The Thing Lou Couldn't Do

by Ashley Spires

Lou and her friends are BRAVE adventurers. They run FASTER than airplanes. They build MIGHTY fortresses. They rescue WILD animals. But one day, when they re looking for a ship to play pirates in, Lou s friend has an idea: Up there! The tree can be our ship! Ummm ... says Lou. This is something new. Lou has never climbed a tree before, and she s sure she can t do it. So she tries to convince her friends to play a not-up-a-tree game. When that doesn t work, she comes up with reasons for not joining them her arm is sore, her cat needs a walk, you shouldn t climb so soon after eating. Finally, she tells herself she doesn t want to climb the tree. But is that true, or is this brave adventurer just too afraid to try?

This delightful picture book from Ashley Spires, bestselling author of The Most Magnificent Thing, perfectly depicts what children go through when confronted with something difficult. With humor and endearing artwork, Spires sensitively portrays Lou procrastinating, making excuses, imagining alternatives and denying she cares. Ultimately, Lou faces her fear, and although she fails, the effort empowers her, encouraging a growth mindset. All the while, Lou s friends model compassionate friendship by offering to teach her how to climb and then moving the game. This book makes a perfect choice for a character education discussion about courage or resilience, or a life-skills lesson on facing challenges. The story also promotes the joy of imaginative play in the outdoors.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Growth Mindset, Friendship, Fiction, Adventure, Storytime

32 pages, Hardcover

First published May 2, 2017

About the author

Ashley has written and illustrated many books, most notably the bestselling The Most Magnificent Thing, which is now a short animated film. She creates books that remind kids that making mistakes is integral to learning. She lives in British Columbia with her dog and a growing army of felines.

Reviews

[Kris (My Novelesque Life) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating: 5 STARS
2017; Kids Can Press/Hachette Book Group
(Review Not on Blog)

I am a big fan of Ashley Spires writing and illustrations. In this story we learn that Lou cannot climb. As a kid, I was able to get up, but could not get down once I got to the top.

***I received an eARC from EDELWEISS***

[Shelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is currently one of my son's favorite books. He likes adventures, has a good imagination, and would like to climb trees but is currently unable, so he relates. I loved that the book features a girl who likes adventures and she's a person of color. I love that her friends, with the exception of a red-haired boy with glasses, are also people of color.

[La Coccinelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm a little bit torn by this one. Although it has very cute illustrations, a nice narrative, and a decent message, it could also be viewed as somewhat problematic.

Lou and her friends have all sorts of imaginative adventures together. But when they decide to play pirates, they need a ship. Her friends suggest a tall tree in the backyard and scramble up it. The problem is, Lou hasn't climbed a tree before and doesn't know how. First, she makes all sorts of excuses as to why she can't climb the tree. Eventually, she gives it a try. And even though she can't do it, she at least gave it a shot (which is, I guess, the overall message of the book).

I think the problem I have is that Lou is smarter than her friends. If she doesn't want to engage in a dangerous activity (this was a tall tree with zero handholds all the way up), she shouldn't be forced to.

So, while I like the message about trying, I don't really like the message of overriding your own common sense to try to prove yourself to your friends. Maybe if the tree had been drawn to look a little less dangerous, I wouldn't have had as much of a problem with it. As it is, though, the drawings simply made Lou look like the only smart person in the book. (Well, sort of. It's probably not a smart idea to impair your depth perception with an eye patch right before you go and do something that requires good spatial ability... like trying to climb a tree.)

Quotable moment:

[Bree Hill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet book about overcoming fear.

