Book description
Winner of the 2022 Ezra Jack Keats Illustrator Award!
From debut author-illustrator Gracey Zhang comes a timeless and timely picture book that celebrates the unassuming power of kind words.
Oh, there goes Lala! She carries a pot of water around the corner, down the block, and over the fence, to…
Why read it?
1 author picked Lala's Words as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?
This book reminds me of my neighborhood in Brooklyn, with its sweltering summer streets and “empty” lots overflowing with weeds. Of course, as Lala discovers, an empty lot is rarely actually empty.
Lala develops a deep friendship with the plants in one patch of dirt and concrete—her own urban secret garden. When her mom makes her stay inside one especially hot day (“Stop playing with weeds and leaves!” her exasperated mother cries), Lala mourns not being able to visit her beloved garden. But her care and kind words have grown something magnificent… And I adore the loose, brushy artwork in…
From Danica's list on playing in nature.
If you love Lala's Words...
The Eye of Ra
Gold Recipient, Mom's Choice Awards Honoring Excellence.
Silver Medal in Children's Adventure, 2020 International Readers' Favorite Awards.
Award-winning Finalist, Next Generation Book Awards.
1st Place in both Children's Adventure AND Grades 4th-6th, 2020 TopShelf Awards.
Grand Prize Winner, Colorado Author Project.
1st Place, Gertrude Warner Middle Grade Fiction Award.
Exploring…
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