When Lulu goes to the zoo she is sad for all the giraffes and the penguins too. In fact she is sad for all the animals, so Lulu decides to release them from their cages and take them back to her house to live. Unfortunately ,this turns out not to be quite such a good plan as it at first seemed...

Can she keep the animals secret, can she feed and wash them all in her little house? When the zoo men come to find their animals and take them home Lulu is brave and bold, providing a suggestion of her own, a solution to the problem of the sad zoo which will allow the animals to be free.

The text of this story is simple yet conveys a very strong message, that it is possible no matter your age or size, to make a difference, if you put your mind to it. Lulu may be young but she knows what is right and what is wrong and she has ideas for making things better. .

A story that has a slightly downbeat beginning becomes a humorous tale with an uplifting ending. The illustration that accompanies the words brings the characters to life, with clear facila expressions. The sad and lonely zoo is pale, full of bars and unhappy animals. Lulu’s house is bright and colourful, full of life and detail.

There is plenty to look out for in the story, lots of detail to identify and animals to watch. Being brave and bold, standing up for feelings and expressing your  opinions are the themes   Lulu makes a difference, perhaps children can be encouraged to follow her example and make changes that they believe in for themselves and others around them.

2008-08-31