Lucky Me

Written by Lora Rozler

Illustrated by Jan Dolby

Fitzhenry & Whiteside

9781554554102

32 pp.

Ages 8-12

February 2018

I always loved those posters that would communicate a single message in different languages, whether it be Welcome, Hello or Thank you.  Lucky Me is like an expanded and illustrated version of the Thank You poster, sharing the many events for which children might express gratitude in various languages.

The text of Lucky Me is a series of statements about experiences for which children in Canada might be  grateful, whether it be treasures big and small, being able to ask question, tasty pancakes , another candle on a birthday cake, playing in the snow, or having a friend by your side.  For each, the term for “thank you” is giving in another language, identifying how to pronounce it as well as the language used.  Lucky Me is like an international thesaurus of thanks.

From Lucky Me 

by Lora Rozler 

illus. by Jan Dolby

With 32 languages covered (English, Armenian, Romanian, Greek, Japanese, Tagalog, Hebrew, Cree, Spanish, Portuguese, Somali, Mandarin, Dutch, Finnish, Polish, Arabic, Hindi, Swahili, Tamil, Vietnamese, Korean, Hungarian, Russian, Albanian, Italian, Persian, Cantonese, Punjabi, German, Turkish, Urdu and French), Lora Rozler has covered most continents and the children from the diverse cultures within though the children are very much ensconced in a Canadian setting.  Still children will see themselves outdoors, at home, at school and the many places they experience life.  Jan Dolby, whose gave life to Joyce Grant’s Gabby in Gabby (Fitzhenry & Whiteside, 2013) and her follow up books (Gabby Drama Queen and Gabby Wonder Girl) energizes Lora Rozler’s text with children who are lively and effusive in their activities alone and with others.  They’re open to life and can see the worth in all their experiences.

From Lucky Me 

by Lora Rozler 

illus. by Jan Dolby

While I might have liked to have seen more children who appreciate the quiet of contemplation rather than always activity, the wide variety of experiences and ways of saying thank you demonstrate that we all have much for which we should be grateful and a single book would probably never be enough.  Fortunately, Lora Rozler and Jan Dolby have given children a very, very good start to seeing all for which they could be exclaiming “Lucky Me.”  

From Lucky Me 

by Lora Rozler 

illus. by Jan Dolby