Lola Zola and the Lemonade Crush

Lola Zola #1

by Marcy Winograd, Jackie Hirtz

Lola Zola and the Lemonade Crush is a tween novel (ages 8-12)about an indomitable sixth-grader determined to rescue her parents from the jobless blues. All Lola needs to do is sell her fresh-squeezed lemonade, rumored to be a fountain-of-youth elixir. Trouble arises when her rival for class president opens a competing limo-stand out of the back of his daddy's limousine. The battle for squirt and slurp champion is on, complete with secret recipes and worker rebellions. When closely-kept secrets are revealed, however, Lola must decide what it means to "win."

"Lola Zola and the Lemonade Crush is a wonderful story. Enjoy!" Victoria Christopher Murray, Author

Genres: Childrens

209 pages, Paperback

First published July 30, 2012

About the author

Growing up I loved poetry, reading Ferlinghetti's "I am Waiting" and writing to the music of Debussy. Later, I became an English teacher, chairing an English department at an LAUSD middle school and teaching Orwell, Camus, and Fitzgerald at a public high school. In between the lines, in between the years, I ran for Congress as a peace candidate, mobilizing a national grassroots campaign to challenge the war machine. Now I'm back in class, teaching government at a public high school in South Los Angeles, where my students write their own bills and form their own political parties. Lola Zola, the protagonist in my novel Lola Zola and the Lemonade Crush, is an activist girl who never gives up during hard times and summons all of her resources to rise to the challenge.

Reviews

[Kristina Franken · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lola Zola and the Lemonade Crush is a tween novel (ages 8-12)about an indomitable sixth-grader determined to rescue her parents from the jobless blues. All Lola needs to do is sell her fresh-squeezed lemonade, rumored to be a fountain-of-youth elixir. Trouble arises when her rival for class president opens a competing limo-stand out of the back of his daddy's limousine. The battle for squirt and slurp champion is on, complete with secret recipes and worker rebellions. When closely-kept secrets are revealed, however, Lola must decide what it means to "win."

I recieved this book free and am in no way bound to give a good review.

[Elise · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a wonderful tween book with the main character being a bright spitfire girl. As many of the families her's has been hit by the hard economic times. With both her parents suddenly out of work she decides to become the bread winner for the family. Join her as she develops a secret recipe for lemonade and sells it in the most usual places. You'll enjoy the ride as you follow her through the ups and downs of trying to help the family and survive the sixth grade.

[Erik This Kid Reviews Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lola Zola’s family is in a fix – both of Lola’s parents have gotten laid-off of work. They need money. But, how can Lola help? After all, she’s only a 6th grader! But, what if she sold lemonade? Lola and her best friend set up a lemonade stand to help raise money for her family. But, the thing is, the no-good, horrible, rich kid Buck has set up a stand across the street from them! And, he has a bunch of cool things like a limo, a famous basketball player, and much more, to attract buyers! Lola decides she has to make her lemonade even better. When Lola adds a special ingredient that makes people think that her lemonade has magical qualities, sales rocket! But Lola soon figures out the lemonade war is getting out of hand.

I think that this is a great book for kids who like realistic fiction stories. All the characters in the book and the setting (a town in the desert called Mirage) are very believable. The plot is something that could happen in any kid’s life and I think that makes it more enjoyable to read. I am now curious to try lemonade with Lola’s secret ingredient (I’m not going to tell you what it is). :) Ms. Winograd and Ms. Hirtz have a great writing style and even though this isn’t the action/adventure book I typically pickup, the writing is great and the story is told very well so it kept me turning the pages. Though it is a self-published book, the story is thoroughly edited and hangs together well. I hate saying this, but I even liked the tad bit of romance-twist at the end of the story (romance – *yuck*). This is a book that I think kids, boys and girls, will enjoy.
*NOTE* I got a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Allison Renner · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first book in a new fun, sassy series for tween girls. Lola Zola is understandably upset and confused when both of her parents are laid off from their jobs at the auto plant. She’s only eleven years old, but she feels the fate of her family resting on her shoulders, and she won’t let them drown in debt. Lola decides to start a lemonade stand in front of the house, enlisting her best friend Melanie to help. But after buying all the ingredients and treating her fair-skinned friend to a sun-blocking umbrella, Lola is out of money—and no one seems to like her lemonade that much, anyway. But Lola won’t give up. She finds a secret ingredient and engages in some covert marketing, and her business booms! Then Slime Bucket, an annoying boy from school, starts selling limo-nade from the trunk of his father’s limo, right across the street from Lola! Will her enemy ruin her business before Lola is able to save her family from bankruptcy? See my detailed review at How I Feel About Books.

[Suzanne Eastman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Adorable uplifting story about a eleven year old girl who finds a way to make things better for her financially strapped parents. Enter the lemonade stand....with not just any run of the mill lemonade however. Lola creates a resorative, magically uplifting potion of sorts. Although the message and general flow of this story is entertaining, I did find times when the flowery, extra descriptive words got in the way. And, on occasion the word choices could be confusing to younger readers. I found it refreshing in a bright lemony way!

[Buddy Gottlieb]

I got a kick out of Lola and Melanie's antics.

[Caroline · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very engaging! First author, multi-talented, teaches as my high school!

[Buddy Gottlieb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tons of fun!