Absurdimals: Lola Goes to School

Absurdimals

by Gwendolyn Javor, Melissa Spears (Illustrator)

The Absurdimals are a group of hybrid animals here to shake up our perception of normal! They represent the changing faces of our society and encourage children to embrace individuality. In this book, Lola the Belephant goes to school for the first time and finds out she's not quite the same as the other animals. After feeling like an outsider, Lola learns that there is no such thing as being too different, there is only new-different. In accepting and loving herself for who she is, Lola inspires other "normal" animals to come forward, and embrace their own perceived absurdities, too!

29 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 15, 2017

Reviews

[Grady · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘I’m proud that I’m an Absurdimal because I’m proud to be a Belephant’

Humanist author Gwendolyn Javor is Hungarian by birth and moved to the US to attend university and law school in New York City. While she is a lawyer by trade, by spirit she is a humanitarian whose mission is finding ways to promote love, acceptance of individuality, and cherishing uniqueness. Finding reinforcement in paintings created in high school she has elected to combine art and philosophy in a manner that will allow children to grow into world citizens who appreciate and respect one another, regardless of differences, while learning to love themselves, absurdities and all. The result: the birth of ABSURDIMALS – humor, thoughtful lessons, creative characters as drawn by illustrator Melissa Aker Spears – in a debut book that is so very successful it surely will be followed by many others.

Gwendolyn launches her concept with Lola the Belephant – a special animal half elephant and half bunny. Her idiosyncratic being allowed her to hop after butterflies (with bunny feet) while watering flowers (with elephant trunk). Happy with her self, Lola goes to school to discover the classmate animals were challenged to accept this Belephant. Lola tries to join a group of elephants only to be excluded because she was not an Elephant. Despite Lola’s explanation she was half elephant the others mocked her as not even being an animal but instead – an absurdimal! Frightened, Lola hopped away only to encounter Principal Hooves, a moose, who shares with Lola that a zebra and lion playing together as best friends would at one point be considered an ‘absurd’ idea. Quite patiently Principal Hooves explained that ’absurd’ is what animals say about things that are new, different, and not understood. ‘The truth is how much we all are alike – we all eat, we all play, we’re all animals’. Unsure, Lola bemoans the fact she has been called an ‘absurdimal’, but the principal happily states she is only a ‘new different’ – a Belephant – and that there is love in us all that connects us: ‘Love yourself and the other animals will too.’

The next day Lola is approached by the class and shares that she IS an absurdimal – that she loves being a Belephant. And with that step of courage the other animals shed their own traits – the monkey actually hates bananas, the cow her spots she has to paint on everyday, the sloths who are tired of playing tired. And from the wisdom of a tiny mouse comes the proclamation that all the animals want to be Absurdimals! Time passes and all the class enjoy and respect each other so that when new members enter - a Dock and a Frat – they are welcome!

Excellent concept, beautifully scripted and illustrated, ABSURDIMALS is far more than an exceptionally entertaining book – it is a health worldview that offers very sound advice for adults, too. Highly recommended.

[Jean · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absurdimals
Lola goes to School
by Gwendolyn Javor
Illustrations by Melissa Aker Spears

What are Absurdimals? If they are like Lola, the main character in this charming story, they are a mix of one animal and another. Lola is half elephant and half bunny. As the author writes, she can best be described as a "Belephant". Because she is a mix of two species of animal, Lola can hop to each flower (like a bunny) to water it with her trunk (like an elephant)! It is a great talent which Lola is very happy to have.
In fact, Lola is very happy about everything, until she starts school in her town of Harmonia. School proves to be difficult for Lola. There are no other Belephants there, and the other animals don't easily find a place for her. Lola doesn't fit in with the elephants, and grows very sad. With help from the principal, Lola grows to learn that it might take time for the other animals to accept her. The principal shares some important concepts about how each animal is alike, more than different. Lola isn't convinced and calls herself an "Absurdimal". The principal remains encouraging. He tells Lola to love herself, and the other animals will, too.
With her understanding that love is the connection which will lead to her acceptance in her new school, Lola becomes empowered. She is happier and is proud of herself. Other animals in class begin to share her point of view.
Finally, a tiny mouse says what every animal is feeling. All of them want to be who they want to be. All of them want to be Absurdimals!
That is where the book comes to a happy ending, except for a super fun surprise on the very last page!
This book is charming and honest. It expresses the feelings of young children through the eyes of Lola the Belephant in a very clear way. The drawings are sweet, colorful and energetic.
I recommend Absurdimals, Lola Goes to School as a good story to read to a pre-school child. It will help to prepare your little ones for what may come their way as they enter the new school experience. Children don't always fit in. This book gently expresses that and shows that with patience a child (or a Belephant!) can learn to be happy with him or herself, leading the way for others. It is a wonderful story and a good lesson for all of us of all ages!

