Books like The Thing About Luck by Cynthia Kadohata

When Summer’s parents are suddenly whisked to Japan on an emergency trip, the Hayashi family’s summer harvest will depend on the help of Summer’s grandparents and her little brother Jaz. The two grandparents, Obaachan and Jiichan, are old‑fashioned and demanding, but they pull together to try to keep the farm’s mortgage from slipping into arrears during the harvest season. Summer tries to juggle farm work, helping Obaachan cook for workers, and caring for her brother who has trouble making friends. A new friendship blossoms when a boy who has known Summer her whole life pays extra attention to her, and the new relationship promises a welcome distraction amid the hard work and a hope for luck, or "kouun" in Japanese. But when summer turns into a mess and her best friend disappoints Obaachan in the rush to compensate for bad luck, Summer must find a way to change the situation and to save her family, even if it means further displeasing Obaachan. Summer stumbles into a new sense of hope, and the promise of a larger kind of luck awaits.

First publish date: 2013