Ladybug Girl at the Beach

One of the great joys of my life - aside from installing a new clutch in my car - is reading to my daughter, now age 3+. There is just nothing better in the world than getting dedicated reading time just before bed, where we can experience together a book or two. Or four. Always on the lookout for something smart, charming, and - hopefully - instructive, I ran across Ladybug Girl. I know this particular book is one of a series, but this is where I landed first. This book strikes me as charming and well written, containing a timely and meaningful lesson for a girl of my daughter's age: Confronting something scary for the first time. I have seen how my little one learns from others: children at the playground, older classmates at school, even mommy and daddy, still, at her tender age. So I thought this was really good, to show her and be able to talk about Ladybug Girl's experience. The story has Lulu (aka Ladybug Girl) arriving at the beach for the first time, with an enthusiastic - if somewhat unrealistic - idea of splashing and playing in the waves. Until she stands before the loudly crashing surf that all of a sudden seems scarier than she imagined. Saving face, she finds other things to do, avoiding rather than confronting the danger. Ultimately, she is forced to confront the waves when they threaten to wash her play beach bucket into the ocean. Ladybug Girl to the rescue! Her alter ego, Ladybug Girl, isn't afraid of anything. Lulu is thus able to confront her fears and enjoy playing near the waves just as she imagined. The story is deftly told with a light touch. The message gets through without the need for me to say anything, really. My daughter spontaneously asked all the right questions after the story: Why was she afraid? Who is Ladybug Girl? Why was she able to be brave? Other than sparking a rewarding interaction between daddy and daughter, there is something here for me as well. I appreciate the subtle ironies not just in the words, but also in the illustrations: Witness Ladybug Girl seizing her bucket from the clutches of the surf, clearly in the foreground, resplendent with triumph, confidence. But there in the background, subtly but distinctly present, is mother whose watchful and protective gaze has been - apparently - there all along. I caught this and I know my daughter did, too. The message as I see it: a little girl's journey into experience where she can meet challenges and overcome obstacles... in a safe and supportive environment. Personally, I also appreciate the soft but distinct humor of role portrayals. Specifically, I refer to the father here, half obscured by a day's beach gear as he trudges after his family down to the shore. More subtlety and an example of how seamlessly the illustration supports the story: When initially confronted with the waves, they are - and this reflects the little girl's perspective - clearly much larger than she, looming over head and crashing down. As the story progresses, the size of the waves relative to Lulu (Ladybug Girl!) grow smaller and smaller. Or, maybe that's just the tide going out... So, I find the story simple and charming, with a sound lesson that is softly but effectively delivered. The illustrations are likewise charming and pair seamlessly with the narrative. Taken separately, the illustrations are attractively done in watercolour. If other books in this series are comparable, we're sure to be reading more of Ladybug Girl's adventures at bedtime. Highly recommended.

"Ladybug girl can do anything!" I bought this book for my 2.5 year old daughter and gave it to her as a gift on a recent beach vacation. She simply adores it (although she is on the young side for it). The illustrations are very sweet and capture a day at the beach just perfectly. The story is beautifully told and fun to read (so many ice cream flavors to choose from!). I even think it has inspired my little one to become more brave. I highly recommend this book, a sweet story with a good message and likeable characters (Lulu and her dog Bingo). I look forward to more books in this series, this was our first.

I bought this book for a 4 year old, and Ladybug Girl is one of her favourite series. She requests to read it almost every day. This book highlights the importance of imagination, courage, and learning to entertain yourself. I recommend it to anyone with little kids in their life.

Bought this book for my daughter she loved the first book. This is super cute and I highly recommend for everyone looking for a cute summer themed book to read to or with your little ones. Super easy to read for adults and kids.

Cute series of books. 3yo neice's favorite. Shipped very quickly.