Writer James Hurman and illustrator Juliet Burton on a mission to teach kids how to be lucky

Today NZ-based writer James Hurman and illustrator Juliet Burton launch their new kids book on Kickstarter.

‘The Boy and the Lemon’ is a rhyming story that teaches kids the secrets of being lucky.

For every book bought, a second book will be donated to a school, library or less advantaged family.

Drawing on the research of a British psychology team, the story demonstrates the attitudes identified as maximising peoples’ potential of attracting good luck.

“When my wife was pregnant with our first born, I read a book called The Luck Factor,” says Hurman (below), the former planning director at Colenso BBDO and managing director at Y&R New Zealand, who founded innovation consultancy Previously Unavailable in 2014.

“The author, Richard Wiseman, was a psychology professor who had studied lucky people and unlucky people and discovered that lucky people share a certain attitude and way of approaching life. And if you taught people that attitude, and got them to adopt it, they became more lucky.

“I remember being blown away by the idea that luck could be learned – but also thinking, as a grown up, it’s really hard to change the way you are. But what if you could take those lessons and teach them to children? As a parent it struck me that the most magical thing you could teach a child would be how to be lucky.”

The Boy and the Lemon works the scientific principles into a kids story about a boy called Jack, whose house is crushed by a giant lemon from outer space, and the adventures he goes on turning his luck around.

The pair are hoping to raise funds to have the book produced and distributed globally, via a social enterprise model.

“Imagine if we could teach every child how to be lucky,” says Burton (above). “What a huge difference that could make to their lives, and in turn to the world. Our mission isn’t just to get the book produced – but to help as many kids as possible, all over the world, learn the secrets of being lucky.”

The pair have set a NZ$20,000 funding goal on crowdfunding platform Kickstarter. The book will be priced from NZ$25. Signed copies, art prints and other rewards are also available for backers of the book.