Blog Tour: Lucas Twigg’s Truly Terrible Luck – Andy Rigden (author) & Jim Landen (illustrator)

*I received a free copy of this book with thanks to the authors, Tiny Tree Books and Kelly Lacey of Love Books Tours. The decision to review and my opinions are my own.*

Blurb: Lucas seems to be the world’s unluckiest kid. He gets splashed on the way to school every time it rains. Birds are queuing up to poop on his head. And he narrowly avoids being crushed by a falling meteor. But all that changes when his Mum lends him his Dad’s lucky football pants. Another fantastic tale from the Author and Illustrator team behind My Mum’s a Bug-eyed Monster!

This is a bright, fun, rhyming story about a little boy who has unusually bad luck, until his mum lends him his dad’s special lucky pants.

Minishine (9) and Babybows (6) found it a really funny read, thoroughly enjoying all of the bird poo and underpants humour.

Minishine: And I really like it when a book rhymes properly like this, with properly rhyming words and a tumpty tumpty pattern, you know?

Me: You mean a ‘rhythm’?

Minishine: Yes! Like a proper rhythm!

Babybows: I liked how he has bad luck and then he gets good luck instead. And how the pictures go dark and then go bright again.

Minishine: I think that’s because of the luck too. It’s a bit sad and a bit funny though, when other people get the bad luck instead. But I guess it’s fair, because it’s not just one person, it’s more spread out.

[Thoughtful pause for reflection]

Babybows: I like all the bird poo going splat! It’s really gross! And when he has to wear his dad’s pants and I bet they’re smelly…

Me: …Enough! I think they’ll get the idea!

There isn’t a particular moral or lesson to the story – it is about superstition and good/bad luck, so if your child is particularly suggestible (cough, Minishine, cough) you will probably end up having lots of discussions about whether someone can really get bad luck from falling over, whether said child might get bad luck next time they fall over, and whether underpants could really fix it if they did. Or if your child is a little less anxious (cough, Babybows, cough) they may just want to talk about bird poo A LOT!

This is simply a really fun, funny story with bold, colourful illustrations and lots of witty background detail, ideal for young readers or for sharing as a family.

When Lucas Twigg was only three
He tripped and fell and grazed his knee.
It didn’t hurt. He didn’t cry.
But Lucas waved his luck goodbye.
– Andy Rigden & Jim Landen, Lucas Twigg’s Truly Terrible Luck

Purchase link: Buy Lucas Twigg’s Truly Terrible Luck on Amazon

About the Author

Andy Rigden lives in Hertfordshire with his wife and two children. In over 20 years of tapping away for brands and businesses, Andy’s words have appeared on everything from TV ads to t-shirts ― and now books. Away from a keyboard, Andy’s happiest wheezing around a five-aside football pitch or urging the mighty Palace up the table.

Website link: https://www.andyrigden.com/

Twitter link: https://twitter.com/andyrigden

About the Illustrator

Big pictures. Big ideas. And, according to my Mum – a perfectly average sized nose.

Having spent most of my working life in advertising and design, I’ve left behind the world of late lunches and even later nights to do what I love most: draw.

I’m married with three children and a devoted, if slightly daft, schnauzer called Sid. When he’s not dragging me around Greenwich park and I’m not drawing or painting, you’ll find me on the drums or devaluing the house with power tools.