RGG: Slight book of multi-generational African American stories, connected by each of the characters' being saved or benefiting from the lucky stone. Quite a bit of vernacular and other contextual references. Might make a lovely read-aloud. Reading Level: 10-12, FP: Q-R.

Clifton, L., & Payson, D. (1979). The lucky stone. New York: Delacorte Press.
Grades 2 through 4

Tee’s afternoons with her great-grandmother, Mrs. Pickens, are moments to be cherished. As they spend time together, an event or another triggers great-grandmother’s memory, and she shares with Tee stories from the past. One of these stories is about a black stone, one that brings luck to its owner. The stone has protected many generations of women, from Miss Mandy to Vashi to great-grandmother. Miss Mandy survived one year in a cave because of the stone; the stone saved her daughter Vashi from deadly lightning; and the stone helped Mrs. Pickens find the love of her life. When Tee’s great-grandmother falls sick and has to go to the hospital, Tee loses her best friend. Who will listen to her fears of never finding a valentine? When she visits Mrs. Pickens in the hospital, the old woman tells the girl to look on the dresser. Tee finds a bag with an envelope with her name on it, pictures of her family, and a small bag. Inside the bag, she finds the black stone. Tee falls asleep on her great-grandmother’s rocking chair and wakes up to the joy of finding Mrs. Pickens back home, fully recovered. A few days later, Tee receives her first valentine in the mail.

The lucky stone explores how oral tradition helps generations connect to their past. The story of the black stone is told in pieces, the memory prompted by some event in the present—a smile, a song, flowers—and Mrs. Pickens keeps the story going by revealing it little by little, always leaving a cliffhanger keep Tee wanting more. The use of dialect enriches the story and brings characters to life. The African-American experience is beautifully illustrated by Dale Payson, who captures the characters’ emotions in her black-and white images. The shift from third- to first-person marks the point when Tee is no longer the audience but the storyteller. The book is a great resource to teach young students about the plight of the slaves, the strength of family ties, and the power of storytelling. ( )

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