Last-But-Not-Least Lola and a Knot the Size of Texas

September 30, 2013
Outspoken second grader Lola Zuckerman is tired of being last in her classroom, where alphabetical order rules the day. She's also tired of former best friend Amanda, who used to live next door but has upgraded homes and friends. School isn't all bad, though: there is the environmentally focused "Going Green" contest that Lola is eager to win. Of course, the students' ideas are shared in alphabetical order, but Lola manages to come out on top. Winning doesn't bring Lola the glory she'd hoped for, however, since her brother outshines her by getting an award on the same day. Along the way, Lola comes to recognize her own role in her falling-out with Amanda, navigates family problems, and learns to control some of her more impulsive tendencies. Debut author Pakkala handles sibling rivalry and the pain of losing a friendship with intuition and a light touch, while Hoppe's feisty b&w spot illustrations subtly enhance Lola's overall enthusiasm. Deadpan humor and a charming heroine carry this breezy read, first in a planned series. Ages 7â10. Author's agent: Tina Wexler, ICM. Illustrator's agent: Rebecca Sherman, Writers House.

June 15, 2016
Hilarious Lola has a lot of problems, but the very biggest one--growing all the time--is the immense knot of snarled hair at the back of her head. What is a girl to do?Lola's strategy is to ignore it if at all possible. Getting that knot out is going to hurt. The very thought of it makes her wince (worry and squint at the same time). The trouble is her hair is naturally curly, and if it doesn't get properly brushed, as when her parents are too busy, then knots g-r-o-w. Another thing about Lola, who is white and Jewish but shares an elementary school class with a multicultural group, is that she likes to be kind, so she invites two of her second-grade classmates to drop their dogs off at her house so she can watch them over the busy Thanksgiving holiday. Even she knows that second dog is going to be a problem. Being kind also makes it very hard to tell one of her two competing grandmothers that her pumpkin pie tastes like "licking a candle." Lola's distinct, effervescent first-person narration includes the occasional definition--"Deluxe means you wish you had one"--and other funny thoughts that early grade school readers (and grown-ups) will laugh at. Hoppe's numerous charming illustrations enrich the presentation. Cheeky Lola is a well-balanced combination of exuberance and naive vulnerability that charms and entertains. (Fiction. 6-9)

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