Lulu's Party

June 1, 2015
What's the best thing to do on a rainy day? To combat a dreary, gray afternoon, a well-intentioned owl named Lulu decides to host a rainy-day soiree in her cozy forest cottage. Warm and cheery ink-and-watercolor illustrations show Lulu's initial attempts at a tea party, which doesn't go particularly well, as her stuffed-animal guests are surprisingly silent. So Lulu decides to branch out and call her friends Charlie, a rabbit, and Oliver, an elephant. "Come to my party...I have the perfect treat for a rainy day," she says. When an unintended ingredient finds its way into her treat-hot chocolate-just before the guests arrive, it looks like her little surprise is ruined. Can Charlie and Oliver salvage the situation? With kindness, determination, and some creativity, they are sure to find a way. Gentle and sweetly humorous, this simple story is a paean to friendship, problem solving, and cooperation, with the childlike and appealing pictures adding an ideal complement. Fans of Chase's first book about these forest friends, Oliver's Tree (2014), will not be disappointed, while those just meeting these sweet animals will effortlessly fall in love. Adorable. (Picture book. 2-5)

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June 1, 2015

PreS-Lulu's rainy day tea party with her stuffed animal friends doesn't satisfy her party ambitions, so the owlet invites her friends Charlie (a bunny) and Oliver (a young elephant) to her tree house in the hopes of a more festive occasion. She busies herself preparing decorations and hot chocolate but fails to notice when a box of salt falls over into the open teapot containing the freshly prepared treat. When her friends arrive, Lulu excitedly serves the cocoa only to discover it tastes terrible. She and her friends try adding honey, cream, and more chocolate, but to her dismay, it is still undrinkable. Unfortunately, prereaders may be as clueless as Lulu when it comes to understanding the reason for the disappointing drink. The spread that contains the pivotal moment is wordless. Without assistance, Chase's intended audience might not understand the problem with the hot chocolate, either. Of course, all ends well when Oliver and Charlie whip up some chocolate milk shakes, the sun comes out, and a backyard circus ensues. The watercolor, pen-and-ink illustrations are the highlight in this second "Playtime with Friends" book. As in Oliver's Tree (Putnam, 2014), the characters are portrayed with such earnestness and innocence that young readers will likely enjoy an invitation to Lulu's party. VERDICT This adorable story falls just short of perfection but offers plenty of charm nonetheless.-Lynn Van Auken, Oak Bluffs School, Oak Bluffs, MA

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