Believing that her French guardian is about to abandon her to an orphanage in the city, ten-year-old Lucky runs away from her small town with her beloved dog by her side in order to trek across the Mojave Desert in this Newbery Medalwinning novel from Susan Patron. Lucky, age ten, cant wait another day. The meanness gland in her heart and the crevices full of questions in her brain make running away from Hard Pan, California population 43, the rock-bottom only choice she has. Its all Brigittes fault -- for wanting to go back to France. Guardians are supposed to stay put and look after girls in their care! Instead Lucky is sure that shell be abandoned to some orphanage in Los Angeles where her beloved dog, HMS Beagle, wont be allowed. Shell have to lose her friends Miles, who lives on cookies, and Lincoln, future U.
