Lulu and the Brontosaurus

Lulu and the Brontosaurus

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3.9 of 5 stars 3.90  ·  rating details  ·  904 ratings  ·  277 reviews
Judith Viorst and Lane Smith team up to create an irresistibly fresh and funny story with an ending that will surprise you again and again and again.
Hardcover, 128 pages
Published September 14th 2010 by Atheneum Books for Young Readers
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Shahriary's Class
Lulu is a big pain. On the day before her birthday (after her parents have repeatedly told her no), Lulu goes in search of brontosaurus for a pet. And it just so happens that the brontosaurus is also looking for a pet.

"I liked Lulu and the Brontosaurus because it's funny. She acts so immature at the beginning, but changes by the end. I liked her songs, but beware they are VERY ANNOYING and unique." -Amanda

"I like the book because it has alternate endings." -Alexa

"I like the songs that Lulu sing...more
Nina
There needs to be more books like Lulu and the Brontosaurus in this world. It was such a gem.

My son's third grade teacher read it aloud in school and my son borrowed it from his school library and brought it home. He told me I must read this to his 1st grade sister since he said she will love it. That's never happened before, so I got right to it. The book is about bratty Lulu who wants a brontosaurus for her birthday. Lulu is just about as bratty as his sister, which we pointed out to her. Lulu...more
Holly Heuglin
"Lulu and the Brontosaurus," by Judith Viorst is a quirky little story about a young girl, Lulu. Lulu is awful. She is a terribly behaved child. She always whines, and she gets everything she wants. Unfortunately for her, Lulu finally wants something she cannot have---a pet brontosaurus. Her parents tell her that it is not possible for her to find a brontosaurus. They are not alive anymore, but Lulu searches through several animals until she finally finds her brontosaurus. After getting to know...more
Mrs. Wynn
Judith Viorst, author of the picture book Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, has written a wonderful chapter book for young readers. Lulu is the spoiled only child of parents who can't say no to her every request. When Lulu tells them she wants a brontosaurus for her birthday, however, they finally DO say no...and Lulu screeches until the light bulbs burst, throws herself on the floor, kicking her heels and waving her arms. After several days of asking, hearing "no," an...more
Nadine
My 6 year old daughter happily devoured this book last night (after reading two other books yesterday! I need to find her longer books!!!), and she pronounced Lulu to be the very BEST. Lulu is a spoiled brat who wants what she wants and throws a tantrum til she gets it - my dislike of the spoiled only child stereotype ASIDE (*I* was an only child, thank you very much, and NOT a spoiled brat) - I have to love this quirky book, because my daughter loved it so much. This looks perfect for the reade...more
Cameron Crane

The Story: Lulu is a girl, in fact, she is the birthday girl. But more than that, Lulu is a pain. She screams and kicks and fights to get her way, and the worst part about it is that she usually does. But this year, when Lulu asks her parents for a pet Brontosaurus, things don’t go so well, and she is forced to take matters into her own hands. She sets out on an adventure to find her Brontosaurus, meeting all sorts of creatures along the way, and being-well- a pain. But when Lulu finally meets M...more
Robin
This was quite a fun read and very engaging. I recommend it for most early readers and appreciate the 1st person commentary and song, especially when Junebug and I are narrating. We also enjoyed the confidence and strength of Lulu as well as her evolution and positive growth.

However, Junebug and I read with kids in special situations, and we don't always know where they are coming from, their backgrounds, and guidance they might receive if they have questions about something they experience. The...more
Victoria Whipple
Lulu is a pain. She's just a complete spoiled brat. Unlike Viorst's Alexander character, who is lovable even when he's horrible just because he's so real, Lulu is not a character one becomes attached to. When her parents won't get her a dinosaur for her birthday, Lulu sets out to find one to bring home. Once she does find one, he claims her as his pet. Where neither can "own" the other, they decide to work out an agreement where they will see each other a few times a year to continue their frien...more
Angie
Lulu gets what she wants and want she wants for her birthday is a pet brontosaurus. But her parents don't want to get her a brontosaurus for her birthday! So Lulu throws a FIT (yes fit with a capital F). When the FIT doesn't work Lulu decides to find her own brontosaurus. She packs a bag and heads out into the woods. Nothing scares Lulu; in fact, after meeting her many things are scared of Lulu. She squeezes a snake, hits a tiger with her suitcase and stomps a bear's foot. Then she finds her bro...more
Leslie
Do you know an early reader who is a spoiled? A reader, who, like Lulu, is a pain? Not “a pain in the elbow” or “a pain the knee,” but “a pain–a very big pain–in the butt” (3)? Maybe said person isn’t a reader but would be willing to sit down and enjoy a nice story by Judith Viorst and illustrations by Lane Smith? Of course you do not know any such small person. Good thing Lulu and the Brontosaurus isn’t only for them.

