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The Best Bad Luck I Ever Had
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The Best Bad Luck I Ever Had
Unavailable
The Best Bad Luck I Ever Had
Audiobook7 hours

The Best Bad Luck I Ever Had

Written by Kristin Levine

Narrated by Kirby Heyborne

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

4.5/5

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Currently unavailable

Currently unavailable

About this audiobook

Harry "Dit" Sims and Emma Walker are the unlikeliest of friends. Emma, the educated twelve-year-old daughter of Moundville's new postmaster, is all wrong as far as Dit's concerned. Dit was told the new postmaster would have a boy his same age, not a girl. But the rest of the town is more surprised by the Walker family's color than whether Emma's a boy or a girl. But that makes no difference to Dit's mother. Her rule is to be nice to everyone, and before long, Dit's glad about Mama's rule. Emma's not like anyone he's ever known. Emma is the first person to ever listen to Dit.  

Emma also makes Dit think, and about things he's never given much thought to before, like why the colored kids and the white kids can't go to school together. Soon Dit's thinking about a lot more when Doc, who is black and the town barber, is accused of a terrible crime. Dit and Emma know he doesn't deserve to be punished, and together they come up with a daring plan to save Doc from the unthinkable.

Set in 1917 in Moundville, Alabama, and inspired by the author's family history, this is the poignant story of a brave friendship and the perils of small-town justice.
LanguageEnglish
Release dateJan 26, 2010
ISBN9780307710574
Unavailable
The Best Bad Luck I Ever Had
Author

Kristin Levine

Kristin Levine lives in Alexandria, VA with her two daughters. The Paper Cowboy is her third novel.

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Reviews for The Best Bad Luck I Ever Had

Rating: 4.293604529069767 out of 5 stars
4.5/5

172 ratings64 reviews

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  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    In Moundville, Alabama, in 1916, "Dit" is eagerly awaiting the new postmaster's arrival, because he has a 12 year old child. He is shocked when the postmaster arrives, and the family is black... and the child is a girl. Emma turns out to be both smart and well educated. Dit's mother always taught him that you don't have to like anybody, but you do have to be nice to everyone. Dit and Emma rapidly go from tolerating each other, to getting along, to becoming close friends.Everyone in town is not so agreeable to a black girl and a white boy being friends, and the grumpy, bullying, usually half-drunk sheriff, "Big Foot," is the worst. Eventually a chain of events in which Dit and Emma are both involved, leads to violence and a death. By turns funny, sweet, sad, and tragic, "The Best Bad Luck I Ever Had" is definitely added to my list of all time favorite books. Emma and Dit will always have a place in my heart.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    One of the best books I have ever read. Excellent
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Dit is excited to see who the postmaster's kid. He is hoping its a boy his age! Well unfortunately it is not is an African American girl. He is not happy about this and nor does he want to be friends with her. Being that his mother is making him he tries hard to make her not like him. Throughout the story Dit is constantly being teased for hanging out with a "colored" girl. This story describes how these two children build a friendship through extremely rough situations.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    The book is about the friendship of an African- American boy and a white girl during a time where this was not appropriate at all. The book tells one year of the main characters' lives and explains through events, experience, anecdotes, references and other important details how difficult it was for African-Americans, and as whites to stand up for them. In my opinion, the first half of the book is a little bit boring and it takes some time until the reader really gets fascinated by the book, but then it starts to be interesting. I can imagine using that book to talk about segregation in order to encourage students how people at the same age felt during that time. A wonderful, but sad book about segregation and friendships between African- Americans and whites.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Dit is a boy who is desperate for a male friend. When he finds out that a new family moved in town, he is excited! However, he realizes that the new family has a GIRL, Emma Walker (who is black) and his excitement quickly vanishes. Emma does not do all the things that Dit loves to do (like fishing or playing sports), in fact she loves all the things Dit finds boring (like reading). They become friends, despite their differences, and Dit learns about the baseless discrimination Emma and her family face. After a black man is accused of murder, the pair try to prove his innocence. This is a really, truly, wonderful story about love and friendship overcoming despite a town being against you.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Dit, a young boy, is very eager about the arrival of the new postmaster's family who is supposed to have a son. Very dissappointed Dit noticed that this was misinformation. A black little girl, Emma Walker, arrived with the postmaster's family. She was not a lot of fun since she doesn't play baseball with Dit or exploring the nature. She loves to read; a passion that Dit cannot understand. But soon, Dit notices that Emma is very smart and a lot of fun too. They become very good friends and Emma shows Dit a lot of new and interesting things like the difficulties black people have to face. When the barber of town, a black man, is put to trial, Dit and Emma are making plans to safe him from the injustice he has to encounter.A very touching and lovely story! Highly recommendable to read in class!
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Finishing this book on the same day that the Newbery and Caldecott and other children's and young adult book awards were announced brought real meaning to Kate Messner's poem that she posted on her blog-- "What Happened to Your Book Today." This story of the friendship between white Dit and black Emma in 1917 Alabama is beautifully told. You would never know this is Levine's first novel-- I had trouble putting it down to attend to various weekend activities. It may not have one of those gold or silver medals on it, but this book is truly a winner.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Dit hopes the postmaster as a boy his age so he can play baseball with during the summer. It's his bad luck because the postmaster has a daughter instead. Dit is white and Emma is black but they still become good friends. When racial tensions rise they have to figure out how they can continue to be close and make things right. I liked this book because it shows how the innocence of a child outshines the ignorance of an adult. Most children don't see color.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Set in Moundville, Alabama in 1917 this charming juvenile novel was based on the author's grandfather's handwritten memoir.

