Lucia & Lawrence is a heartwarming and exceptional book that explores friendship, special needs, similarities, differences, inclusiveness and creativity. It is a story of two people who find themselves becoming friends even though they see the world in different ways, one full of whimsy and creativeness, the other living in a world of numbers and structure.
For me a good book involves being totally lost in a story and it never matters to me whether it is a book for children or an adult. I got lost in this beautiful story of Quil, Bailey and the other interesting characters that live in Hoopers Bend. The book begins with Quil finding a china mug with her unusual and not so popular name written on it.
Munro is a teenage boy struggling to come to terms with the death of his sister Evie, who had always dreamed of going to Australia. Munro is plagued by the coyote (a tormenting voice in his head), pain, flashbacks, and anger and feels that if he can fulfill Evie’s wish and go to Australia as an exchange student that everything will be ok.
Regardless of whether you agree with the content in this book, all bears, children and adults should NEVER feel ashamed about who they are. I am a Christian and I am not ashamed of that so why should someone who is a different race, wears glasses, lives with Asperger’s, ADHD, physical differences, being scared, not being able to read or write, or just like bear…no longer being happy as Thomas but finding joy and peace in being Tilly.
When you open a book and before you even get to the first chapter you read a statement that says “No chickens were hurt during the course of writing this book, because chickens are good and we LIKE chickens” you know the book is going to be a little bit quirky and a lot of funny.
If I were to meet Pelle No-Tail I would tell him that at times I loved him so much, other times I worried for his safety… but then I realised that he is just a curious little cat that just wanted to be everybody’s friend.
“Makena Walsh inhaled the smell of the sweet spring grass as a gentle breeze tickled her face and a crop of sweat rolled down her cheek. Soccer was an awesome and simple game, and there was nothing in the world she loved more than being outside, playing with friends, kicking and running free.”
Much like Suzy, I began researching jellyfish experts and taking notes, not quite sure where my efforts would take me. This is the story that emerged.(Ali Benjamin)
Little Big Reads 