< synopsis >

What I had to appreciate about Lulu is that when she doesn’...more
Hope
I thought this book was very funny and young readers would be able to read it and comprehend the text because it easy to relate to as well very funny! Once children surpass easy readers and picture books I think this would be a cute next step book to have in a classroom, it could also be used as a read aloud to introduce students to chapter book in early grades.

All LuLu wants for her birthday from her parents for her birthday is a pet Brontosaurus of course Lulu's parents tell her absolutely no...more
Karen
I am jointly reviewing this book with my 11 year old daughter Isabelle. We got it both in hardcover form and on audio CD. The book itself was very attractive with black, off-white, and green illustrations. Some of them span two pages, allowing the reader a little break from the actual words as the images take over to forward the story. For some inexplicable reason, the pictures reminded me of the Beetlejuice movie with Michael Keaton (!). The drawings are soothing, not a distraction at all to th...more
Chris
There once was a girl named Lulu, and she was a pain. She wasn't a pain in the elbow. She wasn't a pain in the knee. She was a pain--a very big pain--in the
b u t t .


Thus starts Viorst's witty tale of a spoiled rotten youngster who always gets what she wants. When her parents actually refuse to get her a brontosaurus for her birthday and for the first time ever screaming, crying, and whining for weeks on end doesn't break them, she decides to go find one for herself.

And they let her go! Partly be...more
Sweet on Books
Lulu is a little terror of a preschooler who wants a brontosaurus for her birthday. NOW. And Lulu's parents are at a loss, what with Lulu's screeching tantrums "till the lightbulb's burst," they just don't know what to do. But they put their collective foot down at the idea of a brontosaurus. Lulu storms off into the forest to get one herself, and the adventure begins. While Lulu searches for her dinosaur, encountering all manner of dangers, her parents take a breather from their little hellion,...more
Danelle
Lulu wants a brontosaurus for her birthday. Lulu is a pain. She screeches and throws tantrums. When her parents tell her that she cannot have a brontosaurus for her birthday, she sets off into the forest to get one for herself. The tables are turned on this naughty girl when the she actually finds a brontosaurus and instead of him becoming her pet, he wants to keep Lulu as his pet. Lulu and the brontosaurus work out a compromise when they realize they can't own each other. The ending (all 3 of t...more
Rachel
I was recommended this book by a fellow librarian and since it was written by the author of "Alexander and Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day", illustrator Lane Smith and a dinosaur, I decided to give it a try. Lulu is a very spoiled only child who always gets what she wants, that is until she decides for her birthday one year that she wants a brontosaurus for a pet. Her parents won't give her one and she throws tantrums until they ignore her and she goes out on her own to find one. The r...more
Anastasia Tuckness
Lulu gets everything she wants from her parents. If they dare to say no to her, she screams until the lightbulbs break and they eventually give in. Until the day she asks for a brontosaurus. To this request, her parents' answer is a persistent "no." After screaming to no avail, Lulu sets out to get her own brontosaurus.

Traveling through the forest, she meets a variety of creatures and subdues them all--snake, bear, tiger. She is one brave girl! Once she finally meets the brontosaurus, he decides...more
Supergrrls
Lulu and the brontosaurus gives me the giggles,it has been giving me the giggles since I was 6 and now I am 10. Lulu is a spoiled girl and is a cry baby. One day before her birthday she decided that she wanted a brontosaurus,that was a big step for her parents to be asked that so the most responsible thing to do tell Lulu NO. Lulu really hated the word no,so to show how much she hated it she SCREECHED and SCREECHED and SCREECHED till all the light bulbs in the living room burst.Lulu screeched fo...more
Jennifer
Lulu and the Brontosaurus: Lulu’s parents never say no. But when she announces she wants a Brontosaurus for her birthday, Lulu’s parents finally have to put their foot down. Lulu won’t take no for an answer, so she heads off into the forest to get her own Brontosaurus, but the dinosaur has other plans. Of course, there’s a lesson hidden in here for “sweet” Lulu.

As a parent reading these chapter books to my son, it’s easy to get bored. Judith Viorst has a wonderfully dry sense of humor that left...more
M.
I really liked this book. Although I don't think anything will top Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day for expressing a child's feelings (picture book by the same author), this one might come close. It's presented in big print and bigger print with lots of very good pictures for the child who is just beginning chapter books. Late 2nd grade or early 3rd.

Lulu is a spoiled brat of a child who throws prolonged temper tantrums whenever things don't go her way. This works to h...more
Natalie Pietro
What a clever little story. From the author of Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day comes this delightful story of a young spoiled little girl, who's lets say is a pain in the butt. She longs for a Brontosaurus as a pet but she is surprisingly shocked when she learns the tables have turned and she becomes the dinosaurs little pet instead. The author takes on a slight similarity to the series of unfortunate events by stopping ever so often to speak to the reader and even ch...more
Jamie
Cute story with great illustrations. Lulu usually gets what she wants and if she doesn't, has a FIT. When Lulu wants a brontosaurus for her birthday and her parents are unwilling to get it for her (the first time this has ever happened), Lulu runs away to the forest to get one herself. In the forest, she meets some scary animals which she deals with in her angry, "how dare you mess with me" way, until she finally meets up with a brontosaurus and things begin to change for Lulu.

