La La La: A Story of Hope

Sooooo refreshing for adults as well as children of ALL ages… LA is the only word of text used in a host of delightful ways—for babies the reading aloud will be a lullaby, for other youngins a chant of merriment & hope, for all the rest of us the inspirational art & inner/outer adventures of a little girl experiencing the LA LA LA of Life will increase our inner heart-smile… Look—I’m nearly 80 & this is one of my favorite books to display on our couch, inviting guests to a treat!

I recently heard the author and illustrator speak about this book on the 8/18/19 NPR Weekend Edition Sunday and was equal parts skeptical and enchanted with the idea that a book with so few words could hold the attention of a small human book lover. I decided to order the book, and it arrived yesterday. I included it with our other books during bedtime story time with my 3+ year old son last night. I offered to get in the weeds about the themes of the story and share the interpretive writings by the author and illustrator, but that wasn't necessary. He got it deeply and demanded we re-read for a total of three readings. This story is a delight. So glad I learned about it on NPR.

Even without this wonderfully creative book in front of my 2 y.o. Grandest Daughter, I can sing La La La and she lights up & sings back! We love this story ~ changing the words every so often - to capture my GD’s mood, to help her name feelings, to act out LaLa’s emotions and moods. A throughly delightful book. I strongly recommend everyone buy it!

I liked the concept behind the book and the beautiful illustrations. Not so sure it would necessarily be a fun or meaningful read for a small child. The fact that the story is wordless relies on the adult in a given child's life to provide the story, and I'm not sure, without the back story (which is beautiful), a parent could necessarily provide the right words. (Not to underestimate the creativity of all you parents out there) I recall as a very young child, having The Little Prince read to me. I understood the theme of loneliness, the way the prince yearned for connection. I loved the poetry of the Saint Exupery's words. I would love to have a few more words from DiCamillo in this story. Yes, it's wonderful to create ones own story when reading to a child. But there are pros and cons. When my sons were little I spun many extemporaneous tales for them at bedtime. How many times, did I struggle to remember the exact words I used when trying to re-tell that story? How many of us have heard, "No, tell it the way you said it before"? Perhaps I'm overthinking it. But I showed this to one of my now grown sons who is extremely creative and a fine artist. He also wasn't so sure the author's message would be clear to a young child. Again, the art is stunning. Maybe this would be a good gift for an adult.

This is a wonderful book for a small child who wants to read! Our 3-year old granddaughter, who is enchanted by the moon, loves that she is able to read this book all by herself. The illustrations are rich, the vocabulary simple, and the underlying story complex.

A little girl sings, waiting for a response. She sings inside and outside, during the day and at night. And just when she's about to give up on finding a friend, eventually, someone returns her song.I definitely recommend reading the author and illustrator's notes. Their notes helped me to understand the story better. There's just one "word," La, repeated through the book so it is pretty much wordless and understanding the author and illustrator's thoughts help clear up some of the murkiness. In that aspect, I thought the story could have been stronger. It'd be better not to need the notes. On the other hand, the illustrations in this are GORGEOUS. Jaime Kim creates such a magical world outside. I loved her illustrations. A cute story about finding a friend that anyone can "read."

My little namesake is a serious singer. When I read this story, I knew she will love it, too, so I'm gifting it to her. This is a wonderful soulful story!

Excellent illustrations. I liked it because the character looks Asian, like my granddaughter. Also, there is only one word, “L:a” throughout the whole book, so she can “read” it all by herself.