    Folks who didn't grow up in the South may not "buy" that children of different races played together and often became friends, and Levine's story captures perfectly the truth that among White Southerners there was (and still is) a vast difference between those who were (and are) unencumbered by prejudice, those who hold their prejudice inside and allow graciousness and good manners to take precedence over personal feelings, and those who are just "no count." In my own experience as a child growing up in the South in the 1960's, I can tell you that if I had ever used the "n" word, or been otherwise contemptuous of those of other races I would have had my mouth washed out with soap.

    But I digress.

    Dit and Emma become very good friends when her father comes to Moundville to serve as Postmaster there. No one in town was expecting Mr. Walker and his family to be black, but Dit is more crushed when he finds out that the Postmaster's child (whom he'd been told was a boy) turns out to be a bookish girl.

    Their friendship develops in spite of all their differences and more than a little peer pressure, and in many ways I was reminded of another great story of childhood friendships that has long been a favorite -- Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson.

    Levine's understated writing drew me in, and the bittersweet ending was powerful.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Dit is a 12 year old white boy living in Moundville, Alabama in the early 1900s. He comes from a large working class family where every child has roles and chores to complete everyday. Emma is a young black girl, about Dit's age, who moves to town from Boston when her father is transferred to be Moundville's new Post master. The post master's family has always lived in a small house behind Dit's so he was really hoping the new family would have a boy his age to play with, but he was sorely disappointed to find Emma was no boy. Little by little the two find themselves spending more and more time together until they realize they have become the best of friends. Emma helps Dit with his school work while he teaches her to play baseball and skip stones. Being in Alabama during this time, they were constantly told the other children (and some adults) that they should not be spending time together, but they fight for their friendship and to break the barriers of racial segregation. I loved this book and I think elementary school children would too. It reminds me a bit of To Kill A Mockingbird which is one of my all time favorites. This is a great book to share with children and to discuss the issues of friendship, fairness, and social equality as well as justice.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This was a good book, and I think the target could really be useful for an older group. I think the message can show them that even if you think something is bad or you don't like it, it could turn out to be one of the best things that happened in your life. Lepine, made the story very realistic throughout the entire story. Dit's character changed very much throughtout the story, as he grew to like emma and emma like him. This is a great story and I recommend it to everyone.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This book is an extraordinary tale of a deep friendship between Dit and Emma. Dit and Emma could be more different, but they have a bond like no other. Dit and Emma fight for their friendship, despite the racial environment of 1917. Dit and Emma have to come together in order to save the town barber from being executed for defending Emma and hitting a white man, the town sherrif. Emma has to leave at the end, and Dit realizes that Emma moving to town was the best bad luck he ever had. Dit has become a man, and holds true to all of the promies he made to Emma.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This story is about the amazing friendship between a white boy and a black girl. Dit at first was very against hanging out with Emma, but in the end he realizes she is the best thing for him. They both realize that they taught each other a lot of different things. I really didn't expect to like this story, but i feel in love with both Emma and Dit. In the end i could feel the pain he felt as she was leaving.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    This is the story of a friendship of a little white boy and a little black girl, when they were told that they should not be friends because of the color of their skin.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I really loved this book! It was a such a great read not only because of the way Kristin Levine makes everything so real for the reader, but also because of the message in the story. I would love to read this story with an older class just to show them that something you think is bad for you may end up being the best thing ever to happen to you. I really loved the end where Dit was trying to send smoke signals to Emma. That just showed how much he changed as a character throughout the story. It was so sweet and you could tell that Emma really made an impact in his life. This is a great story and I recommend it to everyone.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This book is about a white boy in Alabama who felt unimportant amongst his 10 siblings, who made friends with a black girl despite the tensions it caused with the townfolks and his friends. Children in grade 5 and up would enjoy this book because it shows them friendship can be formed with the unlikeliest of people and having the courage to stand up for what's right is important.