Lola Dutch
(Lola Dutch)

In their first collaboration, spouses Kenneth and Sarah Jane Wright (I Heart You) introduce Lola Dutch, who "is a little bit much." Rocking a pink tutu and a megawatt smile, she sails down the bannister in her elegant home (landing on her caregiver, Bear) and announces, "Today is going to be amazing! I'm just bursting with ideas!" Lola overrules Bear's suggestion that they start the day with tea and toast, and instead prepares a lavish breakfast for her pals Gator, Crane, and Pig. At the library, art books ignite Lola's imagination, and back home she creates stylized versions of eight masterpieces, including Michelangelo's The Creation of Adam, which she paints on the ceiling. In an abrupt turnabout, Lola's too-much-isn't-nearly-enough attitude gets the best of her at bedtime. "This is all too much!" she wails before concluding that all she needs is Bear's love. Sara Jane Wright's gouache and watercolor pictures bring a chic elegance to each page, but with a plot that mostly tracks Lola's shifting enthusiasms, she winds up a heroine in search of a story. Ages 3-6. Agent: Emily van Beek, Folio Literary Management. (Jan.)

PreS-Gr 2--Lola Dutch is a creative and imaginative girl filled with grand ideas. When Lola and her friends, Pig, Crane, Gator, and Bear need breakfast, Lola doesn't settle for plain toast. She prepares a feast of grits, pastries, and crepes. When Lola and her friends get creative one afternoon, they don't just paint pictures of houses and rainbows. Instead, they create their own masterpieces using inspiration from artists like Monet, Picasso, and van Gogh. Through it all, Bear is always the voice of reason reminding Lola she is just a "little bit much." The predictable text structures and patterns of this story makes the text flow well for young readers. The pencil-and-watercolor illustrations add an additional whimsical effect to an already imaginative story. VERDICT Young readers will love this innovative protagonist and her fanciful ideas.--Jennifer Bludau, La Grange Independent School District, TX