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Lulu #1
Lulu in La La Land
Lights! Camera! ACTION! Lulu, a soon-to-be 11-year-old living in Los Angeles, prefers gardening to primping and homemade guacamole to five-star restaurants. You'd never know that Lulu is the daughter of Hollywood's A-List power couple. This year Lulu is determined to throw the kind of birthday party her glamorous parents might actually attend (which means Watson the pug is not invited). But it's so not Lulu. Should she morph into the Tween Queen of Tinseltown or stay true to her book-loving, mis-matched socks self?
Fall in love with Lulu as she tells her story in an innovative script-novel hybrid. After all, everyone is LA is writing a screenplay!
Fall in love with Lulu as she tells her story in an innovative script-novel hybrid. After all, everyone is LA is writing a screenplay!
261 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2013
5 people are currently reading
203 people want to read
About the author
Elisabeth Wolf
5 books5 followersElisabeth Wolf is a bit Lulu. She lives in Los Angeles where she grows fruits, vegetables, and native flowers. Before that she worked in public policy and media both in California and Washington, D.C. She has two children, Philip (15) and Emmeline (13). Her inspiration for writing Lulu was based on their growing up in Los Angeles and seeing how fast childhood can zoom by. She bakes her children's birthday cakes and eats spicy Mexican food. Each year for her birthday she asks her children to give her the same present. "Turn off the lights to help save the earth." But make NO mistake: she loves a good shopping trip and pedicure. Lulu in La La Land is her first book. The second book in the series, Lulu in Honolulu will come out in Spring 2014. To slow life down, Elisabeth and her children spend time living in Cambria, California and Kennebunk, Maine. Before writing the Lulu Series, Elisabeth worked in media and government. She's a graduate of Smith College in Northampton, MA and Stanford's School of Education. She also was a Fellow with the national Coro Foundation.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
July 27, 2013
This book is so sweet and fun! I loved Lulu, who is basically the exact opposite of everyone in her family. She's not particularly enamored with movies (like her parents) or fashion (like her sister) and all she wants is the chance to spend more time with her family. So she agrees to change the party she really wants (homemade invitations and food with her best friend) into the party that her parents are most likely to attend (a mega-luxe spa day).
It's actually a testament to how cute this book is that it didn't really register until it was over how sad this book is. (Oh, don't get me wrong; I noticed how sad it was that all Lulu wanted for her birthday was for her parents to care enough to go, but once it was over, I was like, "Oh, wow. Poor Lulu.")
But this isn't a depressing book, largely due to Lulu's personality. That girl is irrepressible to say the least!
Recommended.
It's actually a testament to how cute this book is that it didn't really register until it was over how sad this book is. (Oh, don't get me wrong; I noticed how sad it was that all Lulu wanted for her birthday was for her parents to care enough to go, but once it was over, I was like, "Oh, wow. Poor Lulu.")
But this isn't a depressing book, largely due to Lulu's personality. That girl is irrepressible to say the least!
Recommended.
August 16, 2013
Have you ever doubted that you are not spending enough time with your family? Worse, do you have your priorities wrong - something over family? You should read this...
11-year old Lulu has everything. She is the second daughter of Hollywood's most famous director mom and actor dad. Obviously, she have no problem with money as well. Lulu don't like all this LA things like shopping, make-up, etc. She is content with cleaning the beaches, gardening with her best friend Sophia, dressing all things orange and reading every possible book at hand.
But, her one problem is her time with her parents. So, when her birthday arrives, she is so determined to make her parents come for her birthday party, which they have never attended so far. She is even ready to work with her Queenbee sister, Alexis, to plan the Spa-tacular party, which her parents will like; even accepting to give up her favorite color, orange, for the invitations. But, everything shatters, when her parents were nominated for Oscar and the Oscar award ceremony is happening right on her birthday. So, how is smart Lulu and the Queenbee Lex going to pull out this thing?
