An interesting exploration of family, luck, and the choices we make. It balances the idea of luck and personal responsibility. The characters are quite strong.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a free advanced copy of this book to read and review.

Such a sweet story that deals with tough issues. Annie learns to accept herself and to embrace the differences in people around her. She also learns that to have a good friend, you have to be a good friend!

Thank you Gillian and publisher for sharing a hard copy ARC with #Collabookation as well as an e-ARC on NetGalley!

This was another great MG novel by Gillian McDunn! She depicts relationships in her stories so well.

A prank goes wrong which actually leaves Annie with an opportunity to show her dad he can be proud of her. Annie begins helping out an older woman in town and soon realizes that everyone around her is also dealing with their own things. She learns that by connecting with friends, neighbors, and family you can actually grow stronger.

Another wonderful middle grade read! I have had the fortune in reading some phenomenal middle grade books and I count this book as one of those. Annie's mother abandoned the family when Annie was four, which has caused Annie to isolate herself from friendships and social interactions. After a meeting with a teacher and principal about her social isolation, she makes tentative attempts at socialization which leads to a Door Ditch Disaster. Feeling guilty, she volunteers to help Gloria, an older resident who refuses to move into assisted living because they don't allow dogs - and she can't leave her dog Otto. Throughout the summer, Annie starts to make connections with everyone in her small town except her father, but after a misunderstanding following the town parade, father and daughter have a heart-to-heart about their family situation. Annie was not a likeable character at the start of the book - she cared about her art and little else, but her growth throughout the novel was wonderful to witness. All the side characters are fully-fleshed out, and Otto is dog after my own heart. One of my favorite relationships throughout the novel is between Annie and her older brother - all the relationships were realistically portrayed. I look forward to exploring more books written by McDunn.

A beautiful story with unlikely relationships. A valuable lesson that presents itself involves the realization that we do not really know what others are dealing with just because we 'know' them. Forging relationships and connections that allow for deeper bonds can be enlightening. This is perfect for the middle grade shelf.

Gillian McDunn has done it again! This book is filled with joyous MG voice, and Annie's relationships with people in her community of all ages are BEAUTIFUL! I'm grateful for the chance to read this one, and your MG Contemporary fan will love to meet Annie!

I've enjoyed Gillian McDunn's other works so I was excited to read this one as well. Gillian writes relationships so well and that strength continues throughout These Unlucky Stars. A prank goes wrong which actually leaves Annie with an opportunity to show her dad he can be proud of her. Annie begins helping out an older woman in town and soon realizes that everyone around her is also dealing with their own things and that by connecting with friends, neighbors, and family you can actually grow stronger.

The small-town feel and the Rosy Maple Moth Festival is the perfect setting for this beautiful story.

Annie has the worst luck of any almost 7th grader in town, maybe the state, or even more. She is the reason her mom left, she breaks things, doesn’t have any friends, and her dad and brother understand each other but not her. Then a prank goes bad because of that unlucky star that she was born under and an elderly woman is hurt. And so begins a summer that will change Annie and quite possibly everyone who reads this book. Gillian McDunn’s newest book provides lessons on friendship, generosity and kindness towards others, and recognizing the great things in life even when bad things are also happening and she does it in a way that will have readers chuckling on one page and crying on another. Perfect for middle grade readers who enjoy realistic fiction in that sad-happy heart-breaker category. Pair this book with picture book Lucky Star and pretty much any book written by Barbara O’Connor, Lisa Graff, or Joan Bauer. Free of any profanity, violence, or sexual content. Race of characters is unspecified although the book’s cover indicates that Annie is white. Two dads with a toddler son are included in the cast of characters as well as one odd-looking dog!

Gillian McDunn has done it again! I am also so excited when I find out she has a new book coming out and also so sad when it's over and the waiting begins again. "These Unlucky Stars" is another beautiful middle grade novel about a character who struggles with challenging situations, family secrets, and special friendships with the most unexpected people. Annie and Gloria were just what I needed right now, and I will be thinking of them for a long time to come. I wish everyone could meet a Gloria--someone who is hard as nails on the outside but soft and squishy on the inside. Someone who is more than they appear and can leave a life long lasting impression. She reminds us that “Figuring out who you are is the fun part of life.” Fans of Caterpillar Summer and Me and the Queen Bee will not be disappointed by this latest gem! Can't WAIT to see what comes next:)

Some of my #GoldenLines from the story include:

“Sometimes that’s what love is—putting aside the notion of being right and instead being just plain curious about the person you’re talking to.”

