gains access to hospital records, she finds a list of names and starts trying to eliminate those individuals who couldn't possibly be her mother. The secrets she discovers are disturbing in many ways, but how she reveals those secrets leaves a lot to be desired and can possibly be blamed on her youth and naïve ways. Yet, I found it troublesome, and it detracted from my enjoyment of the book. When she finally tracks down her mother, she learns just how much prejudice can exist in the form of one woman--in this case, her maternal grandmother. For parts of the book, Malou is deeply concerned about how others treat her because of her brown skin. Probably my favorite part of the book would be how she gravitates to books about orphans, seeking clues from those books about how to live her life.

[Stacy Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was read and reviewed by my co-worker, Nicole

I would say this book is part of a collection more than part of a series. It is one of seven books titled Secrets. The books are about an orphanage catching fire in 1964- and the seven oldest girls must now go out into the world and discover their own histories for themselves. A Big Dose of Lucky is Malou’s story. Malou is the only brown face in the orphanage. She is convinced her parents are dead because, that is what being an orphan means. Malou is smart, shy and clever. She loves reading books, mostly about orphans such as The Jungle Book, Anne of Green Gables and Heidi.
After the fire, she is given a baby bracelet and the story about how she showed up at the home. Malou’s inquires take her to Parry Sound, a mostly white town in Ontario, Canada. While she is there she starts seeing other brown faces, like hers, and youth of mixed races. The thing is, the parents involved are not talking about this small group of teens and Malou, wanting to find her mother’s name wants to know why everyone is keeping everything so secret.
The book was well written, each chapter is divided into sections, making it a quick read. As the mystery unfolds I wanted to read more and more. I won’t give away Malou’s discoveries but it did have a satisfying ending. I want to read the rest of the series now.

[Kkharvey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first "Secrets" series book and the first book that I've read by Marthe Jocelyn. I've been keen to read the series, and this was the first one that came available to me. I have to say I'm quite impressed. I've read some of the "Seven" Series - with a similar premise - 7 YA characters, each with a different perspective on one grand story, so I was curious to see how the historical context and the female perspective would fair. I liked it much better.

Malou is the character who is the odd one out. She's the only black girl in the 'seven' and we can see from the get go, she's at a distinct disadvantage in her given circumstances. Her path takes her to Parry Sound, Ontario, where she finds her way to the hospital she was born. Through a number of twists and turns, she seeks out her parentage. Although there were aspects of this story I found predictable, many of the twists and turns I did not - which I thoroughly enjoyed. I also really enjoyed this perspective of a 16 year old black girl in this time and place.

My one criticism I'd have to say is that I'd really have liked more input from the other 'seven'. She'd shared a room with one of them, and I was frankly quite surprised that we really didn't hear at all from her during this entire piece.

[Molly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this story. I found it interesting to see the 1960's written from a Canadian point of view. Things weren't all that much better for Malou in Canada, but it didn't seem to be quite as volatile as what was happening with Civil Rights in America. After a fire at the Home for Necessitous Girls, 16 year old Malou is sent off into the world with a tiny clue as to who she really is and the life-altering revelation that her parents may not actually be dead. What she finds is nothing she could have imagined. I loved the writing, very frank and to the point, like Malou herself. Unexpected plot twists, but not overly complex, interesting characters, and it was a satisfying read.

I have to say that I completely picked this book because of the cover! I was searching through my library's Axis 360 ebook YA selection and this one popped up. I quickly realized that this is not the only book in the "Secrets" series, so I am excited to read the rest of them. And we did not have any of these books in our regular YA print collection at my library, so of course I had order all of them!

[Tess · Rating 3 out of 5]

A friend of mine was supposed to lend me the Lord of the Rings, and of course, I knew he would be late getting the books to me. I picked this book up simply so I'd have something to read. I can't say that "A Big Dose of Lucky" surpassed or fell short of my expectations because I didn't have any.

The main character, Malou (adorable name wow), is sweet, shy and just plucky enough. I do feel as though she was more naive and immature than a sixteen-year-old should be, but the book does bring up how very sheltered the orphan girls were. Anyway, I found her to be lovely and an entertaining point of view.

The actual events in the book were rather...bland. I'm used to reading about grand and exciting things. Not really enough action in "A Big Dose of Happy" for me. There was enough mystery around Malou's parentage to keep me flipping pages, though the "revelation" was not so "gasp-worthy".

I can see "A Big Dose of Happy" being a great read for young teens and will probably pass it down to my young cousin.

[Amy Rhoda Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of a series of books by Orca Books called Secrets. Each book is about a teenage girl who finds herself homeless after their orphanage burns down. The books are set in Ontario in the late sixties. (At least, the two that I read were.)