I loved this plot. It's more important to today's men and women. They never understand that "spending time with children is more important than spending money on children".
Source: http://godisheart.blogspot.com
I know money is important; but not more than your family and definitely not more than your children. That message was well provided and received as well. It will be a whip-lash to the parents who leave their children at home without proper care and a reminder to others that this situation should never occur to our own children.
The characters were so adorable. All of them. Lulu, Lex, Sophia, Jenna, Elena (Lulu's momny - mommy+nanny), Lulu's parents and her dog, Watson. I left a few, because I don't want to explain the whole story here, but I like those characters too. Everybody has that bond of family and friendship in them, that I can't help loving.
The writing is okay for me; not so good or bad. It could be improved; but seeing this is a debut, this is a good effort on her writing.
I especially loved loved loved the ending. It was written so delightful that I felt so happy even hours later. Keep it coming, Lulu!
Verdict:
This is not just a children's read. It's for adults as well, adults who 'should' care more about their family more than anything -- ANYTHING.
Recommended for all ages!
11-year old Lulu has everything. She is the second daughter of Hollywood's most famous director mom and actor dad. Obviously, she have no problem with money as well. Lulu don't like all this LA things like shopping, make-up, etc. She is content with cleaning the beaches, gardening with her best friend Sophia, dressing all things orange and reading every possible book at hand.
But, her one problem is her time with her parents. So, when her birthday arrives, she is so determined to make her parents come for her birthday party, which they have never attended so far. She is even ready to work with her Queenbee sister, Alexis, to plan the Spa-tacular party, which her parents will like; even accepting to give up her favorite color, orange, for the invitations. But, everything shatters, when her parents were nominated for Oscar and the Oscar award ceremony is happening right on her birthday. So, how is smart Lulu and the Queenbee Lex going to pull out this thing?
I loved this plot. It's more important to today's men and women. They never understand that "spending time with children is more important than spending money on children".
Source: http://godisheart.blogspot.com
I know money is important; but not more than your family and definitely not more than your children. That message was well provided and received as well. It will be a whip-lash to the parents who leave their children at home without proper care and a reminder to others that this situation should never occur to our own children.
The characters were so adorable. All of them. Lulu, Lex, Sophia, Jenna, Elena (Lulu's momny - mommy+nanny), Lulu's parents and her dog, Watson. I left a few, because I don't want to explain the whole story here, but I like those characters too. Everybody has that bond of family and friendship in them, that I can't help loving.
The writing is okay for me; not so good or bad. It could be improved; but seeing this is a debut, this is a good effort on her writing.
I especially loved loved loved the ending. It was written so delightful that I felt so happy even hours later. Keep it coming, Lulu!
Verdict:
This is not just a children's read. It's for adults as well, adults who 'should' care more about their family more than anything -- ANYTHING.
Recommended for all ages!
August 4, 2013
Lulu in La La Land is a fun middle grade tale with a serious undertone. Have you ever felt like the odd girl/boy/woman/man in the room? What about in the company of your own family? Well, Lulu couldn’t be any different than the rest of her family. She enjoys and appreciates the simpler things in life while her parents and older sister wholly believe that life without extravagance is not a life worth living. In an attempt to spend time with her parents, something that never happens, Lulu sacrifices the simplistic birthday party she really wants for something that will sparkle enough to catch the eye of her family unit. Lulu is a character that I quickly fell for. She is highly amusing and was a blast to hang out with. This books fits perfectly into the middle grade category. I look forward to her adventures in Honolulu!
August 6, 2013
Lulu Harrison is an almost eleven year old, who does not dwell on her appearance or popularity. Instead, she loves gardening, cooking, science experiments, and raising awareness about environmentalism. All she wants is to have her celebrity parents present on her birthday, which happens to fall on the day of the Academy Awards.