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Dit and Emma, a young white boy and black girl become friends against all the odds of racism and unjust treatment during the civil rights movement. The pair work together to make a plan to save the town's barber from an unfair execution and worked together despite the disadvantages of society in Alabama in the early 1900's. A wonderful story about diversity, culture and acceptance.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This book tells the tale of the unlikely friendship between two young kids, Dit and Emma. This story is set in the early 1900's in a small Alabama town and Dit happens to be white while Emma is black. During this time, a friendship such as thiers was unacceptable. Dit and Emma defy all odds and even devise a plan to help free the town's barber from an unjust execution. Although this book has repetitive use of the "N" word, I would still share it with middle school students. "The Best Bad Luck I Ever Had" is well written with Dit's voice being so strong you feel as though you're in the deep south. It will also teach students about themes such as civil rights, diversity, and standing up for what you believe in.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    The Best Bad Luck I Ever Had tells the tale of a boy named Harry "Dit" Sims and Emma Walker. These two are the most unlikely to becomes friends. The book takes place during 1917 in small town. The two friends get much controversy over their friendship because Dit is white and Emma is black. Unfortunately, this is not socially acceptable in their town. The book goes through their trials as friends but also has them work together in order to save Doc, their town barber, from a terrible sentence. It is a compelling tale and I would highly suggest it for a unit study.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Dit becomes friends with Emma even though everyone told him that a black girl and white boy shouldn't be friends. I love the fact that even though the odds were against Dit and Emma, they still became friends. This story reminded me of the racism that went on in the early 1900's.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Dit, a young boy from a large Southern family, hears that a new post master will be moving to town who has a son of his own age. Dit is excited to have a new friend near by for the summer but as his "best bad luck" would have it, the post master has a daughter, an African American daughter, and her name is Emma. Despite her being a girl, not being white, and seeming to be nearly opposite of Dit, she and Dit become the best of friends. They learn from each other and go on many adventures, one of which that frees Doc, an African American barber, from an unjust execution. This book can teach readers about a huge range of concepts including unlikely friendships, prejudice, justice, life in the south, civil rights, etc. I would like to have my class read this while we learn about civil rights. It would help make the situations more realistic to students and provide them with knowledge about the previously listed concepts. Even though this book is fiction, it will make the southern prejudice environment come to life more than a history text book ever could.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    a story of friendship that forms out of an unlikely pair--at least in the eyes of grown-ups. Dit and Emma come from two different worlds but wind up great friends. This would be a great story to introduce during a history lesson or a civics lesson about tolerance.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    A great novel to share with readers. This can help students understand how it is to live in the 1800's in the civil war times. This can also teach students about the segregation in the civil war times and how people were treated for their skin color.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Dit is a young white boy that comes from a big family. There is rumor going around that there was going to be a new postmaster in town and that he would have a boy Dit's age with hi. Turns out the boy Dit heard about was really a girl and her name is Emma. Emma is African American and dit is white, in the era of this story the blacks and whites were still very much segregated. Despite race Dit and Emma become friends and are always together. Dit and Emma have many adventures together and they even set up a plan to save Doc from his execution. One day Emma receives news that she is leaving because her fathers services are no longer needed. Dit is devastated that Emma is moving back to Boston. this book teaches you that color is not important, and its what is on the inside that really counts. this book can be used in the classroom to discuss civil rights and friendship. I'm not sure how the offensive langue would hold over in a class, but this book is a really good book that I would recommend to anyone.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Harry Otis Sims, or "Dit" for short, grew up under his mamma's rule, which was to be nice to everyone. Unfortunately, everyone was not taught likewise. When Emma Walker, the new postmaster's daughter, arrived into town, Dit was forced to open his eyes to the many injustices that occurred in his small town. When Dit and Emma become friends, he is able to soon able to tell right from wrong. This story is his coming of age story. Throughout the book, Dit grows as a person working with Emma to save the life of the town barber, a man of color, who was only trying to protect himself.