Ladybug Girl and Bumblebee Boy by David Soman, Jacky Davis, Jacky Davis, David Soman (Illustrator), David Soman (Illustrator)

From Barnes & Noble

Playground is supposed to be a happy place, but for Sam and Lulu, it seems to be a hornet's nest of disagreements. Finally, however, they discover a game that brings out the best in both of them. As Ladybug Girl and Bumblebee Boy, they indulge in their new superhero skills. A zestful read about imagination.

From the Publisher

At the playground, Lulu asks her friend Sam if he wants to play with her. Sam likes Diggers, while Lulu thinks Monkeys is the best game. Sam suggests playing under the castle, but Lulu knows that the top is the most fun. They just can't agree! And then Lulu asks, "Have you ever played Ladybug Girl?"

As Ladybug Girl and Bumblebee Boy, Lulu and Sam save the playground from hairy monsters and big mean robots, and have their very own parade on the bouncy dinosaurs. They figure out that when they work together, they can create fun games that they both like to play.

Publishers Weekly

What's a superhero without a sidekick? Lulu, star of last year's Ladybug Girl, meets her friend Sam at the playground, but before they can join forces, they must first agree on what to play-a sequence handled with understanding and humor. At one point, Lulu hits on the idea of using the seesaw: "She runs over and sits down on one side of the seesaw and waits. And waits. Sam just stands there, not getting on." Ultimately, intrigued by Lulu's suggestion of a game involving superpowers, Sam becomes Bumblebee Boy, with his striped shirt and a stick for a stinger. Together they battle the Mean Robot (tire swing) that threatens to "crush the playground" ("Ladybug Girl grabs on, and jumps on top of its head! Bumblebee Boy stings it with his stinger again and again") and attract some new heroes, too. Soman's pen-and-ink characters are remarkably emotive-this is a story that delights in children's enthusiastic imaginations. Also noteworthy is the team's pacing: there's no dead air, and all the action plays naturally. A favorite series in the making. Ages 3-5. (Mar.)

Children's Literature

Lulu, also know as Ladybug Girl, returns. She is dressed in her bright red costume with polka dot wings and boots. With her mother and dog Bingo, she is off to the playground for some fun. While her mother and Bingo sit on the park bench, Lulu looks for someone to play with and she finds her friend Sam. They try to decide what to play and finally agree to play Ladybug Girl, a superhero with superpowers. Dressed in his yellow and black striped top and black shorts, Sam becomes Bumblebee Boy and they scour the playground to help save those beings in trouble. They are later joined by Butterfly Girl and Dragonfly Girl to become the Bug Squad that saves the playground from the monsters. The illustrations catch the facial expressions and physical gestures through the story as Lulu and Sam decide what to play and the fun they have. A puzzling part of the picture is where Bingo is by the bench without Lulu's mother and his leash; in a later picture, the mother is on the bench with Bingo on the leash. However, the themes of friendship and imagination are presented in a way that younger children can relate to. Reviewer: Carrie Hane Hung

School Library Journal

PreS-Gr 2

Lulu is back in this companion to Ladybug Girl (Dial, 2008). Taking on the guise of her superhero alter-ego (including a red tutu and spotted wings), she makes her own fun on the way to the playground by leaping over sidewalk cracks and counting to infinity. However, once she and her mother arrive, Ladybug Girl faces a new challenge: she wants to play with her friend Sam, but they can't agree on what to do. Lulu is frustrated at first, but then suggests playing the Ladybug Girl game. Sam, clad in yellow and black, quickly turns into Bumblebee Boy, and the two "zoom around...looking to help anyone in trouble." When two girls ask to join in, but both want to be Butterfly Girl, Ladybug Girl tactfully defuses the situation by saying, "If we're going to play together...we don't fight each other." One youngster agrees to be Dragonfly Girl and the Bug Squad flies again. Like the previous book, this offering paints a realistic picture of the daily struggles in a youngster's life. The conflict and resolution ring true, as does the dialogue. The lesson is clearly stated, but not heavy-handed. The cartoon illustrations are bright, expressive, and beautifully presented. Pair this book with one of Mini Grey's "Traction Man" titles (Knopf) for a superb superhero storytime.-Rachael Vilmar, Eastern Shore Regional Library, Salisbury, MD

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