As she tries to plan a birthday party hip enough that her parents will attend, she makes new friends, struggles with old ones, and reconnects with her family. Throughout the compelling tale of Lulu’s struggle, the story addresses issues of environmentalism and self-esteem.
The book has a entertaining plot, delightful characters, and a strong message. It is a great book for introducing young girls to important world issues.
As she tries to plan a birthday party hip enough that her parents will attend, she makes new friends, struggles with old ones, and reconnects with her family. Throughout the compelling tale of Lulu’s struggle, the story addresses issues of environmentalism and self-esteem.
The book has a entertaining plot, delightful characters, and a strong message. It is a great book for introducing young girls to important world issues.
March 5, 2020
I loved reading about Lulu and her adventures in La La Land. I didn't love the screenplay format. The prologue and epilogue are written normally. I wanted the middle to stay that way. I also wanted more cute drawings to go with the story. Next I'm reading the sequel called Lulu in Honolulu.
July 16, 2017
So boring can't gets over that one thing it is to much like other books make it different make it real make it unexpectedly unique
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 19, 2018
My review is that it's a really good book but some people might not like it as well as other book!!!!
Read
May 3, 2020I loved this book! Its one of my favorites. Its a little sad but its so fun to read. I love the drama and the end is so sweet. It teaches you that at the end of the day family is the most important.
April 6, 2021
I'm not the target audience for this, but I also didn't think it was very good.
June 13, 2021
This is a great book. Super creative and the Author deserves 5 stars! Highly recommend for anyone looking for an adventurous book!
December 19, 2016
Lulu is about to turn eleven, and all she wants for her birthday is to throw a party that her famous parents will actually want to attend. Though she lives in Hollywood in a fancy mansion, and her parents are routinely nominated for Academy Awards, Lulu manages to shelter herself from Hollywood culture to the point that she doesn’t even have a cell phone, so her sister, Alexis takes on the party planning. Unfortunately, despite Alexis’s efforts to plan the perfect spa-themed party and to invite only the most popular and perfect guests, it turns out that Lulu’s party is the very night that her parents have to attend the Oscars. Disappointed that her one birthday wish is in danger of not coming true, Lulu comes up with a back-up plan that is sure to bring her parents to her party, even if just for a few minutes.
This book is written almost entirely as a movie screenplay, with just a few interruptions here and there from Lulu when background information is required. It took me quite a while to settle into this format, especially because the text switches between dialogue, stage directions, third person descriptions and first person commentary. It’s not hard to keep track of which type of writing is which, but it feels stilted sometimes to read a script instead of watching it be performed.
Lulu herself is not my favorite middle grade protagonist. I appreciate that she represents a challenge to the media-saturated culture surrounding her, but her over-enthusiastic voice and obnoxious sayings like, “Geez peas!” made me laugh at her more than sympathize with her. She is obviously meant to be a good person who tries to do the right thing even when her parents are basically clueless, but I didn’t care much for her, and I found her family and environment just as off-putting. I struggled to make it through her many interactions with the Pop Girls and the devious planning required just to get her parents to attend her birthday party. I especially didn’t like that the book doesn’t really criticize her parents for being absent and neglectful - rather, the entire premise of the novel assumes that the burden is on Lulu to get her family to pay attention to her and love her. If the point of this book is that being oneself pays off, it fails to make that point. What I took away from the story is the understanding that Lulu is starved for affection and that her nanny is more of a parent than either her biological mother or her biological father.
This high-interest novel will certainly find readers among tween girls who are fascinated by celebrity and largesse, but I can’t imagine that girls who are truly like Lulu would have the patience or interest to sit through more than 200 pages of vapid girls discussing spa treatments. It was painful to subject myself to that much superficiality in one book, and the message of the story is so muddled, the effort didn’t even really pay off that heavily. For more authentic stories about tween girls that also involve acting and filming, try After Iris by Natasha Farrant, Reel Life Starring Us by Lisa Greenwald, and the Sisters Club series by Megan McDonald.
