Ladybug Girl and Bumblebee Boy

Starred review from February 23, 2009
What's a superhero without a sidekick? Lulu, star of last year's Ladybug Girl
, meets her friend Sam at the playground, but before they can join forces, they must first agree on what to play—a sequence handled with understanding and humor. At one point, Lulu hits on the idea of using the seesaw: “She runs over and sits down on one side of the seesaw and waits. And waits. Sam just stands there, not getting on.” Ultimately, intrigued by Lulu's suggestion of a game involving superpowers, Sam becomes Bumblebee Boy, with his striped shirt and a stick for a stinger. Together they battle the Mean Robot (tire swing) that threatens to “crush the playground” (“Ladybug Girl grabs on, and jumps on top of its head! Bumblebee Boy stings it with his stinger again and again”) and attract some new heroes, too. Soman's pen-and-ink characters are remarkably emotive—this is a story that delights in children's enthusiastic imaginations. Also noteworthy is the team's pacing: there's no dead air, and all the action plays naturally. A favorite series in the making. Ages 3–5.

March 1, 2009
PreS-Gr 2-Lulu is back in this companion to Ladybug Girl (Dial, 2008). Taking on the guise of her superhero alter-ego (including a red tutu and spotted wings), she makes her own fun on the way to the playground by leaping over sidewalk cracks and counting to infinity. However, once she and her mother arrive, Ladybug Girl faces a new challenge: she wants to play with her friend Sam, but they can't agree on what to do. Lulu is frustrated at first, but then suggests playing the Ladybug Girl game. Sam, clad in yellow and black, quickly turns into Bumblebee Boy, and the two "zoom around]looking to help anyone in trouble." When two girls ask to join in, but both want to be Butterfly Girl, Ladybug Girl tactfully defuses the situation by saying, "If we're going to play together...we don't fight each other." One youngster agrees to be Dragonfly Girl and the Bug Squad flies again. Like the previous book, this offering paints a realistic picture of the daily struggles in a youngster's life. The conflict and resolution ring true, as does the dialogue. The lesson is clearly stated, but not heavy-handed. The cartoon illustrations are bright, expressive, and beautifully presented. Pair this book with one of Mini Grey's "Traction Man" titles (Knopf) for a superb superhero storytime.Rachael Vilmar, Eastern Shore Regional Library, Salisbury, MD

Copyright 2009 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2009
It's a typical day at the playground, and friends Lulu and Sam can't agree on what to do. Enter Lulu's alter ego, Ladybug Girl, who quickly converts Sam into Bumblebee Boy to share her superhero ways. Soman's lively, saturated illustrations are the book's saving grace, subtly depicting changes through expressions and postures, while the more didactic text hammers its message home.

(Copyright 2009 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)