Lulu and the Brontasaurus Book Review

Lulu and the Brontosaurus by Judith Viorst, illustrated by Lane Smith

Lulu always gets what she wants, which is why she is rather surprised when her parents refuse to allow her to have a Brontosaurus for a pet. Never mind that dinosaurs and humans never lived together, the author is well-aware of this fact, but she doesn't care. This is her story after all. With her parents' unrelenting, Lulu sets out to get her brontosaurus. But there is one thing that Lulu never considered...perhaps the Brontosaurus wants a pet of his own, a pet that looks very much like Lulu.

This terribly adorable chapter book, illustrated by the wonderful Lane Smith is perfect for reading aloud and early readers. It is clever, cute, and has just the right amount of attitude. The authorial intrusions only add to the cuteness, but not in a way that was annoying or overly cheeky. Lulu learns a rather valuable lesson about not always getting what you want not because the thing is impossible to get (although getting a Brontosaurus would be difficult), but rather because some things we should not have. In the end, well, there are actually three endings of which you can choose from.