[Gretchen Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful story- opens up conversations about perseverance and also identity

[Carla · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great book for all the little girls out there who do not want to be a princess, but get out there with her friends and play. She is a brave, fearless little girl who plays pirates, rescues wild animals, runs faster than airplanes and just has fun trying new things. Until the day that her friends want to use the big tree in the backyard as a pirate ship. Lou has never climbed a tree and does not think she can do. Her friends are having so much fun in the tree. They invite her to join them, they offer to help her get up the tree, they encourage her to try, all to no avail. Lou has more excuses than carter has pills. She finally realizes that she is missing out on so much fun, just because she is afraid to try. She does not make it up the first time she tries, but she does not give up, she will try again tomorrow. This is a great book for little girls. The illustrations are wonderful. They show the fun and excitement on the faces of Lou and her friends when they are playing. They are detailed, vibrant and have feeling. The message of not giving up, especially before even trying, is very clear. The fact that her friends encourage her and offer to help is also important to show about loyalty to others as well as kindness. Lou finally realizes that she can not let fear rule her life and that is something we all need to hear. A great book for community, school and classroom libraries. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book via Netgalley.

[Penny lurkykitty · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an electronic copy of this book from NetGalley in return for an honest review.
Lou is a highly adventurous brave girl. But when her friends decide to make a tree into an imaginary pirate ship and climb it, Lou is hesitant. She tries all the delay tactics that we try when we don't want to do something. She suggests alternative games to play, comes up with excuses, and tries to think of ways to get up into the tree without actually climbing it. Finally, she tries to climb the tree. She does not actually succeed in climbing the tree at the end of the book, but she is determined to try and try again until she gets up that tree. I liked that Lou goes through a lot of what we all go through when we are afraid of doing something. I also like that she isn't able to magically climb the tree at the end of the book; the achievement is the change in her attitude toward tree climbing. I also like that no one rescues her; she has to solve the problem herself. The Thing Lou Couldn't Do was a hit with my six year-old. The illustrations are absolutely great, and there is a lot of humour peppered throughout the book for some laugh out loud moments.

[Maxine (Booklover Catlady) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really nice children's picture book for around ages 3-5. The illustrations are crisp and bright and the characters talk with speech bubbles.

Lou can't climb the tree! It's a book that has the message of overcoming fears and excuses and giving things a go - even if it means you can't do something. At least you tried.

Lou has a very cute sidekick - her little cat, who sadly doesn't get given a name. Her friends feature in the book too. 4 stars. I'll be reading and reviewing more children's books this year as well as working on my own illustrated children's book series.

I received a copy of this book via the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own and totally unbiased.

[ʕᵔᴥᵔʔ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed looking at the illustrations for this book. The story itself was pretty normal, but had a good lesson. Even in the end, **Spoiler alert :)** Lou couldn't climb the tree. Which I liked. It still showed that she was going to try, but that she hadn't accomplished it yet. Which I believe is important for children to understand, Not everything is achievable at the first attempt. I received this book through NetGalley.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Encouragement and perseverance are the message in this adorable picture book by Ashley Spires.

When Lou and her friends play, they are anything they want to be. Adventurous little beings with big imaginations. But, when Lou's friends suggest climbing a tree so it can be their pirate ship, Lou is very fearful.

She has never climbed a tree before and prefers her adventures to be on the ground. Naturally, she comes up with all kinds of excuses. When Lou's friends continue their adventure without her and reassure her they'll teach her how to climb a tree, she finally decides to join in.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publishers for an e-ARC.

[Katie Dicesare · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this is a great book for so many reasons...great messages--give yourself time, keep practicing, do something that's hard. I love the ending and the variety of layouts she uses. Lots for students to learn from a reading and writing lens.

[Dalia · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book, The Thing Lou Couldn’t Do, is about a little girl who always goes on the bravest of adventures with her friends. Until one day when she is scared to climb a super tall tree with her friends. She makes excuses and avoids doing it, until she builds up the courage to try. She may not succeed but she is not discouraged and says she will try again. The characters within this book are a diverse group of children, shown through the illustrations. The characters in the book are diverse through their ethnicities. Although their ethnicities are not specified, you can see the diversity through their skin tones. Students are able to understand, identify with, and reflect upon the language used in the book because the situation that Lou is in is relatable for them. The story itself is relevant and is worthy of being shared with an audience of elementary school students. This book could connect to some students as a mirror and a window. First, The Thing Lou Couldn’t Do acts as a mirror would be through if they are currently scared to do something new in their life, like Lou was. This book can show them that it is okay to fail when trying something new, but they should not be afraid to try again. The Thing Lou Couldn’t Do can also act as a window for students. Students can imagine themselves in a situation like this. This book shows a growth mindset for children. To build on this, you could look at famous people who have also failed at first but eventually succeeded. For example, Abraham Lincoln and Elvis Presely both did not succeed in things they did in life but created an impact on the world we know today. This could be made into an activity or more of a discussion based activity. This would also create a cross-curriculum activity as well.