“Life is a mix of good and bad. Things have a way of evening out.”

Annie believes that she has been cursed with bad luck and it colors almost everything that happens to her, but new people in her life make her see things differently. This is a wonderful story about how looking at things in a positive light can make a big difference.

Annie lives in a small town in NC with her brother and Dad, Ray. Annie’s min left when she was a kid and Annie is always blaming herself, claiming she’s “unlucky” in everything she does and brings bad luck to everyone. In reality, that’s just not the case. Annie and her father don’t have the same connection her brother and he do, or so it seems, so she feels like the odd one out. Annie finds herself in a situation where she finally has to come to terms with her “luck” eventually leading to her understanding her mother, her diagnosis, and how her father does love her unconditionally.

A book that touches on major themes such as family, community, friendship, and identity. There’s a sprinkle of confrontation understanding and mental health awareness. OUT NOW! (If you haven’t read @gillianmcdunn other books, I highly recommend as well)

I just loved this story of Annie, a lonely sixth grader who is wishing for the return of her absent Mama, and Gloria, a stubborn, grumpy old lady who loves her ugly companion dog. Their slow-blooming friendship is the star of this novel.

Annie is a misfit. At least that's how she sees herself. She hangs around with her brother's friends, but their not really HERS, are they? One day when she accepts a Ding-Dong-Ditch dare that fails epically, she finds herself tied to Gloria, an old woman who lives near the neighborhood park. Annie is promptly volun-told to visit Gloria daily to help her while her broken arm heals. As the summer progresses, the two find a steady rhythm, while unraveling the secrets of the past that each one hold. McDunn does a wonderful job describing the symbiosis of the two, and you will find yourself casting the movie version inside your mind.

Highly recommend for students in grades 3 and up.

Thanks to Netgalley, Bloomsbury and the author for an early copy to review.

Annie is a girl who feels like she was born under unlucky stars. Anything that can go bad for her will. When a prank goes wrong, Annie has to start to spend time with Gloria, a grumpy, elderly woman, and her dog, to make amends.

This book was a quick and easy read. I liked the idea of the story, but I struggled with several aspects of it. Annie and her brother are middle school aged, but a lot of the actions they did did not seem appropriate for their age. The relationship with Gloria went from difficult and awkward to great friends very quickly. I get that you can't drag things out in a book or the readers will lose interest, but it seemed a little too forced for me. So much of the book talked about how Annie's mom just up and left them and never contacted them, and near the end, we learn of her diagnosis of bipolar disorder. It didn't sit well with me how it was portrayed in such a negative light.

I received an electronic ARC from Bloomsbury USA Children's Books through NetGalley.
Though this book begins a bit slowly, stay with it. McDunn introduces her characters and spins out their story with real life situations. Annie knows she is unlucky. Her mother told her she was born under an unlucky star before she left their family. She lives her life accepting that she has bad luck and nothing will go her way. She doesn't feel she fits in with her father and brother who seem so alike. Then, something goes wrong when she accepts a dare and she meets Gloria and Otto. Annie spends the summer taking care of Otto while Gloria's broken arm heals and discovers how much she is taking care of Gloria too. As the book develops, readers see relationships heal, characters grow and learn to share honestly with each other. Both Annie and Gloria have to face the reality of their lives and make decisions for their own well being. Gloria finally agrees to go to the Assisted Living facility and Annie is figuring out how to interact and develop friendships.
Love the ending as the group of friends surprise Gloria at the facility. It's a delight to see Annie being part of the group and to see one last chuckle as the story ends.
Middle grade readers will identify with the characters and recognize the emotions they feel. Abandonment is a real issue for so many of our young people and they will recognize the emotions Annie and her family go through.

Having enjoyed Gillian McDunn's "The Queen Bee and Me," I was happy to check out her latest book, These Unlucky Stars. As enjoyable as expected, McDunn's latest is a great read that both entertains and teaches valuable lessons. Main character Annie P. Logan is convinced she is unlucky and after reading this story, one can't argue that she certainly experiences more than her share of hapless incidents. Fortunately, one of the incidents introduces her to a few lifelong friends who change her life for the better. A lot of growth and change occurs for Annie over the course of the story. In addition to creating an excellent plot, McDunn's sensory language, especially the visual details, make the story pop from the pages. If you're looking for a sweet story with a few laughs and lessons, give These Unlucky Stars a read.

