Ladybug Girl and Bumblebee Boy [Hardcover]

Jacky Davis (Author), David Soman (Illustrator)

Book Description

Release date: March 5, 2009 | Age Range: 3 - 5 years | Series: Ladybug Girl | Lexile Measure: 580L (What's this?)

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.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 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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About the Author

Jacky Davis and David Soman live in Rosendale, New York.

Product Details

• Age Range: 3 - 5 years
  
• Hardcover: 40 pages
• Publisher: Dial (March 5, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0803733399
• ISBN-13: 978-0803733398
• Product Dimensions: 10.7 x 0.4 x 9.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (44 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #15,626 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 28 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars An Instant Classic June 11, 2009

By Si Sheppard

Format:Hardcover

Lulu and her alter-ego Ladybug Girl are back! This sequel packs so much excitement into forty pages your little ones will have you spinning out the story onto the dust jacket back cover before insisting on you starting again!

On a trip to the playground Lulu encounters her classmate Sam. At first their offers to play together are frustrated by very different ideas about fun. But when Lulu draws Sam into Ladybug Girl's world the adventure begins! Inventing the persona Bumblebee Boy, Sam joins Lulu in heroic quests to save the world from scary monsters and mean robots! They are having such a good time Marley and Kiki volunteer to join in, and with the addition of Butterfly Girl and Dragonfly Girl the Bug Squad is born!

My mixed set of two-year-old twins immediately appreciated the theme of girls and boys learning to play together, the art of compromise, and the power of imagination.

The illustrations are an outstanding complement to the text. They transmit a tremendous sense of energy and movement, and perfectly represent the expressions of childish bafflement, frustration, and excitement as Lulu's relationship with Sam evolves. They also make fantastic use of perspective. A panoramic shot as Lulu arrives at the playground enables little readers to pick out the characters and their own favorite rides and entertainments. When Ladybug Girl and Bumblebee Boy decide to take on the scary monster (in reality a squirrel!) they are depicted charging from far away towards it in the foreground, making it actually look monster-size. Marley and Kiki take their time to introduce themselves, so they can be pointed out wandering towards our heroes several panels before they meet.

Highly recommended, and here's hoping the Bug Squad is back in action soon!

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Friendship and Compromise April 13, 2009

By Marni Hall

Format:Hardcover

We hadn't even heard of the first book when we read this, but as soon as we were done I wanted to get my hands on the first.

Lulu goes to the park dressed as Ladybug Girl, looks around for a friend to play with, and notices a boy from her class. They want to play together, but can't decide just what to do. A great story about friendship and compromise. The authors do a beautiful job of portraying the children's wonderful imaginative personalities, saving the playground from the scary monster, the mean robot, and the giant snake. The artwork is really fun and perfect for the story.

Highly recommended!

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Hooray, she's back! March 6, 2009

By Reader McRead

Format:Hardcover

If you liked Ladybug Girl, you are going to LOVE this companion to it. It might be even better than the first book - same gorgeous illustrations, but new friends and a fantastic superhero angle. Ladybug Girl and her new pal Bumblebee Boy save the playground! (Using their imaginations, of course.) Hooray!