Ladybug Girl and the Dress-up Dilemma

July 28, 2014
What does one dress up as for Halloween when one spends the other 364 days of the year in a ladybug outfit? That’s the question facing Lulu as she tries to come up with the perfect costume, even though it’s already Halloween day. A robot costume made from a cardboard box isn’t the most mobile option, and there’s a critical flaw in the Chaplinesque getup she puts together next: “A silent movie star can’t ask for candy!” A trip to an apple orchard, where Lulu helps a small girl who gets lost in a corn maze, leads to an epiphany—one that probably won’t surprise many of Ladybug Girl’s fans. Soman’s watercolors are right at home with autumn’s muted hues (the slightly melancholic orchard scenes are especially lovely), helping make this thoughtful story another winner for Ladybug Girl. Ages 3–5.

August 1, 2014
Ladybug Girl Lulu is sure what she'll wear for Halloween until a comment from her brother makes her question her decision. Once her brother has planted the seed of doubt, Lulu's usual confidence is shaken. Should she change her mind and try something different from Ladybug Girl? With trusty dog Bingo at her side, Lulu gets to work. Conversational text and deftly created illustrations in ink and watercolor convey Lulu's determination to find the right costume. As a robot she cannot fit through the door, and as a silent-movie star she will not be able to ask for candy. No one seems to appreciate her hybrid vampire/panda get-up. Lulu still is undecided as her family leaves to go apple picking. She imagines several other dress-up possibilities, but none seems right. A chance encounter with a younger girl who is lost in a corn maze spurs Lulu into action as Ladybug Girl. Whipping off her coat to reveal her costume, Lulu (with some help from Bingo) soon spots a popcorn trail Maya has unwittingly left behind. The three follow it. Soon, Maya and her mother are reunited, and it is clear what costume Lulu will choose. Was there any real doubt? Readers and their parents will appreciate how Lulu works through her dilemma on her own. Not only is this an entertaining story, but it's also a good conversation starter about being true to oneself. (Picture book. 4-7)

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August 1, 2014

K-Gr 2-Deciding what to be for Halloween takes a lot of thought and creativity, especially if you're Ladybug Girl and are already known for your awesome superhero costume. When her older brother makes her doubt her decision to trick-or-treat as her red-tutu-clad-superhero self, Lulu begins thinking of other costumes she can put together on short notice. After rejecting a robot, a silent movie star, an octopus, an alien, and, most uniquely, a vampire panda, she is forced to give up her costume-creating to go apple picking with her family. While there, she worries about her options, and it isn't until she goes into full Ladybug Girl mode to help a lost girl in the corn maze that she realizes she already has the perfect costume. Soman's artwork combines the endearing sketchbook illustration style that readers have come to love with the warm hues of autumn, creating the perfect backdrop for this spunky heroine's latest adventure. Fans of Ladybug Girl won't be disappointed with this installment that weaves together favorite fall activities and the familiar message of staying true to yourself.-Jenna Boles, Greene County Public Library, Beavercreek, OH

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

August 1, 2014
Preschool-G Ladybug Girl is back for her seventh picture-book adventure. It's Halloween, and Lulu is suddenly uncertain about who she should be. Ladybug Girl seems like the obvious choice, but if she is Ladybug Girl every day, shouldn't she be someone different for Halloween? Lulu comes up with several alternate and creative costumes, but there seems to be a problem with each (her robot costume is too big to get through the bedroom door; a silent-movie star wouldn't be able to ask for candy; and so on). With no decision made, Lulu and her family head to the orchard, where an opportunity to rescue a lost child helps Lulu decide on her perfect costume. The story is predictable, but children will enjoy following Lulu's thought process as she works her way to the conclusion. Lulu's ubiquitous ladybug outfit adds pizzazz to the palate of autumn browns and oranges that dominate the ink-and-watercolor illustrations. This is another treat for Ladybug Girl's fans.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)