Super Star Children's Book Reviews: Lala's Words

Welcome to the monthly children’s book review feature with a focus on diverse books here at Bird Meets Worm! My team of reviewers—Joan Charles, Laurie L. Young, Sarah Orgill—and I are so excited to be championing books celebrating everything from gender diversity, people of color, the LGBTQ community to ethnic, cultural and religious minorities, people with disabilities and developmental challenges to controversial topics, unique family situations and anything and everything I did not include. It is to say we take a rightfully broad view of diversity! We aim to shine a light on books that bring both familiar experiences to those who do not often see themselves represented in books and new experiences to those looking to expand their worldview. Here at Bird Meets Worm we believe in the power of story to build empathy and thus a better world for you and me and everyone. Look for a new review on the second Wednesday of every month.

                   

LALA'S WORDS
Written & Illustrated by Gracey Zhang
Picture Book (ages 4-8) • 32 pages
Published by Orchard Books, an imprint of Scholastic Inc. • 2021
ISBN: 978-1-338-64823-2

Lala is a bright, compassionate little girl rendered in vivid, sunshine yellow. Her favorite way to spend the day is among the lush, green plants in her special neighborhood hideaway. Lala nurtures her plant friends with water, attention and words of love and encouragement. And even when a heatwave in the city keeps her home and away from her plant friends, Lala still manages to speak them across the cityscape.

Zhang’s limited palette of yellow and green pops off the expressive black and white ink drawings, brightly drawing the reader’s attention to Lala, her plant friends and the way the city is transformed by their lively presence.

Lala’s Words is an enchanting picture book about the power of the words we speak to each other, and how, when they are kind, loving and caring, they can inspire growth—even growth that we never before would have imagined possible!

Buy this book:

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Reviewed by: Jane Smith