Illustrated by Lane Smith
Ever vigilant to keep my kids entertained on the road (without the use of screens), we stopped at a number of thrift stores during our 10,000-mile drive West this Fall in order to stock their travel bags full of books. I selected this book with my then-10yo daughter in mind, but I liked the pictures and length so much that I decided to read it aloud to them one night in the hotel when we’d forgotten our normal nighttime book. I’m glad I did, because all three of us loved the pacing and humor of Lulu and became immediately interested in seeking out more of her books.
I’d never heard of Lulu or author Judith Viorst before picking up this volume, but apparently Lulu Walks the Dogs is the second of four Lulu-themed books. Although they’re likely all geared towards kids younger than mine, the plot and jokes entertained us so much that none of us cared—even my 12yo son who was as excited as any of us when I recently found Book 3, Lulu’s Mysterious Mission, at another thrift store. It’s the story that counts, not the supposed age range.
The plot of this one follows Lulu who longs to buy something really spectacular, but whose parents aren’t willing to pay for it. Instead, it’s up to Lulu to get a job and earn the money herself. Dog-walking seems to be the most reasonable option out there, so she pursues this avenue, even though she’s tiny and the more dogs she walks the less control she has. Also part of this tale is a goody-goody smarty-pants neighbor kid named Fleischman whose presence adds a lot of humor to the book as well.
What I really like about Viorst’s style is how she communicates with her readers mid-book about her story—stopping to ask inevitable questions, letting us know she’s got things under control, yet also informing us that her characters’ behaviors sometimes confuse even her. We’re currently reading a book by Jules Feiffer titled A Barrel of Laughs, a Vale of Tears who writes in a similar way, and I don’t know—it just makes for fun reading!
The artwork by Lane Smith is also right up my alley. I can’t put my finger on it exactly, but it’s almost like a blockier, more childish version of Charles Addams (of The Addams Family fame). I don’t know if he used charcoal or what, but it’s got a classy, vintage feel that’s endearing—at least to this fan. The image pasted here from p.124 is perhaps my favorite in the book, Fleischman in his “really annoying T-shirt” that makes Lulu kind of hate him.
I’m going to keep my eyes open for more books by Judith Viorst. I know that, even if my kids outgrow her (for a while), I probably won’t, so if her other books (like Lulu’s Mysterious Mission) are as entertaining as this, they’ll always have a home on my shelf.
©2023 E.T.
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