I liked this book...more
Vernon Area Public Library
Nominated for the 2013 Monarch Award.

With a catchy little song "I'm gonna, I'm gonna, I'm gonna gonna get, a bronto-bronto-bronto-brontosaurus for a pet!) you know from the start that Lulu has a big dream. Usually, her parents give her everything...all the toys, candy and TV time she wants. All she has to do is screech and throw a tantrum and her parents say "well, just this once" and give in. Until on day, Lulu states that what she REALLY wants is a brontosaurus for her birthday. Unbelievably,...more
Miss Pippi the Librarian
Readers usually decide to read the book first, listen to the book first or read and listen to the book at the same time. For most audio selections, I listen to the book first and if I feel the need, pick up the hardcover later. Concerning Lulu and the Brontosaurus, I read the book first. The book's shape is unique (between the size a novel and an easy reader). The illustrations and typography added so much to the story. I would highly recommend reading the story. After reading the book, I spotte...more
Jessthelawnmower
Oh, wow! I read this book earlier this year, and yes it only had 13 1/2 chapters, with the last chapter x3, it was short. But still, I can't believe I haven't marked this as read! I have recommended it to many of my friends, done a library project on it, and reread it a few times.

Okay. So. Lulu wants a dinosaur (more specifically, a brontosaurus) for her birthday, and she usually gets what she wants. But "surprisingly," her parents say, "No." Lulu runs away in search of her dinosaurus (a word I...more
Nely
Lulu wants nothing other than a pet brontosaurus for her birthday. When her parents tell her that she won't be getting one. She gets very upset. She throws a fit, screams, yells, pounds the ground - does anything and everything for her parents to relent and get her her pet brontosaurus. But her parents are having none of it. They refuse to get her what she wants. Well Lulu is having none of that. She feels that if her parents won't bring her a pet brontosaurus then she'll just have to get her ow...more
Tom Franklin
Lulu is a small child who screams and throws tantrums to get whatever she wants. When she wants a Brontosaurus as a pet for her birthday, her parents finally say, "No." Deciding to show them, Lulu goes into the nearby forest and finds a Brontosaurus... who then chooses to make a pet out of her.

What could have been a charming book turns out to be something of a muddled mess. The first few parenthetical comments by Viorst were amusing, but she overused them. Then, just as the story is wrapping up,...more
Katie Bruce
I will be the first to admit that I immediately had to read this book because of the cover. Lane Smith! You pretty much can't go wrong there. In fact, his illustrations were fabulous, and by far my favorite part of this book.

The story itself, about a spoiled girl who wants a pet brontosaurus for her birthday and when her parents say no goes out into the forest to get one herself, had a didactic "folk/fairy tale" feel to it. It wasn't astounding, but the predictability could be good for beginning...more
Amalia
I have to state that I did not love this book when I first began reading. Yet, in the course of one sitting, Ms. Viorst's incredible skill and the book's artful design and illustrations won me over. Lulu is a very poorly behaved young girl who rules her parents. She wants a brontosaurus for a pet (yes, the author acknowledges in one of many asides to the reader that they are now called apatasaurus). Since her parents say no, Lulu leaves home in search of her pet. During the course of her journey...more
Carmine
Oct 12, 2010 Carmine rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: 2-5th graders or read aloud
Shelves: juvenile-fiction
Lulu, a spoiled child in the grain of Dahl's Veruca Salt, wants a pet brontosaurus (yes, the nonexistence of brontosauri are addressed in a forward but none of that matters and this is fiction so she could want a two-headed dragon if she wanted.) When her raging tantrum failed to exact the usual response from her parents, she packs her suitcase and hits the forest to bag her own brontosaurus.
What redeems Lulu is her pluck. she is so terrible it is hard not to have a little affection for her and...more
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Lulu and the Brontosaurus (Paperback)
Lulu and the Brontosaurus. Judith Viorst (Paperback)
Lulu and the Brontosaurus (Audiobook)
Lulu and the Brontosaurus (Hardcover)
Lulu and the Brontosaurus (Kindle Edition)

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Judith Viorst is the author of several works of fiction and non-fiction for children as well as adults. Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, her most famous children's book, was first published in 1972 and has since sold over two million copies. Ms. Viorst received a B.A. in History from Rutgers University, and she is also a graduate of the Washington Psychoanalytic Institu...more
More about Judith Viorst...
Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day Alexander, Who Used to Be Rich Last Sunday Necessary Losses: The Loves Illusions Dependencies and Impossible Expectations That All of us Have Alexander, Who's Not (Do You Hear Me? I Mean It!) Going to Move The Tenth Good Thing About Barney

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