As is typical with multi-author series, the quality of the books varies. This one was very good; the mystery was compelling, the characters were interesting and credible, and the writing was engaging. The topic was mature and there was some adult language, but nothing beyond the pale.

(The other book from the series I read was Innocent by Eric Walters, which I didn't enjoy: the mystery was telegraphed from the start and the tone of the book seemed old-fashioned and patronising.)

[Jovdb · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another good book in the Secrets series.

This is Malou's story of her search for her family.

After the fire, Malou has the talk with Mrs H. She gets some money and just one other thing, a baby bracelet from a hospital in Parry Sound.

Armed with that, she sets out to find out more about herself. She meets up with Jimmy, who helps her decode a list she found. This list helps unlock her past.

Frankie, who works at the hospital where Malou was, supposedly born, helps her to find out information in the old records room. Malou has been able to get a job as a cleaner at the hospital. Frankie tells her that one of the keys she has for her job, also opens the records room. It is in this room that Malou finds the information that sets her on the right track to discover the truth behind her birth and how she ended up at the orphanage.

3.5 stars

[Chavonne · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book had a great premise: an orphan loses her home in a fire and decides to learn the truth about who her parents are in another town in Canada. She meets some interesting teens along the way and learns about herself as well. The protagonist was naïve and sweet, but the more the book went on, the more this annoyed me. The author didn't do a great job of reconciling her bravery (she traveled all by herself to learn the truth!) with the fact that she shrank from anyone who spoke to her and couldn't bear to think of the fact that people have s-e-x. She's 16, for goodness' sake. Still, I enjoyed the exploration of a girl learning that her being different (being brown--why did she call herself brown and not Black, by the way?) is not just a fact but something that people really hated her for. It was an interesting read, but I wouldn't recommend it.

[Jessalyn King · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it!

(The reader was also good, but the production quality was pretty bad. You could tell where it was cut and new takes were inserted, which were a little jarring, but otherwise she had a good voice for Malou.)

This is a random opinion not (exactly) related to the book: What really pisses me off about racism and sexism etc. is that reading things like this, set in the 60s, you see that we've literally not gotten any better (at least not in Canada). Yes, homosexuality isn't illegal anymore, but otherwise? People still hate on people who are "different", and women still have little say in their lives. Argh.

[Dena · Rating 5 out of 5]

this is the first book that I read from the "secrets" series and I'm glad I did because it was great. I knew that it would be different from the other books because Malou is the only colored girl in the orphanage so she experiences racism.
this is also one of those books that keeps you engaged and make you keep turning the pages till you find out what's going to happen next. I definitely recommend this book to all my friends and to the people out there that love mystery books.

[Johannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are so many things about this book that I absolutely love. Jocelyn touches on so many historical and modern issues rarely discussed in YA literature, especially in a Canadian context. There are some beautifully written sentences and passages. This being said, the story felt a little jolted to me, the ending didn't quite seem complete. I liked it, I didn't love it. 3.5 lucky stars for A Big Dose of Lucky

[Jeanette · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent book! It's a little bit predictable, and it has some elements of a little princess type story, but from a new perspective, featuring a strong, awesome young woman of colour. It deals with some pretty heavy material - racism in particular - but you come out of this book feeling optimistic, rather than weighed down by the world and it's unfairness.

Highly recommended.

[Rena · Rating 5 out of 5]

I so loved this book and Malou. It reminds me of The Girl Who Fell From the Sky by Heidi Durrow, in theme and the fact that I really want to know what happens to Malou in the future. Maybe I will, because A Big Dose of Lucky is part of a series surrounding the girls Malou grew up with in the orphanage. Will get to those in the near future.

[Peggy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A group of seven orphans seek to find their families after their orphanage burns. This story is of Maleu who with her friends seeks to find her roots. She finds her mother, learns about her father and siblings.

She was a (brown) child born to a white women and snatched away right after birth. This is her story.
A good book

[Darlene Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

MOVING FORWARD DOESN'T ALWAYS HAPPEN IN A STRAIGHT LINE. Malou has just turned 16 - all she knows for sure is that she's mixed-race and that she was left at an orphanage as a newborn. After the fire - she heads for Parry Sound, Ont - where she finds lots of brown faces like hers. Why doesn't anyone want to talk about it?

[Kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

#readharder all points-of-view characters are people of color category.

i enjoyed it. there was a moment i put it down for almost a week as I thought something bad was about to happen and I didn't want to read it. I had to remind my self it was a book for kids so what i thought might happened, probably wasn't going to - i picked it up again, and i was right - it didn't happen.

[Anna · Rating 2 out of 5]

Malou Gillis has lived in an orphanage ever since she can remember. But after a fir destroys it, the only thing left for Malou to do is to find who her parents are or were. I didn't like the content of this book, but thought it had a good plot. I thought that it should have been continued further instead of ending where it did.