Lula's Aunties want her to be a witch like them. But Lula prefers to study cookbooks rather than spellbooks (and hates to fly on a broom). Lula wants to be a famous chef. In desperation, the Aunties insist she try to make one last potion. Lula secretly adds her cooking flair and in true witchy fashion creates a brew that bewitches the entire town, and her Aunties too! This fun rhyming tale transcends the typical Halloween story to appeal to cooks and "foodies" throughout the year.
Elizabeth Dulemba, a.k.a. "e", has been an author, illustrator, teacher and speaker (including TED) for most of her career. She has over two-dozen books to her credit, including her debut novel, A Bird on Water Street, winner of 13 literary awards, including Georgia Author of the Year. She taught Illustration at the University of Georgia, and writing and illustration courses at various locations around the country. She spent several years as Illustrator Coordinator for the southern region of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators and as a Board Member for the Georgia Center for the Book. Through these roles she created annual Illustrator's Day conferences, gallery shows, regional and state-wide awards, and scholarship programs, connecting the local community and helping hundreds of up-and-coming creatives. Before going freelance, e was a corporate Art Director and in-house illustrator for several industries, packaging, and communication firms. Elizabeth grew up in the American south where she received a BFA in Graphic Design from the University of Georgia. She also holds an MFA with Distinction in Illustration from the University of Edinburgh and is currently a PhD Researcher at the University of Glasgow (Scotland). In the summers she travels to Roanoke, Virginia where she is Visiting Associate Professor at Hollins University in the MFA in Writing and Illustrating Children's Books low-residency program. There, she teaches Picture Book Design and Beginning and Advanced Photoshop™.
Although her aunts are determined that she should become a wicked witch like them, Lula longs for something else entirely. More interested in cookery than in potion-making, and in pleasing the senses, than in bewitching them, her dream is to open her own restaurant. When her aunts hand her instructions for a potion to turn a child into a mouse, her own extemporizing with the ingredient list leads to a delicious soup instead, with inviting aromas leading the townspeople to her door. You can only fight fate for so long, and soon Lula's Cafe is born...
I enjoyed both artwork and story in Lula's Brew, a witchy picture-book that I stumbled on quite by accident, when a used copy came into work. The warm colors and "little witch who doesn't fit in" theme were both very pleasing. I can't say that the rhyming text - "Lula dreamed of being a chef / in her neighborhood's favorite haunt. / She wanted a four-star bistro, / her very own restaurant" - flows particularly well (sometimes I found it rather awkward), but leaving that aside, this was just a sweet little witchy tale. Something for which I have a decided weakness...
Beautiful illustrations! However, I didn't like the rhyming text. I do like the idea of concocting a brew that gets people to help each other out. The text should also be white to stand out better on a screen
Lula wants to open a restaurant but her aunts, who are witches, are teaching her to make potions not delicious food. Lula decides to show them she will do good food, not potions. Does she succeed?
I enjoyed this book. It was fun as Lula studied cookbooks while her aunts tried to teach her potions. Eventually one aunt tries Lula's "potion" and decides it is good. The rest of the town smells it and feels the same way. It was fun what they would do to get Lula's food.
Your little one will enjoy this. I look forward to more from this author.
Initial Impression: This story is subtly filled with life lessons for little readers. Pictures: Tradional. Characters: A lovable little witch and her three wicked aunt-witches all live and cast spells together. Plot: A young witch decides that she doesn’t wish to enter the family busienss of witchery. One Line Summary: Who says you have to live the life others have planned for you?
We loved the rhymes and fun story. It was a learning opportunity to distinguish real vs fantasy too. My daughter learned the lesson of following your dreams...great lesson in cute book!
A true tale of knowing your own passion and following them. Working hard or finding your own way and sometimes if you can get the support of those you love you don’t know how far it can take you. Beautifully drawn and as good as I was hoping it would be.
This book is absolutely outstanding! My students and I enjoyed reading it. This is so much more than a simple Halloween book. You can use it to teach the importance of following your dreams, never giving up, helping each other just to name a few.
Lula is a witch who lives with her aunties. They want her to become a good and proper Halloween witch, but Lula has different ideas. She wants to cook, but will her dream of opening a restaurant come true?
Lula's Brew by Elizabeth Dulemba is an enchanting rhyme of how a very special witch named Lula teaches her aunts that creating magical potions doesn't always require "frog eyes and lizard tails," but just being yourself leads to the best magic of all.
