La La Rose (Booklist Editor's Choice. Books for Youth (Awards)) - Hardcover

Satomi Ichikawa, creator of the Nora books, lives in Paris, France.
Satomi Ichikawa, creator of the Nora books, lives in Paris, France.

*Starred Review* PreS. "I am La La Rose, the pink stuffed rabbit. I am the inseparable friend of Clementine." So begins La La's adventure in the Luxembourg Gardens in Paris, where Grandma has taken Clementine and her brother to play. The playground, the carousel--everything is fun. But when it's time to see the ponies, La La falls out of Clementine's backpack, and, oh, what tragedies befall her! She is thrown around by a soccer team, falls down some stairs, and lands in a pond before being picked up by a little girl who understands the feelings of the lost--and the found--and determinedly brings doll and owner together in a sweet reunion. The story itself is straightforward, and in the hands of a lesser artist might not have been special. But Ichikawa's ink-and-watercolor paintings are a wonderful mix of action and thoughtfulness, sweetness and subtlety that extend the story and give it life past a first reading. In the opening spreads, which show Clementine playing on the jungle gym and the merry-go-round, La La Rose is barely visible in the midst of all the fun. But once she is lost, she is right in the center of the pictures, her face remarkably emotional for a stuffed animal. A very satisfying story that also captures the magic and excitement of a special place. Ilene Cooper
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