What Are You, Lou?

Gr 1-2–Lou, in search of his camu camu berries among the trees, stumbles upon Lemur, Anteater, and others who want to know just what he is. By process of elimination, they deduce that he is not a lemur, a snake, or an armadillo. The questions alone make Lou run away. While roaming in the greenery, he realizes his strengths. His ears can warn him of danger and his paws hide him perfectly in the leaves. He realizes that he is unique and that is all right with him. He has bunnylike ears, a huge fluffy tail, a body like bear, the face of a racoon—in short, he’s Lou! This is a wonderful angle for a simple story of identity and accepting oneself. The whimsical illustrations convey a sense of youthful self-discovery, while the author provides additional notes on how to find out more about a potential new friend without asking rude or intrusive questions.