Lula is no ordinary witch and, try as they might, Lula's aunts are unable to interest her in things all good witches should know. Lula has aspirations of her own and hopes to one day be a chef. Instead of studying magic spells and practicing flying on brooms, Lula reads cookbooks and watches cooking shows.
Lula's aunts encourage her to give spells another try, but when they aren't looking Lula adds her own ingredients. Frustrated at the delicious smelling potion Lula creates they send her to her room. But, after they try the concoction they change their minds, especially when all the townspeople, under a spell from the delightful scents, arrive at the witches house for a taste. Much to the witches surprise people will do anything for the brew. Lula may have gotten the hang of this witch thing after all!
The vivid illustrations are charming and the whimsical rhyme cleverly spins it's own spell, creating a story children will want to her again and again.
Children will discover, as the aunts do, that it's important and often times fun to try new things. They will also learn to follow their dreams, just as Lula does, no matter what others think.
A wonderful story just in time for Halloween (or anytime).
Lula was a young witch that lived with her three aunts, the most evil witches around. While they worked hard to teach Lula their witchy ways with spells and broom flying Lula had bigger things in mind. Lula had a dream and a talent for ditching those nasty spells and creating delicious smells instead. Lula wanted to be a Chef and own a restaurant. One night she created a smell spell that may just work….
This was an adorable story full of encouragement that dreams do come true and you can be anything you wish. Lula convinced her three witch aunties to let her open the house as a restaurant for the entire world to taste her cooking. She worked hard and was successful.
The book has amazing full page illustrations created by Elizabeth O. Dulemba. The font is easy to read and though it is a perfect book for Halloween it works for anytime of the year! I highly recommend this book in both the print and electronic format!
Lula is a young witch who has a problem. She does not want to be a witch; she wants to be a chef with her own restaurant. Lula hides her cookbooks under her bed. But Lula lives with her four Aunties who are witches dedicated to making Lula a successful witch. At the beginning of the story they are supervising Lula in preparing a brew to cast a magic spell on the town, but Lula sneaks in other ingredients when they are not looking. Soon a delicious aroma wafts across the town and its residents come knocking on the witches door to partake of the brew. When they demand seconds, Lula has an unusual request for them. Lula manages to cast her magic in a most peculiar way.
This tale is beautifully illustrated. The text will have young children laughing. This is a cute Halloween story that is not scary and appropriate for preschoolers and children in the early elementary grades. Makes a nice read aloud in the classroom, bedtime story or a family share to celebrate the holiday.
My Review: Lula lives with her three aunties who were known to be the wickedest witches in the land. Their goal was to teach Lula witchery ways and bewitching spells but all Lula wanted to do is become a chef with her own four stars bistro restaurant. Her aunties thought she was studying 30 minutes spells but Lula was busy reading cookbooks and watching food programs. So instead of cooking magical potions that oozed or glowing bright green ghastly drinks, Lula came up with a plan to cook a stew that smells good but with a little twist.
I enjoyed reading this book with soft, cold color illustrations. This is a perfect book to read for Halloween.
FTC Disclosure: I received a review copy of this book from Xist Publishing in exchange for a fair and honest review. I was not monetarily compensated for my opinion in any way.
This book is about this girl name Lula's Lula's aunties want her to be a which like them. But Lula prefers to study cook books rather then spell books and hats to fly on a broom Lula dreamed of being a chef in her neighborhoods favorite haven't. She wanted a four star bistro her very own restaurant in desperation the aunties insist she try to make secretly adds her cooking flair and in true witchy fashion creates A brew that bewitches the entire town and her aunties too
Cute to read in the Fall. Make good food people will do your bidding. 3 witches, Zelda, Tippy and Dink, wants Lula to make potions, whereas Lula wants to make good food. When they weren't looking, Lula put in her own ingredients, which woke up the bald, fat white mayor and other towns people. They cleaned the house as long as they get more of Lula's brew. In the end, Lula gets her restaurant.
My three year old daughter is very picky about books, it's rare I find one that she sits through. But this book she asks for over and over. She loves the story and the pictures too.
Incredible short story. A very young witch lives with her Aunt's they are trying to teach her to cast spells. She has other ideas she wants to run a restaurant and cook.