Title of Book: Lucky The Detective by Dean Hughes

Author: Dean Hughes was born in Ogden, Utah on August 24, 1943. He always dreamed of being a writer. When I read this book in 2011, the book let me know "he is married to Kathy; they live in Provo, Utah. They have a married daughter, Amy Russell, and two sons, Tom and Rob. All three are college students."

ISBN Number: 0-87579-654-0
Publisher: Deseret Book Company in Salt Lake City, Utah
Genre/Market: kids, fiction, children
Publication Date: 1992
Book Length: 149 Pages
Price: $4.95
Soft copy
4 Out of 5 points

Quote: "Lucky who is twelve had spent a lot of time alone since his mother died, especially since he and his dad had started traveling for the insurance company."

Lucky Ladd (his real name is Elbert Nielson Ladd) and his father arrived in Kansas City in their RV and stayed in a town called Raytown, a suburb on the Missouri Side of Kansas City. Lucky's dad traveled when there was a disaster to help the families who needed help and with their insurance. That is why they went Raytown to help others in one of the worst snow storms imaginable.

Lucky is left home alone a lot as his father works very hard. One day Lucky sees his door knob to the trailer moving and when he went to look to see who it was; no one was there! The snow was so bad that school was out for a couple of days when Lucky meets his neighbor Reg (her real name is Mary). Lucky and Mary then go on a detective hunt to find out who might have tried to open Lucky's door. Reg wants to grow up to be a detective and all she loves to do is read mysteries, true crime books, detective magazines and police books.
The next day after doing their investigation out of boredom they meet up with a kid named Mike (Cody is his real name Cody Morris). Mike is older than they are and tries to become friends. They all go to the library to take out books and Mike checked out a book in algebra. Reg got finger printing books. Lucky was instructed by his father to read the book of Mormons and learn the history of Joseph Smith, which Lucky enjoyed reading and learning from. He and his father would have discussions about this book.

The next day, Mike is nowhere to be found and Lucky and Reg ask all the kids around the area if they have seen this boy Mike. Some said yes and some said no. In the long run, Reg and Lucky trace the footprints to an abandoned trailer or house. In the end Lucky and his father take in Mr. and Mrs. Ron Morris into their RV and helped this homeless family and found Ron Morris a job. They were not eating well, and had two kids around the ages of 4 & 5. The storm was so horrible one night that Mike went to Lucky's dad and asks for wood and that is how the conversation starts and the truth is told. The family finds a new apartment and Lucky and his father head to Chicago to help with a new crisis, a plane crash.
I learned more from this book than I expected to. What was odd is on page 82 (Chapter 6) it talks about how the Mormons travel to Nauvoo, Illinois. I went to a boarding school in that town and learned a lot about the Mormons. I also have the passion to investigate and loved this part of the book where the kids do the detective work. Best of all is the fact that it gives us all hope when the family is homeless and a stranger provides a way to help in their time of need.

I love history-when it talks about the Mormons
I love Private Investigation anything
I love helping others in need.
I would recommend this book to anyone as it is a two hour read and children would want to turn the pages up until the very last page.

Jackie Paulson © 2011 All Rights Reserved ( )