Not Lucille — Content Guide for Parents
Found in this book
- ViolenceBrief
- Race & cultureSupporting
- Gender rolesBriefTraditional roles
Not found
- Scary content
- Religion
- Profanity
- Climate
- Sexual content
- Gender & orientation
Content themes
Factual summary of themes present in this book. No opinion — just the facts.
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Summaries and source quotes for every theme.
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Religion
PRESENTContains references to prayer and church attendance. A minister character plays a supporting role in two chapters.
About this book
It's 1931, and children should be seen and not heard.
Ten-year-old Lucy Contento can't help but be seen and heard. And she's always in trouble for it. She talks too much. She's impulsive. She writes with the wrong hand. Her parents would be mad enough knowing she routinely earns afterschool detentions. They'd be furious if they found out she's been sneaking onto the campus of the nearby Trenton Academy for the Deaf. But there, Lucy has met Florence, a lonely and profoundly deaf girl her own age. Florence doesn't mind Lucy's flaws. Though Florence can't speak, she has a unique way of communicating. If Lucy can figure out how to learn Florence's special language, the two could be friends.
Lucy devises a plan, but it's going to cost a whopping $7.98-more money than she's got. She can't tell her parents why she wants the funds without revealing she's been visiting Florence. Besides, her parents don't have a penny to spare. Her father has been out of work for months. And nobody else in the Contento family has an income. Or do they ...? Lucy soon discovers she's not the only member of her family hiding something. Can she get the money she needs while keeping everyone's secrets? Or will her scheming land her in the biggest trouble of her life?
In this story of friendship and belonging, a young girl navigates prejudice, punishment, and identity while establishing her voice in a world that often tries to keep her silent.
Frequently asked questions
Is Not Lucille appropriate for a 7-year-old?
A boy picks on Lucy in the school halls, and Florence has her hands tied down for signing in class; no fights or attacks are described. The story shows prejudice against Italian immigrants, including Lucy's father facing discrimination while looking for work, alongside prejudice against deaf people.
Does Not Lucille have violence?
Found (Brief): A boy picks on Lucy in the school halls, and Florence has her hands tied down for signing in class; no fights or attacks are described.
Does Not Lucille have scary content?
Not found in the sources we checked.
Does Not Lucille have religion?
Not found in the sources we checked.
Does Not Lucille have race & culture?
Found (Supporting): The story shows prejudice against Italian immigrants, including Lucy's father facing discrimination while looking for work, alongside prejudice against deaf people.
Does Not Lucille have profanity?
Not found in the sources we checked.
Does Not Lucille have climate?
Not found in the sources we checked.
Does Not Lucille have sexual content?
Not found in the sources we checked.
Does Not Lucille have gender roles?
Found (Brief, Traditional roles): Reviews note Lucy's mother taking a new job while still doing the work of a traditional stay-at-home wife, and a traditional Italian father in a family where women and children help earn money.
Does Not Lucille have gender & orientation?
Not found in the sources we checked.