This book is written almost entirely as a movie screenplay, with just a few interruptions here and there from Lulu when background information is required. It took me quite a while to settle into this format, especially because the text switches between dialogue, stage directions, third person descriptions and first person commentary. It’s not hard to keep track of which type of writing is which, but it feels stilted sometimes to read a script instead of watching it be performed.
Lulu herself is not my favorite middle grade protagonist. I appreciate that she represents a challenge to the media-saturated culture surrounding her, but her over-enthusiastic voice and obnoxious sayings like, “Geez peas!” made me laugh at her more than sympathize with her. She is obviously meant to be a good person who tries to do the right thing even when her parents are basically clueless, but I didn’t care much for her, and I found her family and environment just as off-putting. I struggled to make it through her many interactions with the Pop Girls and the devious planning required just to get her parents to attend her birthday party. I especially didn’t like that the book doesn’t really criticize her parents for being absent and neglectful - rather, the entire premise of the novel assumes that the burden is on Lulu to get her family to pay attention to her and love her. If the point of this book is that being oneself pays off, it fails to make that point. What I took away from the story is the understanding that Lulu is starved for affection and that her nanny is more of a parent than either her biological mother or her biological father.
This high-interest novel will certainly find readers among tween girls who are fascinated by celebrity and largesse, but I can’t imagine that girls who are truly like Lulu would have the patience or interest to sit through more than 200 pages of vapid girls discussing spa treatments. It was painful to subject myself to that much superficiality in one book, and the message of the story is so muddled, the effort didn’t even really pay off that heavily. For more authentic stories about tween girls that also involve acting and filming, try After Iris by Natasha Farrant, Reel Life Starring Us by Lisa Greenwald, and the Sisters Club series by Megan McDonald.
May 17, 2023
I liked this book and I love lulu lol :P
August 27, 2013
As a girl who grew up in the Los Angeles private school system as quite an oddball, I relate to Lulu very much! Elisabeth Wolf did a wonderful job creating a character that is very easy to sympathize with, but still represents a life that not all of us are privileged enough to lead. We as readers are both intrigued by and at one with the protagonist.
The story itself is very exciting. Lulu experiences many ups and downs with her family and friends and the quest for the perfect birthday party-- all with her adorably imperfect pug, Watson! The story maintains its realism because Lulu and the other characters don’t always get what they want. They make sacrifices and deal with their own mistakes in a truly human way.
The book offers a glimpse into a world that not many people know a lot about. It’s something that really draws the reader in; it’s a lifestyle that will always be interesting. The way the text itself is presented, as a screenplay, provides a simple read and a new way to look into someone’s life. Readers will also be able to read it together, each taking on a different part in the script. Even the smaller characters offer an interesting look into the Los Angeles lifestyle that not many others would be used to. What’s more, the main character displays an interesting dichotomy: she’s part of that lifestyle but still feels like an outsider to it. Lulu is a great role model for girls who don’t fit in, not only because she has the same desires that they do, but also because she stays true to herself and doesn’t change just to be “cool.”
While some may say that Lulu in Lalaland promotes materialism, it really has a different message. Materialism is something that we all have to live with, but our attitudes about it and how we handle it is another story. We can still be true to ourselves and live in a world that says otherwise, we just have to adjust our attitudes and get around it. This book has a really positive message for younger girls and boys, and I’d certainly recommend it.
The story itself is very exciting. Lulu experiences many ups and downs with her family and friends and the quest for the perfect birthday party-- all with her adorably imperfect pug, Watson! The story maintains its realism because Lulu and the other characters don’t always get what they want. They make sacrifices and deal with their own mistakes in a truly human way.