Link: https://www.amazon.com/Thing-Lou-Coul...

[Sandra Miksa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a cute children's book!

I really loved the moral of the story. Short and simple and yet meaningful and showing the importance of perseverance and slowly overcoming one's fear.

Lou is a role model to all!

[Lesley Burnap · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you can't do something today, try again tomorrow.

[Tori · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lou's friends want to play in the tree, but Lou can't climb trees. Cute story about trying new things, overcoming fears, not making excuses. Might pair well with Jabari Jumps, but I think the most important part is that even when she tries, she isn't able to do it. Normally, in picture books, the kid tries and can do the thing, but real life doesn't work that way. Sometimes you can't do the thing and have to practice more. This book ends with no resolution to Lou's lack of tree climbing skills and I think that's the best thing about it. Fantastic.
This one was featured on Readbrightly's 17 Picture Books of 2017.

[Jason · Rating 3 out of 5]

I kind of like the open ending. We don't actually find out if she climbs the tree or not. But it's good for kids to know that sometimes just trying is enough.

[AleJandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tres estrellas por la historia.

Una estrella extra por que la protagonista es igualita a mi hija y la hizo sentirse especial, por la representación.

[Donalyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great message about persistence and trying new things.

[Dawn Feicht · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book! The story was adorable, and I loved the fact the illustrations provided diverse cultures. The illustrator used wonderful colors and I was paying attention to what Lou was going to do next. I would add this to my class library!

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an interesting story because it is about what Lou couldn't do, rather than what she does do. I love that it is not all wrapped nice and neat by the end of the book, because sometimes doing things we fear takes us a little longer then one day to get through.

Lou's friends all want to climb a tree to play, and Lou doesn't know how. She doesn't want to admit that, and tries to pursuade her friends there are more fun games they can play that have nothing to do with trees.

This is good to explain fears. This is good to explain negotiating with friends, and this is good to explain that we can't all do everything that others do.

Fun book, that is a good starting off to explain the above. Bright pictures, and simple story.

Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.

[Saretta · Rating 4 out of 5]

Recensione
Review

Lou e i suoi amici amano divertirsi inventando storie, giocando in giardino e sono tutti molto avventurosi.

Un giorno però tutti salgono su un albero e Lou si accorge di non essere capace! Per evitare di provare Lou le tenta tutte, però per fortuna ci sono i suoi amici a darle coraggio.

Racconto molto carino che insegna a superare le proprie paure e limiti: non è necessario riuscire subito, l'importante è insistere e non darsi per vinti.

Ringrazio l’editore per avermi fornito la copia necessaria per scrivere questa recensione.

[Laura Herold · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lou is all sorts of brave, but she is nervous about climbing a tree with her friends. I am a fan of Ashley Spires and admire that both her characters in The Thing Lou Couldn't Do & The Most Magnificent Thing are persistant and creative. This is a book I would be happy to read to my daughter in coming years.

I was provided an ARC from NetGalley.

[Andréa]

Note: I accessed digital review copies of this book through Edelweiss and NetGalley.

[Edward Sullivan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lou faces her fear in this appealing, relatable story.

[Mary Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Look! It's a cameo appearance by Binky!

[Maria Caplin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great story about perseverance but my favorite part is the phrase "NOT YET, anyway" we talk all the time about the power of yet!

[Storytime With Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Climbing trees is such a rite of passage for a child. The moment they realize that they can move their bodies like little monkeys and get themselves high up into the branches where they can look down on the whole world around them is magical.
In The Thing Lou Couldn't Do, author/illustrator Ashley Spires, Binky The Space Cat, gives us the story of Lou, aka Captain Lou Skullbuckle, and her friends who are brave adventurers. When her friends turn the branches of the backyard tree into their pirate ship, Lou thinks she would prefer to play a not-up-in-a-tree game. Lou is very unsure about the whole climbing a tree thing but she doesn't let that deter her.
The Thing Lou Couldn't do is the perfect little story for your children, especially those who may be a little less adventurous. The story demonstrates that it's okay to be afraid of things and it is okay to fail, as long as we pick ourselves back up again and try. A sweet story about friendships, empathy, facing challenges and resilience. The distinctive illustrations bring a liveliness and sense of play to the story, inviting the reader in from page one. Another thing Lou's story does is promotes the importance of outdoor, physical play and gross motor development. It is so necessary for our children to be given opportunities to be outside playing and discovering how their bodies move.
Published by Kids Can Press.

[Sydney Padden · Rating 4 out of 5]

Summary: The little girl Lou and her friends are big adventurers and are always jumping around and playing with each other. One day they were looking for a "ship" to play in, and Lou's friend had the idea of using a tree as the ship. Lou got hesitant because she had never claimed a tree before, and she was sure that she wouldn't be able to. She comes up with excuses but in the end realizes that she must be brave and try things before she comes up with excuses.

Theme: Before saying no or being too scared of something it is important to give it a try.

Personal Response: This book reminds me of a time in my childhood when I was nervous to do something but after I got over the fear and was brave to do it, I grew as a personal and had the courage to do other things. I think it is important for children to be safe, but also know it is good to try new things, even trying new foods for example before saying you hate something.

Recommendations: I would recommend using this in the classroom to teach children about how to handle situations you are feeling a little nervous or timid about. I think it would help kids to see the example of Lou climbing the tree and how at first she made excuses but then used bravery and trust to overcome her fear. I think this would be good in a school lesson about trying new things (hobbies, foods, friend things etc..)

[Ms.Gaye · Rating 2 out of 5]

My SLJ review: Lou and her friends love daring adventures, but when it comes to climbing trees, Lou sulks because she can't do it. Playing high in the branches of a tree, her companions are slow to notice Lou's plight. Midway through the story, they come down to offer help, but Lou isn't ready to climb the tree yet. After considering a few alternative ways to get into the tree, Lou gives climbing a try-and fails. Finally, recognizing her lack of skill, the friends take their game out of the tree and back to the ground. Lou holds no grudges and decides to try climbing another time. Digital illustrations include a set of culturally diverse, cartoonlike characters who are expressive yet somewhat unappealing, often set on a background of stark white space with some shading. The artwork is serviceable, but the book's main value is in the message it imparts-that it's better to attempt a challenge than to avoid it, although success is not always guaranteed. Lou goes through a range of emotional states in her struggle to overcome her inability to climb, but she doesn't let her obstacle defeat her. VERDICT This tale about meeting life's challenges and not giving up is a good purchase for medium or larger libraries. Ages 4-6

[raccoon reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great story with main characters of color and a girl!! Bonus! I like that it teaches kids about trying new things. Lou is certainly afraid of climbing the tree and makes all kinds of excuses. It feels very real. My son also enjoys the language and ideas in the book. Like, asteroid. He'd never heard that one before and now he's running around screaming "there's an asteroid!" and it's hilarious. It's been a great teaching tool about perseverance and fear of trying. I especially like that she didn't miraculously begin climbing the tree. I like that at the end she was still trying to climb. Sometimes characters suddenly overcome and everything ends perfectly. An ending like this feels more real.

I'd also like to note, for mom's of boys, I think it's important we read our sons lots of books with girls as the main character. I purposely seek these out. It's easy to find boys as the doers in stories. I want my son to grow up around all types of people, colors and genders included. I'd recommend pairing this book with the picture book "The Most Magnificent Thing" for a double whammy of girl power!