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I love, love, love this book. It's a story about a young boy named Dit who is basically the middle child in a family of ten children. His best friend is out of town for the summer so he is hoping the new postmasters son will become his friend. Dit is very disappointed that the postmaster has a daughter and not a son. While Dit is concerned with the child being a girl most of the town is upset that the family is African American. After being forced by his mother to spend time with the postmasters daughter Emma, Dit actually starts becoming friends with her. This a great story about an unlikely friendship.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Dit is a young boy (12 years old) out of 10 children. They are living in the era of of the early 1900s, where racism and segregation was still strong and intense. Dit finds himself in an unexpected friendship with a young black girl his age. At first, he considered it back luck that the new postman's child wasn't a boy, and was in a fact a girl. But it end up being the best friendship of his life. Hence the best bad luck i ever had.At first, Emma and Dit seemed to have nothing in common. Emma was a smart prim and proper girl, and Dit was an adventurous country boy. But as time progressed, they both rubbed off on one another. Emma helped Dit progress in school and grow to be more mature. Dit helped Emma to be more adventurous, and be okay with getting her shoes dirty. This story also does a great job at portraying the difficulty that the blacks faced after the civil rights moment, and their battle with ongoing racism and segregation. Despite these aspects, Dit finds a best friends and defends her honor every step of the way.Doc Haley was the town barber, who was found guilty of first degree intentional murder. Doc was actually just defending himself to the life threatening sheriff, Big Foot. But since Doc was a black man shooting a white man, he was sentence to the death penalty. Emma and Dit freed him with a master plan to make the town think that he was dead. This is a good theme to tie in with justice because it involves race as well as what is moral verses the law. Doc's situation leads the reader to question when it is fitting to break a law, and also allows the reader to realize when some laws are unfair. In addition to that, it makes us wonder what we would put on the line in order to set injustice straight (like Emma and Dit did for Doc). The rationale of this book also includes the concept of giving others a chance, because you may find a great friend in unexpected places.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Dit is having nothing but bad luck. His best friend, Chip, has to spend the summer by his grandma's house, and Elbert has to work at his Pa's shop. He's hoping he can make friends with the new postman's son until he finds out the postman doesnt have a son but a daughter. This book is great for the classroom. It covers topics like friendship, racism, social justice, right and wrong, along with some historical information.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    The Best Bad Luck I Ever Had is about a boy named Dit, who becomes friends with the new post master's daughter, Emma. Emma is African American and the book is set right after the Great War so race and rascism is still a big deal. The small town makes a huge thing out of Dit and Emma's friendship. Dit becomes a better person by being friends with Emma. He realizes that calling colored people, "Niggra" is not right. This was something that he used to see as no big deal until he became friends with Emma. I really enjoyed reading this book!! I have been in an inter-racial relationsship before, so before that I never really relaized how much race effects the rest of the world. I find it extremely offensive when someone makes a rascist comment. I think it would be sort of difficult to teach this book because of the offensive language, but personally I wasn't offended by it. I took in consideration the time that the book was written it. The language is a very important detail. It tells how things were and without the language, we would really miss a great deal of the book the way that the author intended it to be. Removing the word "nigger" from this book and others like Huckleberry Finn would be like removing Mona Lisa'a smile.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Dit comes from a family of 9 siblings. He doesn't recieve much attention from his father who can barely remember his name. All Dit wants is for his father to give him the "talk" and be proud of him. A new postman arrives and Dit is excited because the postman is supposed to have a son his age. When the postmamn arrives the whole town is surprised to see that the family is black and that the have a little girl. Dit doesn't want to show Emma around because he wishes she was a boy. Throughout the book Dit and Emma become best friends and have many great adventures together. They come up with a plan to save Doc Haley from his execution. Dit gets questioned many times about being friends with Emma, but Dit defends her. Emma is quite smart and loves to read. She helps Dit open his eyes to what is right and wrong. Emma leaves after one year to go back to Boston and Dit is devastated. This book was an excellent book that I really enjoyed. The language used in the book is appropriate to the setting of the time displayed in the book.