The book offers a glimpse into a world that not many people know a lot about. It’s something that really draws the reader in; it’s a lifestyle that will always be interesting. The way the text itself is presented, as a screenplay, provides a simple read and a new way to look into someone’s life. Readers will also be able to read it together, each taking on a different part in the script. Even the smaller characters offer an interesting look into the Los Angeles lifestyle that not many others would be used to. What’s more, the main character displays an interesting dichotomy: she’s part of that lifestyle but still feels like an outsider to it. Lulu is a great role model for girls who don’t fit in, not only because she has the same desires that they do, but also because she stays true to herself and doesn’t change just to be “cool.”
While some may say that Lulu in Lalaland promotes materialism, it really has a different message. Materialism is something that we all have to live with, but our attitudes about it and how we handle it is another story. We can still be true to ourselves and live in a world that says otherwise, we just have to adjust our attitudes and get around it. This book has a really positive message for younger girls and boys, and I’d certainly recommend it.
January 1, 2016
My 2015 Book Challenge: A Book By An Author With Your Initials
Yes, I know it's reaching, but it was December 31st, and where else was I supposed to find a Kindle book by an author with the initials EM. Turn the W upside down, and it's an M!
I didn't like this book very much, and I'm not quite sure why. The fact that it was written a script, but then kept getting interrupted for her to explain things bugged me. Also, Lulu's love of nature and wanting everything to be natural didn't seem to show up until the 2nd half of the book, where all of a sudden, she's SUPER into saving Earth. And her parents. Oh, they were just annoying beyond ALL belief. I do however, LOVE her book bag. "Save Earth, it's the Only Planet with Chocolate."
Yes, I know it's reaching, but it was December 31st, and where else was I supposed to find a Kindle book by an author with the initials EM. Turn the W upside down, and it's an M!
I didn't like this book very much, and I'm not quite sure why. The fact that it was written a script, but then kept getting interrupted for her to explain things bugged me. Also, Lulu's love of nature and wanting everything to be natural didn't seem to show up until the 2nd half of the book, where all of a sudden, she's SUPER into saving Earth. And her parents. Oh, they were just annoying beyond ALL belief. I do however, LOVE her book bag. "Save Earth, it's the Only Planet with Chocolate."
June 2, 2013
Lulu, daughter of an Academy Award winning/nominated Hollywood actor and director couple, is about to turn 11 and all she wants is her parents at her party, because they've never made it to one. Her dad doesn't even know how old she is. Big sister Alexis is on the case, but all she cares about is being thin and throwing a big party. A lot of this book was about being thin, actually. One wonders how long Lulu is going to be able to hold out against that. Mostly, this was really, really sad. It's written as a screenplay, because everyone in LA is working on a screen play, even 10 year olds. Definitely funny at times, but not well written and sends a lot of mixed messages.
August 14, 2013
The book was OK, It was for young-teens I believe. Not quite my style. I didn't like how the book was in a script-like form, felt like A play. I ended up giving the book to my little sister after I was done reading, and she really enjoyed it! She said it was funny and reminded her of herself. I personally liked the book to a point, I just would've liked it not in script form :) Thanks for giving us the chance to read it! My 10 yr old sister really loves the book!
August 2, 2013
I really wanted to love this book, but I couldn't. I found that all of the characters were stereotypical and one-dimensional. The story line was too predictable. Lulu's lack of knowledge about technology was not believable in the world she lived in. Sorry.
eARC provided by publisher.
eARC provided by publisher.
August 19, 2013
I thought this was a really cute book. It is more for the tween set, which is fine as i have passed it along to my niece and i think she will enjoy it. It was very easy to read and LuLu is a funny little character!
September 14, 2015
When I picked up this book I never expected it to be in the form of a script and thought it would bore me but apparently the story was amazing! I definitely recommend this book to all the tweens who love books!
July 24, 2013
There were some funny parts, but I wasn't a fan of the overall content.
May 8, 2015
Awesome, cute pre-teen style book!!!
October 3, 2015
Very cute story. Middle-grade girls will love the combination of glamor and kids just trying to be themselves!
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews