LOLLY AND THE 'TUDES

In this debut picture book, the temperaments of two children change, but their support system stays the same.

Opal and Arlie are two moody children. Sometimes they’re happy, so they dance outside in the sunshine and laugh. Sometimes, they’re feeling particularly silly, “and they make funny faces and belly laugh and spin circles like leaves in the whirling wind.” Like many a child, though, they aren’t always positive and upbeat, so they often cry alongside the rain pouring down outside or “scream and shout and stomp like rumbly thunder.” They can even be quiet, whispering secrets as the snow settles outside on the frozen ground. But through it all, an older woman named Lolly supports them. Lolly doesn’t care if it’s rainy, snowy, or blindingly sunny: She loves Opal and Arlie no matter the weather outside the house and inside their hearts. Like the relationships between the characters, Dobson’s engaging work is close and personal. Featuring sparse text, it could make a good gift book for grandparents of toddlers, although its unnecessary use of a shortened version of “attitudes” and its failure to explain who exactly Lolly is may not make it a universal choice. The author’s watercolors depict modest scenes, excelling in the seasonal backgrounds and soft landscapes despite falling short in portraying the white characters in an appealing manner.

An intriguing but uneven tale about love, persistence, and emotions.