LOVEY LIVY LU

A little girl is puzzled by her friend’s view of the colors that make up a rainbow.

In this first installment of a picture-book series for preschoolers and early elementary students, the title character is confused by her friend Layla’s assertion that pink is not a color of the rainbow. After all, her mother has assured her that rainbows “are a range of light” and colors, so how could Layla dismiss pink from the mix? Livy Lu’s mother’s response, in rhyming text, underscores the lesson in this thoughtful tale: “Layla said what she believes is true. / Sometimes it just depends on your view.” Layla may have had in mind, the mother suggests, a drawing of a seven-color rainbow. But Livy Lu envisioned a rainbow as it appears in nature, with all the “shades in between,” including pink. Lacqua offers other child-savvy examples of differing perspectives. Livy Lu remembers seeing a green chameleon at the zoo, but its changing camouflage convinced her schoolmate that it was blue. Watching clouds go by, the protagonist sees one shaped like a mouse; it looks like a house to her mother. The author’s simple, clear message for children—be curious, open-minded, and kind about “things we thought we knew. / Because you might just see / another point of view”—is charmingly complemented by Svobodova’s illustrations, which feature a diverse cast, richly saturated colors, and downright adorable details.

A gently delivered, visually appealing introduction to the concept of differing perspectives for kids.