[Stephanie H. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absurdimals: Lola Goes to School by Gwendolyn Javor is a wonderful read for those looking to instill individuality and acceptance into their children—even adults could learn a thing or two from this book! The plot is engaging, the illustrations are beautiful, and the lesson is timeless and very appropriate for today’s world.

Lola is special. Very special. She’s the first of a new kind of animal to grace Harmonia with its presence: a belephant. Half bunny, half elephant, half Lola. And Lola couldn’t be any more excited to share her uniqueness with her new classmates on her first day of school, as well as drink in theirs. Unfortunately for Lola, not everyone at her new school is so anxious to welcome her differences. Will Lola give in to the taunts of her new classmates? Or will she find the strength to embrace her status as an absurdimal?

Of course, as a children’s picture book, the plot and characters are simple enough for younger readers to follow and connect with the story. The lessons addressed—individuality and acceptance—are also commonplace in children’s stories. However, this book is also unique enough in its presentation of the lessons that their parents will be captivated by it as well.

In addition to valuable lessons, the idea of these “absurdimals,” animals which do not fit in for one reason or another, really pulled me in. I’m a sucker for an outsider’s story, especially when they reveal that everyone is, in a way, an outsider. As Mr. Hooves says, “There’s no too different, only new-different!”

Spears also does a wonderful job of bringing Lola and the other absurdimals to life with her beautiful illustrations. The muted colors work perfectly for a children's book, and I really could not find any flaw in Spears's technique. In fact, they really reminded me of illustration from children's books I used to read, like If You Give a Mouse a Cookie. I can't wait to have kids with whom I can share this book!

I highly recommend this book for people with kids, but don’t be surprised if you catch yourself reading it without them. I can’t wait to see what’s next for Lola and the other absurdimals!

[Susan Keefe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lola the Belephant says, be different be an Absurdimal!

The author of this amazing children’s book, Gwendolyn Javor is on a mission, and the mission is to reach out to children and through her wonderful storytelling teach them that it is okay to be different. Her passion for the subject has led to the birth of the amazing Absurdimals.

So what are Absurdimals? Well, they are animals who are a mixture of two others, like Lola, the Belephant who is the star of this, the first book in the series. Lola is half bunny and half elephant and this makes her very special, as we can see through the beautiful illustrations of Melissa Spears.

Today is a very special day for Lola, she is very excited because she is going to school for the very first time.

At school she realises they are many different types of animals, but none like her. Rejected by the others because she is different, her happiness turns to sadness as she is told firmly that she is absurd, and just doesn’t fit in.

However, wise Principal Hooves comes to the rescue, he sees her distress and gently explains that people call absurd those things which they don’t understand, or which are different. He shows her examples of things which seemed absurd years ago but which are accepted now, and explains that deep down all animals are the same.

Emboldened by the principal’s words Lola goes back to school the next day determined to embrace who she is. When the other animals see that she is proud of this, and courageous enough to stand by it, they realise that she is right, and that it is okay to be different. Which is good because they are all about to meet some more, very different new friends.

This book contains in its lovely story important messages to children which will help them to gain self-confidence in themselves, and be more understanding when they meet others who are not the same as they are.

I bought this book so I could read it to my granddaughter and we both thoroughly enjoyed it.

[Pamela Gossiaux · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Absurdimals” Teaches Children the Power of Acceptance

I loved Gwendolyn Javor’s “Absurdimals: Lola Goes to School.” This refreshing, colorfully illustrated book uses a unique character, Lola the Belephant (part bunny, part elephant) to teach children about diversity and acceptance. The non-preachy story is heartwarming and one feels drawn to little Lola, who is just so excited to go to school, until the other “normal” elephants start making fun of her.

But Lola’s school principal tells her that she needs to love herself first, and that it’s okay to be herself. She is wonderful just as she is: “No one else could hop after butterflies while watering flowers!”

This book is highly readable and very pertinent in today’s culture. It’s one more way to teach our children that love is the answer and acceptance is key.

Javor, a lawyer-turned-writer, suffered from depression as a child. She says this struggle has given her empathy towards others, and she wants to help children who aren’t feeling their own self worth. She reads her books in schools and is getting great reviews.

As a mother, this is the sort of book I would read to my children if they were still young. I really enjoyed it myself, and highly recommend it. If we teach children about love and acceptance now, they will always carry that seed with them. Maybe Lola and her adventures are one more step towards peace.

[Israel Drazin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This colorful book about an unusual animal that contains parts of two animals, written by Gwendolyn Javor and illustrates in an eye-catching manner by Melissa Aker Spears, is great. It offers kids a kind of story they are unaccustomed to reading or hearing. The unusual parts that make up of Lola, the book’s main character, stimulates thinking and prompt kids to use their imagination. The book also causes kids to think about people who are different than them in looks, acts, and religions.

