Lou

by Breanna Carzoo

Don’t miss this humorous and heartwarming picture book by debut creator Breanna Carzoo about an unlikely everyday hero: a fire hydrant! Perfect for fans of The Good Egg and The Bad Seed.

Meet Lou. Lou has an important job . . . as the neighborhood toilet for dogs on their walks.

Useful as he may be, he gets the feeling that deep down inside, there might be more to him than that. He just doesn’t seem to know exactly what yet. When disaster strikes, will Lou find out what he’s made of and save the day?

From debut creator Breanna Carzoo comes a charming and funny story that reminds us to never let anyone—including yourself—hold you back from sharing your gifts with the world.

Kids will fall in love with Lou and his journey of self-discovery as he saves the day from a fire that breaks out in an apartment building nearby. You’ll never be able to look at a fire hydrant the same way again!

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Humor, Dogs, Fiction, Storytime, Animals

32 pages, Unknown Binding

First published January 1, 2022

Reviews

[Tim · Rating 5 out of 5]

It never ceases to amaze me how picture book authors can fit so much profound subtext into a seemingly simple premise. i.e. A picture book about a fire hydrant who thought his purpose was to be peed on by dogs. But something in him (maybe the pressurized water) made him think that he was meant for more.

[Annalie Plaetz]

This will be a great book to share during fire prevention week in October. I think that kids will get a kick out of a fire hydrant named Lou and that he gets peed on by lots of dogs. We’ve all seen the dogs do it and we all know that a fire hydrant is for, but Lou doesn't know his full potential until he is used to help put out the fire. It also can teach kids that we all have special powers inside that are just waiting for the right moment to be released! I think this will be an excellent book to add to the library circulation.

[Patricia N. McLaughlin · Rating 1 out of 5]

Poor Lou, the loo, with self-esteem issues. The potty humor might win over some readers, but the personification of this fire hydrant runs amok when hapless Lou must endure being pissed on by all the neighborhood dogs and “feels really weird” as the firefighter connects the firehose to Lou’s “outlet.” Can Lou say “#MeToo”? What exactly has earned Lou superhero status? An epic pee? Odd illustrations don’t help matters, but the dogs are cute.

[Becca · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did not expect my first 2024 read to be so pee-centric, but here we are.

Lou is a little fire hydrant who dogs pee on all the live long day (get it, like loo, like a toilet, you understand). One day there is a nearby fire, and he is able to tap into his almost forgotten purpose/power. This lifts his spirits, changing both how others see him, but perhaps most importantly, how he sees himself. It is a cute little read, but did not blow me away.

[Becky Loader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lou is wondering what life is all about. It has to be more than being a convenient comfort stop for canines!
Well. It is. Much more.
Delightful dogs make this story so much more than an autobiography!
Oh, and there is a Dalmatian in it. 🥰

[Rod Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

Potty humor rules the day, as Lou -- the red fellow there on the cover -- introduces himself as . . . a toilet. He has about resigned himself to a life of unrelenting yellow splashes and streams, until an emergency one day reveals his true nature.

Good and gross. Gross and good.

[Sarah BT · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cute and simple book about empowerment that is sure to get lots of laughs.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Totally adorable.

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lou thinks he's just a toilet for neighborhood dogs but one day when fire breaks out, he discovers his true purpose.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hooray for Lou!!! He is a superhero and he didn't even know it..

[Nichole · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was absolutely adorable. I love this book so much.

[kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

hahaha, great concept

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating viewpoint in this title from a fire hydrant. First half of the story focuses on dogs using the fire hydrant and eventually the fir3 hydrant functions using its real intended purpose. Humorous along with bright illustrations with plenty of white space.

[Edward Sullivan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fire hydrant Lou is relieved to discover he has a greater purpose in life than being the thing neighborhood pee on. Hilarious!

[Kim · Rating 1 out of 5]

I honestly found this book triggering - poor Lou gets physically invaded by the fire fighter! I loved Greenlight much more.

[Elayne Crain · Rating 5 out of 5]

Breanna Carzoo's LOU is a fire hydrant with a punny name--because the (OH so MANY dogs) neighborhood dogs use him as one.

But is being a loo all Lou is meant to do?

Instead of getting p'd off, Lou speaks confessionally to the reader about his hopes and dreams, while in the background, an untended pot and a cat that likes to knock things combine to create a fiery calamity. But when a determined Dalmatian approaches Lou, Lou braces for the worst, only to find out how the strength he always knew was in him could somehow save the day. And with a WHOA! WHOOSH! and WOOHOO!, Lou does what no one else can do.

Perhaps a strange juxtaposition, but when I read about this mistreated fire hydrant, I thought of the Maya Angelou quote: "I can be changed by what happens to me. But I refuse to be reduced by it." On a sillier but no less existential level, Lou's story of not giving up—knowing that he is full of greatness despite his treatment—is no less important a theme for kids (and old kids) to absorb. It's a funny and heartfelt tale of unlikely superheroes and treating everyone, and everything, with dignity.

You go, LOU!

[BreeAnn (She Just Loves Books) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay. This book is absolutely adorable. I am recommending this for all the kids. Old, young, adults who think they are kids, kids who think they are adults. We all should read this!

So, Lou is a fire hydrant. He thinks his job is to be a bathroom for all the dogs. He's okay with this, but he's also not. There's a sadness, and a want for something bigger. Then one day, something different happens and he finds that he's made for something bigger than just a potty!

The entire family got into the reading of this one. My husband took over reading the book and created voices, and it was just such a fun time. The story is wonderful, and truly has a good message for the littles.

The illustrations are wonderful and are done by the author! I loved the colors and the use of text size and font to help convey the story's message.

I definitely recommend this one for the whole family. Preschools and grade schools will appreciate this one!

