258. Lulu Walks the Dog by Judith Viorst and illustrated by Lane Smith

Lulu Walks the Dog by Judith Viorst and illustrated by Lane Smith
Published September 2012 Simon & Schuster

From the publisher:
The stubbornly hilarious Lulu has decided it’s time to buckle down and earn some cash. How else can she save up enough money to buy the very special thing that she is ALWAYS and FOREVER going to want? After some failed attempts at lucrative gigs (baking cookies, spying, reading to old people), dog walking seems like a sensible choice. But Brutus, Pookie, and Cordelia are not interested in making the job easy, and the infuriatingly helpful neighborhood goody-goody, Fleischman, has Lulu at the end of her rope. And with three wild dogs at the other end, Lulu’s patience is severely tested. Will she ever make a friend—or the money she needs?
In this standalone sequel to Lulu and the Brontosaurus, industry legends Judith Viorst and Lane Smith once again prove that even the loudest, rudest, and most obstinate of girls can win us over.

One of the first things you will notice about this book is it's size.  It is a little larger than a 'regular' novel, and because of this I know that some people get put off straight away because it is too tall to fit on the shelf!  This is true, but it's not a good reason to miss out on such a great story, so find a way to make it fit, because the kids will love it!



The story starts with an element of intrigue...Lulu wants to buy something, something very expensive, something her parents can't afford to buy for her.  We are not told what it is, only that she was '....ALWAYS and forever going to want it.'  After some not so successful jobs, baking spying and reading to old people, Lulu decides dog walking is the way to go.

The fact  that she had organised to walk three dogs at the same time didn't seem like it would be a problem, but her annoyingly perfect neighbour Fleischman did, and he just so happens to be there to save the day.

The story is told in a conversational style, almost like the author was sharing a bit of gossip about one of his neighbours.  Lulu is not the nicest of little girls, but you can't help liking her, she may need to tone down her attitude a bit, but she is at least a girl who knows what she wants, and will do anything to get it.  When she takes the time (or more accurately when she is desperate for his help) she finds out a little more about Fleischman, and he may not be quite so perfect after all.

...and we do find out what Lulu wants the money for!

Who will like this book: Girls and boys age 6+
Read it if you like: Lulu and the Brontosaurus by Judith Viorst and illustrated by Lane Smith