Lola is half bunny and half elephant. She is kind and loveable. Her dad is an elephant and her mom a bunny. This gave her the abilities of both species. But she experienced discrimination during her first day at school. But soon, all the students began to understand about differences and there was love.

[Anne Rightler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absurdimals: Lola Goes to School by Gwendolyn Javor is a lovely story for youngsters. Going to school is often a difficult time for kids and when there may be a difference, it is even harder. Javor uses Lola a bunny elephant mix to show that loving oneself and being proud of who one is, just might be the way to 'fit in'. Beautiful full-color illustration's library. I won a copy of the book in a contest and was not required to write a review.

[Máté · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story with nice illustrations. Kids will love it!

[Baby Bookworm · Rating 3 out of 5]

This review was originally written for The Baby Bookworm. Visit us for new picture books reviews daily!

Hello, friends! Our books today are Lola Goes To School and Chester Learns To Swim, both from the Absurdimals series, written by Gwendolyn Javor and illustrated by Melissa Aker Spears.

In Lola, a young Belephant – half bunny, half elephant, and the first of her kind – prepares for the first day of school. As she is introduced to the class, she notices other kids staring, but tries to shrug it off. At lunch, however, she tries to sit with some elephants and is rudely rejected, one claiming that she’s not a “real” elephant. Distraught, Lola flees and runs into her principal, who encourages her to be proud of who she is, noting that others are often afraid of what’s new. Lola takes his advice to heart, and the next time she has a run-in with bullies, she knows just what to say. In Chester, one of Lola’s new friends, a “dock” (half dog, half duck) is worried about an upcoming race. To his shame, he has a fear of swimming, and faces pressure from teammates who believe this will cost them the race. Approaching his friends – each with their own special talent – he attempts to overcome his fear with their advice, but to no avail. But on the day of the big race, he realizes that the key to finding his courage was within him all along.

While the books’ concept is solid, they vary in quality, and both stories feel rushed. Lola is stronger overall: analogies for being mixed-race yet not feeling accepted by either, how attitudes about race are constantly changing (hopefully for the better), and not allowing oneself to be defined by stereotypes are well done. Chester, however, falls a bit flat. The title is misleading; Chester never “learns” to swim, he finds the courage to, so those looking for a more instructional book may be disappointed. The plot point of “meet a friend, this is their talent, it doesn’t work” repeats a few too many times, becoming redundant by the end. Chester’s moment of self-assuredness is nicely triumphant, but I would have loved to see his teammates apologize for their behavior. The cute and creative art adds some charm, the lengths are good, and JJ enjoyed them. A strong start yet a middling sequel to this series, but Baby Bookworm approved.

(Note: Copies of these books were provided to The Baby Bookworm by the author in exchange for an honest review.)

Be sure to check out The Baby Bookworm for more reviews!

[John J.]

If you are like me, you may come from a homogenized, “white bread” background where individuality was often celebrated, but diversity was somewhat of a foreign concept. Born in 1960, I grew up in an American town that was mostly white, middle-class and rather dull and uninteresting. And as a quiet, shy and sensitive young boy, I often felt alienated from the rest of my peers. I remember a few teachers who recognized and celebrated uniqueness, but when it came to socialization I was pretty much left to flounder. I often felt “different” from the rest of the pack, like a fish out of water. Unfortunately, my instructors were simply unable to see the value of self-acceptance and love of everyone, regardless of your stripes.

Author and child advocate Gwendolyn Javor was born and raised in Budapest, Hungary, and attended university and law school in America. Recognizing that her mission in life was not practicing law, she instead has immersed herself in work promoting love of diversity and acceptance of individuality. Her children’s book, “Absurdimals: Lola Goes To School” is her opening salvo as a writer, inspired by paintings she made in high school, focusing on embracing uniqueness. And what a refreshing look at life it is.

“Absurdimals” features a delightful cast of off-beat, oddball characters intended to make us question what really is normal in this day and age. This lovely book also reminds us of the beauty and transcendence of individuality. For example, Lola is extremely unique. She is half-bunny and half- elephant, or Belephant to be precise. Together with the colorful, imaginative illustrations provided by Melissa Aker Spears, we see Lola’s unique gifts, allowing her to “hop after butterflies while watering flowers with her trunk.” As Lola interacts with the other characters in this easy to read and enjoyable book, she soon discovers we all have more in common than we think. She learns we are all alike in our differences.

Gwendolyn Javor’s mission is encouraging us to learn to embrace and love ourselves and others for who we are. And we do this by learning about other diverse “Absurdimals.” As we see from Lola’s adventures, diversity is happening at a lightning-quick pace. As Lola learns about the world, “There’s no too different, there’s only new-different.”

The author’s belief in the “goodness of children” and their power to make a better world enlightens every page of this book. Her message is that we can teach children to appreciate and respect individuality in both themselves and others and that will light a path to a brighter future.
You will fall in love with this book.