Review Detail

The first thing that occurred to me when I read this book was how much I could relate to the protagonist, Lou. I used to be the least adventurous person in my group of friends, and I’d always have spectacular excuses for procrastinating something I was scared of doing. Things haven’t changed much, unfortunately!
Lou and her friends are solid adventurers—they do all sorts of fun things like rescuing wild animals and building impenetrable fortress. Lou herself wants to be a deep-sea diver or a race-car driver or a pirate! Ah, speaking of pirates—her friends want to take their adventure to an all new level . . . by making a tree their ship. Lou, however, has a hundred good reasons not to climb that tree. But when her excuses run out, she has no choice but to rise above her fears.
THE THING LOU COULDN’T DO is a splendid picture book that addresses childhood fears in a light and entertaining way. The illustrations are simple but charming and complement the text wonderfully. I especially loved the ending because it didn’t show Lou overcoming the challenge successfully the first time. Instead, the emphasis was on the fact that she tried and was willing to persevere.
Honestly, I’d recommend this to adults as well.