Lucky Enough

Fred Bowen Sports Story Series

by Fred Bowen

A baseball star’s luck is tested in this action-packed story—perfect for fans of Mike Lupica and Tim Green—from the author of The Kid Coach.

Like many athletes, Trey is superstitious. How could he not be when he just made the Ravens travel baseball team thanks to his lucky charm, a piece of rare sea glass he found on his grandmother’s beach?

This stroke of good fortune reinforces Trey’s superstitions, and his rituals only become more important to him. Despite some teasing from his teammates, he persists in never stepping on the foul line, obsessively tapping the corners of home plate when he’s at bat, and always choosing the same lucky bat. And his tactics are working; he’s doing quite well on the field and in the batter’s box.

Then one day Trey can’t find his lucky sea glass. His performance begins to slip, and he’s convinced his future with the Ravens is doomed. Things don’t start to improve until Trey’s uncle reminds him of his grandmother’s favorite “The harder you work, the luckier you get.”

Can Trey take these words to heart and find his swing again . . . even without his lucky charm?

This ebook features an afterword about famous real-life players with their own lucky charms and superstitions.

Discussion Guide available

“A former kids’ baseball coach and the writer of the Washington Post sports column for young readers, Bowen adds an entertaining note on baseball superstitions. . . . The straightforward story will appeal to young players as well as older ones intimidated by longer novels.” —Booklist

Genres: Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Sports

97 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 30, 2021

About the author

Fred Bowen is the author of Peachtree’s popular Fred Bowen Sports Story and All-Star Sport Story series. A lifelong sports fanatic, he has coached youth league baseball, basketball, and soccer. His kids’ sports column “The Score” appears each week in the KidsPost section of the Washington Post. Bowen lives in Maryland.

Reviews

[Katie Fitzgerald · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was another great read from Fred Bowen, who consistently writes engaging sports stories for the middle grade audience. As he does in his other books, here Bowen combines real sports trivia (this time about the superstitions of famous baseball players) with an engaging life lesson (it's better to work hard than to rely on luck!) starring a child athlete who has been inspired by an influential adult (in this case, it's Trey's deceased grandmother). Trey is a sympathetic character, and the reader both empathizes with his desire to follow certain rituals during baseball games and understands his need to put in a bit more effort to improve his game. Supporting characters are also appealing, include Trey's well-to-do Uncle Dave who checks in on him and his single mom from time to time, and the groundskeeper at the ball field, Mr. Kiley, who is involved in the search for Trey's lost good luck charm, and Trey's realization that it may not hold as much power as he thinks.

This is a book with appeal to a wide range of ages. Advanced readers in the lower elementary grades who need novel-length stories with age-appropriate content won't find anything offensive in this book, but kids as old as middle-school age can still relate to Trey and enjoy all the sports action, and the details of things like player stats and batting rosters. I've never read a book by Fred Bowen that I couldn't wholeheartedly recommend, and this book is no exception. I'm already eager to read whatever he writes next!

[Sue Poduska · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this installment of the Fred Bowen Sports Story Series, the reader gets a feel for how superstitions and lucky charms play a role in the wide world of baseball. The best achievements are those we work hard for. Bowen delivers a life lesson without preaching and while telling a good story.

[Diana Colby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bowen has written a lot of books about sports. Great lesson about luck and hard work. I think boys and girls will like it. It is not too difficult to read which makes it a perfect fit for Chuckwagon novel.

[Sloane · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was ok! Although it wasn’t entirely interesting or my favorite, I liked the story line and I found some parts very interesting! I likes the mystery factor of this book! I’m not very much into baseball so some things I found more boring but overall it was alright.

[Wendy Post · Rating 3 out of 5]

ACA 4-5 fiction

[Kelly Chester · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great book