Lulu’s Pajamas by Luci Papineau, illustrated by Stephane Jorish, Kids Can Press, Fall 2009
Lulu is an adorable, energetic little mouse and she knows comfort when she feels it. Her favorite pajamas are “as soft as a butterfly kiss.” So soft and comfortable, in fact, that Lulu decides one morning to never take them off.
And so, Papa takes Lulu to school in her pajamas, except he is wearing his pajamas too. Naturally, her friends laugh. During art time, Lulu spills some paint on her beloved pjs; making a caterpillar, glue drops on them; dancing makes them dusty; spaghetti makes them even more coloful. By the end of the day, she is so dismayed, she decides never to wear them again, and decides to sleep in her orange ballerina dress. Mama and Papa are wise and gently nudge her in the right direction, but in the end it is Lulu who makes the decision about when to wear which garments.
The watercolor paintings have beautiful colors and fine lines on warm cream-colored background, adding to the cozy feeling of the story. The expressions on the mice are subtle, but paired with some great body language, characters like Lulu come brightly alive. This artist also illustrated another great Kids Can Press book, Suki’s Kimono.
Lulu’s Pajamas is a charming, sweet story of a little mouse struggling to learn what she likes and what is appropriate when–a theme all young children can relate to. Well done.
Available at Amazon–click on book cover for more information.
1 Comment
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