Lulu Is A Rhinoceros

by Jason Flom, Allison Flom, Sophie Corrigan (Artist)

Everyone thinks Lulu is a bulldog, but she knows that can't be true, because Lulu is a Rhinoceros-that is what she sees staring back at her when she looks in the mirror. But sometimes, being yourself can be a difficult road to walk. And just when all hope seems lost, Lulu finds a small friend that makes a big difference in her life when she realizes that the courage to be herself has been inside of her all along...

The first picture book in its series, Lulu is Rhinoceros takes readers on an adventure through the big city to fetch and retrieve the most important possession Lulu owns-her identity!

With adorable and vibrant artwork by the inimitable illustrator Sophie Corrigan, Lulu is a Rhinoceros explores social themes addressing individuality, tolerance, and most importantly, acceptance-with laughter and excitement throughout!

***A portion of all proceeds will be donated to the African Wildlife Foundation to help protect Africa's endangered wildlife and sustain the invaluable environment they live in***

ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Jason Flom
Jason Flom is the CEO of Lava Records and Lava Music Publishing, having previously served as Chairman and CEO at Atlantic Records, Virgin Records, and Capitol Music Group. During this time in the music business, he has been personally responsible for discovering and launching all-star musical icons such as Kid Rock, Katy Perry, and Lorde, among many others.

Jason is also an active philanthropist as the founding board member of the Innocence Project, and as board member of Families Against Mandatory Minimums, The Legal Action Center, The Drug Policy Alliance, The Anti-Recidivism Coalition, the NYU Prison Education Program and VetPaw.

He is currently the host of the podcast Wrongful Conviction with 46.2k followers on Instagram (@itsjasonflom)
Allison Flom
Allison Flom is a New York City based storyteller. Her work explores themes of identity, justice, and human rights.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Animals, Dogs, Fiction, Humor, LGBT

32 pages, Hardcover

First published June 12, 2018

Reviews

[Dave Schaafsma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Each year my family reads all the Goodreads-award-nominated picture books. This is book #11 (of 20) of 2018. We liked this one a lot.

Lyra (11): 4.5 stars. I like how Lulu looks to us like a dog, but inside, he really is a rhinoceros.

Hank (12): 5 stars. Fun!

Harry (13): 4 stars. It's really funny, and I like Lulu's using a banana peel on his head for a horn.

Tara: 4 stars. Kinda fun.

Dave: 5 stars. When Harry was reading this he asked me, "Lulu is like trans, right?" Well, to be more precise, I think this book is about how you perceive yourself vs. how others perceive you. Who gets to decide who/what you are? So in that way it is a "trans book," seriously. Lulu is a rhinoceros because he sees himself as a rhinoceros. Period.

On another level, with all the (appropriately) dead serious attention to these issues today, one way (my way) of reading this book is that it maybe lightly makes fun of the whole misperception thing. I mean, Lulu is a bulldog, duh. He wears a banana peel on his nose and asks a pigeon what he is, and the pigeon says, "You're a bulldog with a banana peel on your nose." Does Lulu have a visual processing disorder (I'm joking here!)? I thought it was very funny, except for the fact that when I look in the mirror, I see Hugh Jackman! I get to think that! Take off this straightjacket and admit I am Hugh Jackman! Am I making fun of a serious subject? Is Flom?

I borrowed this link from another Goodreads reader, Elizabeth, about a woman who thinks she was born into the wrongs species, and is a cat:

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/ar...

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lulu Is a Rhinoceros is just chock full of the cutest little illustrations by Sophie Corrigan. There's a bit of humour to be found within these pages, but I wouldn't have minded a bit more -- I enjoy some silliness in my picture books.



Overall, though, Jason Flom and Allison Flom have written a fine little story about mind over matter and being true to your insides no matter what your outsides appear to be.

Thank you to NetGalley and Diamond Book Distributors for providing me with a free electronic ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Elizabeth (Elzburg) · Rating 3 out of 5]

The second I saw the cover of this book and read the synopsis I immediately thought that this was going to be a book that uses animals to create an allegory about transsexuality, as another installment in the growing genre of kid’s LGBTQA+ books. The whole "that's what she sees when she looks in the mirror" business felt really on the nose, and I feel like the authors purposefully used this wording in order to generate buzz around this book. In actuality, this felt like any other normal kids book.

You have a character who feels misunderstood by their peers, and so they go on a "journey" to find and/or prove themselves and eventually end up finding peace with who they are and/or a group who accepts them. To me, the story was told in a way that presented Lulu like any other silly character in a children's book that had a silly problem stemming from their silly misconceptions that they went on a silly journey to resolve, and this is the same way how I'd imagine any child who reads this book to also interpret it. It didn't come off as having any actual deeper meaning to me, which can be either a pro or a con depending on what you were hoping to get out of this book.

