Book Title: Here Comes Lolo (available here)
Author: Niki Daly
Publisher: Otter-Barry Books
Publication Date: Aug 2019
Most Suitable For: Y2-3
Reviewed By: Caroline Wood
Here Comes Lolo is a cheerful, heart-warming collection of four short stories set in South Africa. Lolo is that wonderful blend of profound and cheeky that you often find in Year 2, and my listeners loved her. We read the first story together, which is about Lolo’s quest for a gold star in reading (and the consequences of losing that star!). The children immediately empathised with her and couldn’t wait to read the rest of the book for themselves. The setting is really vibrant, with lots of little details that bring her school, home and family to vivid life. It’s also well-illustrated with black and white line drawings by the author.
The reading level is around Y2 for confident readers making the jump to longer stories, and makes a good read-aloud too, similar to Atinuke’s No. 1 Car Spotter series. It might also be useful for PSHE topics about kindness, family and friendship. All the stories are ultimately about the rewards of good behaviour but Daly’s tone is gently moral rather than preachy, in the manner of a warm, wise grandparent who really understands children of this age.
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You can order Here Comes Lolo online or from your local bookshop or library.
Many thanks to the publisher for sending us a review copy of this book and to Review Panel member Caroline for reviewing it.
Where next?
> Visit our Reading for Pleasure Hub
> Browse our Topic Booklists
> View our printable year group booklists.
> See our Books of the Month.
