Lulu and the Brontosaurus

If I were seven, which I'm not, but if I were, Lulu and the Brontosaurus would be my favorite new book. Even though I'm rather more than seven, Lulu still made my day. The book is extra long (5" x 9") with a large font size that's easy to read. The text is by Judith Viorst, author of Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, with pictures by Caldecott Honor-winning Lane Smith (of Stinky Cheese Man fame). This pairing is certainly silly and absolutely enjoyable.

Lulu is a nasty sort of child who throws tantrums when she doesn't get exactly what she wants- and her parents always give in. But when Lulu demands a Brontosaurus for her birthday, her parents will not say yes. Determined to get a Brontosaurus, Lulu packs a suitcase and sets off to find one and make it her new pet. But Lulu and the Brontosaurus have something in common: they're both looking for a pet. When the Brontosaurus decides that Lulu would be the perfect pet, all the screaming in the world won't help her. So she'll have to try something new.

The author's occasional asides on how this story is not about real brontosaurus may cause some readers to do a little research on their favorite dinosaurs while Lulu's songs will have everyone in the house singing about wanting a Brontosaurus for a pet. With humorous prose and an illustration every one to two pages, Lulu will become a favorite of many. Perfect to use as a long picture book for patient children (perhaps over multiple nights) or for anyone ready to make the transition from young reader to middle grade.

Published by Simon & Schuster September 14, 2010.