Lulu and the Duck in the Park

Starred review from July 30, 2012
“Lulu was famous for animals,” opens this sparkling series launch, first published in the U.K., about Lulu, an irrepressible girl with a penchant for acquiring pets. And, McKay explains in her characteristically understated and cheerful narrative, “it was very lucky for Lulu that her mother was famous for saying, ‘The more, the merrier.’ ” Lulu’s adventures begin when her dog follows her to school (thanks to the trail of treats she drops en route), agitating the class guinea pig and further irritating her gruff teacher. The crux of the novel is Lulu’s rescue of a duck egg she finds after dogs storm the park during a class outing. She sneaks the egg into school and, in one of many droll and endearing scenes, quacks to the egg so “it doesn’t get lonely.” Though aimed at a younger audience than McKay’s Exiles novels and series about the Casson family, this offering has similarly abundant humor and heart. Lamont’s (Animal Rescue Team) robust cartoon spot art offers lively, loose portraits of the story’s human and animal characters alike. Ages 7–9.

Starred review from November 1, 2012

Gr 1-3-In this entertaining chapter book, readers are introduced to irrepressible Lulu, "famous for her love of animals." She loves her old dog, Sam, as much as the spiders in her house. She loves the snails in her garden as much as her hamster and guinea pig. Lulu's mother is famous for saying, "The more the merrier. As long as Lulu cleans up after them." However, her teacher is almost as famous for not liking animals. When Lulu's dog follows her to school, Mrs. Holiday declares that if any child brings an animal into the room as a visitor, the class guinea pig will have to go live elsewhere. Then, on a trip to the park, after a wild rumpus in which two overly enthusiastic dogs trample all of a mother duck's spring nests, Lulu notices an intact egg. She gently places it in her pocket on the way back to the classroom. Her best friend and cousin, Mellie, is sworn to secrecy and becomes an accomplice as they try to hide and protect it. McKay's pacing is spot-on, and the story moves briskly. Lamont's black-and-white illustrations capture the sparkle in Lulu's eyes and the warmth and fuzziness of a newly hatched duckling. The satisfying ending will have children awaiting the next installment in what is likely to become a hit series for fans of other plucky characters like Horrible Harry, Stink, and Junie B. Jones.-Lisa Kropp, Suffolk Cooperative Library System, Bellport, NY

Copyright 2012 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from August 1, 2012
A warmhearted beginning to a new chapter-book series delights from the first few sentences. "Lulu was famous for animals. Her famousness for animals was known throughout the whole neighborhood." So it begins, revealing its bouncy language and its theme, illustrated by a cheery image of Lulu with bunnies at her feet, a parrot on her shoulder and a mouse in her hair. Lulu's best friend is her cousin Mellie, who is famous for several things but most notably losing sweaters, pencils and everything else. Her teacher in Class Three is Mrs. Holiday, who endures the class guinea pig but does not think it needs animal companions, not even Lulu's dog. When the class goes to Tuesday swimming at the pool by the park, however, and Lulu finds a duck egg, which she takes back to class--that is not an animal, right? Well, not yet. What Lulu and Mellie do to protect the egg, get through class and not outrage Mrs. Holiday is told so simply and rhythmically, and so true to the girls' perfectly-logical-for-third-graders' thinking, that it will beguile young readers completely. The inclusion of the kid who always gets a bloody nose and a math lesson on perimeter only adds to the verisimilitude and the fun. Lulu's classroom is full of children of all colors, and Lulu and Mellie are the color of strong tea with cream, judging from the cover. Utterly winning. (Fiction. 7-9)

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Starred review from October 1, 2012
Grades 2-4 *Starred Review* Lulu, who loves every sort of animal, tries to convince her teacher that their class guinea pig needs a companion. Unfortunately, her methods lead Mrs. Holiday to announce that if anyone brings another animal to school, she'll trade their class pet for a stick insect. When their weekly visit to a nearby park ends in disaster (large dogs running wild and destroying ducks' nests and eggs), Lulu catches the one remaining egg as it rolls downhill, and she pockets it. All through the school day, she protects the egg and keeps it warm, revealing her secret only to her best friend (and cousin), Mellie. When the egg begins to hatch, though, Lulu finds a powerful, if unexpected, ally. Best known for the Exiles trilogy and her novels about the Casson family, McKay shows a rare ability to capture a younger audience in this involving chapter book for transitional readers. The well-structured, third-person narrative builds dramatic tension; provides comic relief of the most believable sort; and shows plenty of heart. Depicting Lulu and Mellie as biracial children in a multicultural classroom, Lamont's appealing black-and-gray drawings reveal the characters with verve and finesse. The first in a new series, this memorable story is just right for children moving to chapter books.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)

January 1, 2013
Bringing outside animals into Lulu's class is verboten. But when Class Three witnesses two dogs destroy ducks' nests, Lulu keeps the remaining egg safe, and it begins to hatch--while at school. Animal-loving Lulu's dilemma rings true, and no-nonsense Mrs. Holiday's speech is humorously natural. Though all ends well in this fine beginning chapter book, gratifyingly the resolution is not pat.

(Copyright 2013 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

Starred review from September 1, 2012
"Animals mattered more to Lulu than anything else in the world. All animals, from the sponsored polar bear family that had been her best Christmas present, to the hairiest unwanted spider in the school coat room." Her no-nonsense teacher is less enamored of them. After Lulu's dog shows up unexpectedly, Mrs. Holiday warns that bringing any outside animal into Class Three is verboten and will result in the class guinea pig's immediate banishment -- being swapped for Class Two's stick insects. When Class Three witnesses a disaster at the park (two dogs run free and destroy all the ducks' nests in sight), Lulu picks up the one remaining egg to keep it safe. Try as she might to hide it, the egg begins to hatch while -- gulp! -- at school. McKay introduces complex characters, and animal-loving Lulu's dilemma rings true. Mrs. Holiday's speech is completely (and humorously) natural as she addresses multiple children in one sentence. Though all ends well, gratifyingly the story's resolution is not pat. And although race is never mentioned in the story, Lamont's depiction of Lulu and her cousin-slash-best-friend as children of color provides welcome main characters not usually seen in beginning chapter books -- particularly one as fine as this. betty carter

(Copyright 2012 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)