An old-fashioned, small town story with heart. Annie is independent but also lonely, relatable and flawed, and the narrative allows her to recognize her limitations and grow beyond them without losing her particularly fiery, artistic character. "Kid MC has a life-changing experience after being forced to interact with cranky older person" isn't exactly a new storyline, but fleshed out as this is with Gloria and Otto, not to mention Annie's father and brother and their fellow townspeople, it does have a particular shine. Recommend to those who enjoy books with strong family/friendship elements along the lines of Kate DiCamillo's work or Stead's List of Things That Will Not Change.

Annie lives in a small, North Carolina town with her brother Ray and her father, who owns the local hardware store. Oak Branch is struggling, since most tourists favor nearby Mountain Ring, with its bigger shops and posher establishments. Annie's mother left years ago, and has not had any contact with the family, but Annie still misses her mother's enthusiasm and odd rituals, like spaghetti dinners in the bathtub and waffle picnics in the park. She always seems to get into trouble, and her father doesn't seem to understand her artistic temperament, so she believes what her mother said about her being born under a lucky star. The school is worried about her not working well with others on group projects and eating alone in the art room, but she puts off the teachers who care about her with a lie rather than accepting their help. When an incidence with other students leads to an elderly woman, Gloria Crumb, falling and being injured. To her credit, Annie gets help for her and assists with her dog, Otto, but is worried that she will soon be found out as the person responsible for the fall. Her father has an idea that a town festival will bring more business to the town, and soon everyone is working on floats and activities for a Rosy Maple Moth festival. Annie is spending a lot of time with Gloria, and learning that the woman is much more than the crabby old lady she originally meets. Oak Branch is very small, and Annie spends time in other local businesses, including a diner that serves two different kinds of barbecue, and a bakery run by her friend Faith's aunt. Still pining for her mother and feeling guilty about Gloria, Annie throws herself into helping others prepare for the festival even as she is consumed with worry that her father is becoming serious about a woman he is dating, which could forever close the option of her mother coming back. Will Annie finally realize that she needs to make her own luck?
Strengths: The small town setting was very interesting, and Annie's connection to so many people in town made it more understandable that she would become so involved in Gloria's life. It was good to watch her understand that old people weren't always old and decrepit, but had vibrant pasts of their own. Her father and brother are very supportive, and there is plenty of help available for Annie, even if her prickliness doesn't let people help her. The festival planning was engaging, and sheds light on the plight of some small towns. Of course, Otto the dog was a fun addition.
Weaknesses: Annie wasn't the most likable character, and given all of the current interest in mental health issues, I thought it was odd that her mother with bipolar disorder was portrayed as having left and not being in contact at all. I did like the fact that the father was dating and Annie had to come to terms with that; we need to see more of that in middle grade literature.
What I really think: This is a gentle, introspective novel that will go over well with fans of books like Yardi's Owl's Outstanding Doughnuts, Beasley's Gertie's Leap to Greatness, Elliott's Storm Dog, and Going's The Next Great Jane.

After loving Caterpillar Summer by Gillian McDunn, I had high expectations for this book. In my opinion, These Unlucky Stars was good, but not quite as good as Caterpillar Summer. I just didn't feel the same kind of connection to the characters. In These Unlucky Stars, Annie lives in a small town with her dad and her brother who both are very similar to each other and very different from her. Annie's mother abandoned the family several years ago and Annie feels that abandonment deeply. Because of this, she has few deep meaningful connections with others. Annie thinks she is unlucky, born under an unlucky star as her mother used to say.

One day, Annie is cajoled into pulling a prank. So, when an accident occurs and an elderly woman, Gladys, gets injured, Annie chalks it up to her bad luck. Annie, in an effort to make amends, gets roped into taking care of Gladys' dog Otto for a while. Eventually, a friendship develops between Gladys and Annie as Annie begins to see beyond the curmudgeonly old woman Gladys comes across as.

Slowly throughout the book, Annie begins to connect with others. In doing this, she realizes that maybe she isn't so unlucky after all.

McDunn has done it again! It sure seems like Annie has the worst of luck, especially after she was told by her long-gone mother that she was born under unlucky stars. Readers will feel for Annie as she has this weight of loneliness and being the odd one out. What I loved most was the turn of perspective and the relationship between Annie and a special (and crabby) elderly lady. This middle grade novel will be perfect for readers who feel like they were "gifted" with unlucky stars too.