I was provided a gifted copy of this book for free. I am leaving my review voluntarily.

[John Mullarkey · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a fire hydrant with little else going on with his stationary and uneventful life, Lou assumes that his place in life is to be a toilet for dogs - that is - until he finds his true purpose. A totally silly and fun book that will make young audiences - and older ones too - want to read again and again. Of course, any well-told, and brightly illustrated book with "pee" as a main element, will have kids cracking up, so right off the bat, it is a winner. But Lou has a great message for all ages and it's really funny - check out the "parade" of dogs who "gush" (sorry, no pun intended sort of) when they see their old buddy and relieve themselves. In addition, alert readers will notice and make predictions as to how the story might end when they see what is going on in the background as Lou ponders his place in life. This will be a book that patrons and students alike will ask about and shed new light on those red fire hydrants that adorn neighborhood street corners everywhere.

[Jason Oliver · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a kid's book but it's a book I just had to read.

My son's name is Lou and while at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Library in Manhattan, I read this to my son. Or I read part of it to my son. Lou is a fire hydrant that gets peed on by dogs. He is unfulfilled and looking for his purpose and he finds it once a building close by is ablaze and the firemen show up.

Couple things about this book:
In the background of Lou is a toy store. It's named Oliver Toy's. Our last name is Oliver, so my son is Lou Oliver!!!

My son became furious with this book, getting angry, storming off, making a scene in the library after several pages of Lou getting peed on. He didn't even finish the book and learn of Lou becoming a hero and a no peeing sign being placed close by. It probably didn't help that I told him toilets in Britian are called the loo.

[Darla · Rating 5 out of 5]

When you are the fire hydrant closest to the neighborhood doggy day care you know what your job is. Lou feels useful, but underestimated as the doggie toilet. Can't they see there is so much more to him under the surface? Then that doggy day care catches on fire. Suddenly there is a dalmatian next him--helping a firefighter hook up the hose so Lou can save the day. Hurray for Lou! He is a superhero. Love the many dog varieties depicted in the illustrations with humorous details like a dog at the end of the line crossing its legs and Lou's reaction to being hooked up to the hose. Way to go, Lou!

[Andrés · Rating 3 out of 5]

Props for the eye-catching, minimalist cover and the homophone name for "loo." Lou is cute, and the dogs are cute, but you (and Lou) must endure dogs toileting on Lou before he lives his full purpose of firefighting. There's also humor of progression in the background (similar to Mr. S., 2023) as a fire escalates across the pages of the story (2022). This book is a wash for me as there is some genuinely good picture-book stuff, but I don't think the soul-searching premise is necessary. It's a book that we didn't ask for and probably don't "need", but kids will probably like it.

[Ryan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is about a fire hydrant who thinks they’re worth more than being peed on every day. They consider themselves a toilet. The illustrations are what really makes this book move. The words are a fire hydrant feeling like they’re different and they deserve more than to be a dog toilet, but the illustration show that this fire hydrant is going to be used for what it was designed for in just a few more pages. This book was an interesting read, but not one I think I would go to frequently unless I was doing fire safety storytime.

[Steph || Dharma · Rating 5 out of 5]

An easy to read story about a fire hydrant who hoped one day he could do more than just be a toilet. A simple story about self discovery and never letting anyone hold you back from sharing your gifts... including yourself. The illustrations are bold with lots of primary colors making them very eye catching. The text is straight and easy to read. I love that the message is presented very straightforward and that by the end of the story Lou sees himself as more than just a toilet.

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Poor Lou. He's a fire hydrant, but what he really feels like is a toilet. All day ... every day. Lou knows that it's a useful service, but he was hoping for something more. "I feel like there's more in me than what they can see." And he's beginning to worry that a toilet is what he'll always be. But then, when the firefighters show up, Lou realizes that he has another job. A very important job that makes him a hero.

Cute.

[Ashley S · Rating 4 out of 5]

The playful text and silly illustrations make this a funny read about a fire hydrant discovering he's more than a dog toilet. I loved the idea and the pictures perfectly matched the concept. I know it's a picture book, but with the sparse text, at times my 4yo had to ask what happened or what was going on because he couldnt quite pick up all the details of the story unfolding through the illustrations. Dogs and potty humor was a big win.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lou is an amazing book to have on your bookshelf. The art work is amazing as are the lessons you learn from Lou. Lou feels like there is something more to him than being the neighborhood toilet for dogs and, as we read, we get to learn with Lou about the potential in all us. Lou is great for parents to read with their kids and should be a staple in teacher libraries.

[Jeremy · Rating 4 out of 5]

An amusing and heartwarming picture book for anyone who feels as though they were meant for more than being just a toilet. Very similar to Jory John's cute Bad Seed/Smart Cookie/Good Egg series, in terms of the story and humor, but the paper-cut illustrations had a great quality to them that those books lack.

[Erin Buhr · Rating 5 out of 5]

Meet Lou. He's a fire hydrant, obviously you know that, but he thinks he's just a toilet for bathrooms. He's sure there's some larger greatness inside of him but he isn't sure what it could be. Comic timing, a joke the audience understands that the main character doesn't, hilarious illustrations, and an unlikely superhero. This book is so full of heart and humor and perfect for reading aloud.

[Darlene Ivy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lou, a fire hydrant, is down on his life. He is either ignored or he is a dog's toilet. He wants to be useful and knows there is more to him than what people see. His chance comes when he is put into action to douse a nearby fire. Brightly colored illustrations filled with humor add a lot to the story.

[Marcie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can't believe I didn't write a review of this yesterday. Hopefully I'll get to read it with the 5th graders today and may have more to say. I know this can be great with little guys, but there actually is a lot to talk about with older kids too. Toilets and pee are in, but so is finding what you are good at and empowering yourself to do it.