Lucas follows on from the story of Whisper, focusing more fully on the orphan’s life before he came to be a middle-aged man rescuing Britney from her world of abuse. In this book, we discover just how Lucas found himself growing up and then taking in the stray waif.When the boy’s parents die unexpectedly from sickness, the family’s neighbours end up taking him in. Lucas likes the Copperley children, but is afraid of not being welcome in the household when he accidentally overhears their parents talking about him. Quickly, Lucas decides that village isn’t for him anymore and chooses to spend a life on the road, constantly drifting from town to town, searching eagerly for his place and somewhere he could belong.During this course of aimless wandering, the boy finally stumbles across Seth and Ruby Rodgers and begins working for the friendly, easy-going couple, eventually being adopted by them. Lucas enjoys running the carpentry business when he’s older, but wonders if there is anything else for him, and the sudden arrival of the mistreated, terrified little girl brings even more responsibility upon Lucas’ shoulders than he ever thought possible.Lucas loves the child deeply, but his strength of character is severely tested – will Britney ever learn to trust him? Or has the memory of her drunken father been ingrained so intensely within her heart that she will never welcome another man’s presence ever again?
Alison has been writing short stories to share with friends and family for many years and always enjoys exploring her creativity when putting pen to paper. She is excited to have the opportunity to share her love of writing with others.
She loves spending time with her own dog, a Labrador cross Huntaway called Smoky, teaching her tricks and taking her for walks. She lives in a small town in New Zealand with many beautiful parks and beaches.
Alison has been playing trombone for twelve years, and has recently begun teaching music part-time. She also enjoys a bit of photography when she gets the chance, especially if it involves taking pictures of sunsets.
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Reviews
3 reviews
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The Children’s Book Review, 2025
As a sequel to the story Whisper, Lucas takes us back in time to tell the story of the orphaned little boy who will become a vital part of a new, happy family. After his parents die, Lucas is taken in by the loving family of one of his best friends. However, after overhearing them worrying one night about the strain of having to feed an extra mouth, Lucas decides to run away. He wanders from village to village, exchanging his help with household chores for food and shelter, until he stumbles on the home of Ruby and Seth. The couple are grief-stricken, having just lost their daughter, who has run away to be married. They take Lucas in, and soon, he becomes like a son to them… Then, one day, a little girl appears on their doorstep, frightened and badly malnourished. After years of estrangement, these fragmented families may finally be coming whole again. Lucas is a strong, resilient, and kindhearted main character… With its emphasis on learning from experience and building trusting, loving relationships, this multigenerational saga conveys that even the most difficult challenges can be overcome by continually choosing to do the right thing. While unexpected twists and turns keep the plot exciting, the story is filled with details of everyday life, helping the characters and events feel more real. Lucas will surely be a winner for readers who enjoy historical fiction and coming-of-age stories
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Charlotte: City Book Review
Lucas is such a great book! I loved the first book in the series, Whisper, so I was super excited to read this one, and it did not disappoint. Lucas is a character that I knew from Whisper and this is his story… Right from the start, I felt really bad for Lucas. He lost his parents and had nowhere to go, and the first family that took him in couldn’t afford to keep him… I could really feel how scared and alone he must have been. One of my favorite parts of the book was when Lucas started learning carpentry… He finally had something he was good at, and it gave him a sense of purpose… Britney is another reason why I liked this book so much! Since I read Whisper, I already knew her story, and I was so happy to see her again… Sometimes the book is sad, sometimes it’s heartwarming, and sometimes it’s exciting. The writing is so good that I could picture everything in my head, from the little cottage to the cozy workshop and even the scary moments. I would definitely recommend Lucas to anyone who liked Whisper, or who enjoys books about friendship, family, and finding where you belong. I can't wait to start reading the third book in the trilogy. These stories are ones that stay with you even after you finish them, and I think other kids my age would really love them!
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Holly Smith: Reader Views
Alison Bellringer’s trilogy continues with Lucas… delving deeper into the world of its predecessor… This time though, the story focuses on the character Lucas… a runaway seeking shelter. Along with him for the first leg of his journey is the dog of the family that took him in… He is then lucky enough to cross paths with the kindly Ruby and her ill husband, Seth, whose daughter just ran away… For readers of Whisper, nearly all of the characters will be familiar… However, this book introduces additional depth to the title character, filling out his backstory. It was also great to see another canine protector, Bandit, appear and I believe this will be a theme throughout the whole trilogy… Lucas is best read in conjunction with Whisper… Reading the entire trilogy will give readers the best perspective on everyone—including every dog—involved in this family tale… Bellringer has done a good job of fitting together this second piece of the family puzzle…
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