Further reason why I cannot say that this realistically has anything to do with transsexuality is the resolution. Lulu finds herself inside a rhinoceros enclosure in the zoo and is finally recognised as a rhino by the other rhinos simply because she is inside that designated enclosure. I don't see how this could have any connection to transsexuality in any way, unless the message is that if you want people to accept you you have to only hang out with specific people? More specifically, if you're a trans-woman, for example, you have to only hang out with cis-women? What? An even worse connotation being that trans-people are exhibits meant to only be observed and gawked at from afar (ala the last page with zoo-goers marveling at and taking pictures of Lulu). In no way is this book pro-trans, so in giving this book the benefit of the doubt I'll say it has nothing to do with the trans movement in any way.

If you still want to put a realistic spin on a children’s book, if anything this book is about those people who identify as another species, since that's literally what this book is about. Like that woman who reckons herself a cat, for example.

The art is cute, it combines traditional and digital media quite flawlessly and makes for an aesthetically appealing book to read. Lulu is a visually accurate depiction of a bulldog, so as long as your child is not scared by her I think they'll enjoy seeing her prance about the pages on her stilly journey.

Lulu is a Rhinoceros is cute but doesn't add anything new to the children's genre. I rated it three stars because I think it will be a decently enjoyable read for the little ones, however I couldn’t bring myself to rate it any higher because this is my GoodReads account and I myself did not find much enjoyment out of reading it (which makes sense since I'm not the target demographic).

Warning: The word “freak” is used in this book, which is a word I don’t think has any business being in a book targeted at 4-8 year olds.

*E-arc reveived from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.


Please consider giving this review a "Like" if you've made it this far, it helps me out a lot! And follow me if you want more!

[Molly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lulu apparently has quite a social media presence. I was unaware of this.

Everyone believes that Lulu is a bulldog, but Lulu knows the truth: she is a rhinoceros. No one quite believes that she is what she says, so she sets out on a quest to get something that will let everyone know she is indeed a rhinoceros: a horn.

Finally, her outside matches the way she feels on the inside, and she even gets a companion bird like a rhinoceros should have!

An adorable book with very nice illustrations.

I received access to this title via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Ash · Rating 5 out of 5]

All questions answered by my 4-year-old

Do you like this book?
Yes! I love doggies and she wasn't a rhino, but she was cute!

What's your favorite part of the book?
When she puts a banana on her head! And an ice cream cone! That's just silly, and she's not a rhino, she's a doggie!

What do you think of the cover?
It has a doggie and a rhino! And I like the letters.

Do you want me to read it again?
Yeah!

This is such a cute book! Lulu is a pug who believes with everything that she is, that she's a rhinoceros! She says even though she's soft and fluffy on the outside, on the inside she is a rhino. And she believes that if only she had a horn then everyone will see that she's a rhino! So she tries to find horn-shaped objects to put on her head, such as a traffic cone, ice cream cone, and even a banana peel!

This is a great book that teaches kids that if they believe enough, no matter what anyone else says, they can be whoever and whatever they want to be.

Lulu is a Rhinoceros had me cracking up, and saying "aw!" It had such great artwork and great writing, and like I said, it's a great story.

We received an ARC for this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Barb (Boxermommyreads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

So anyone who knows me or follows my blog will immediately know why I had to pick up "Lulu is a Rhinoceros." The cover alone sealed the deal. In this children's book, Lulu, who is clearly a bulldog, goes on a quest to find her horn. Because see in her eyes, that's all she needs to prove to everyone she is clearly a rhinoceros.

The artwork in this book is super cute and while done in muted shades, I still think any young child would be attracted to it. Plus, Lulu is super cute and in the end, there is a wonderful moral to this story. If you have young children, definitely grab this book for them. Who knows, you might even enjoy it too!

[Etienne · Rating 2 out of 5]

2,5/5. Beautiful illustrations, but a story that even if it's funny, just kind of a bit too empty/simple for my liking.

[Join the Penguin Resistance! · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review: LULU IS A RHINOCEROS by Jason Flom and Allison Flom

The perfect pick-me-up for all of us who know we are more and other than what we appear! Lulu, who appears to others to be a bulldog, is absolutely convinced she is a rhinoceros. She feels it, sees it, and lacks only her horn, so she sets out to acquire it. An inspiring tale with a wonderfully happy ending!

[Lisette · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book to a 3-year old boy while babysitting. We picked it out because of the cute cover. The illustrations are beautiful and very cute. I love dogs and know from experience small dogs often think they are the largest dog in the park. We both enjoyed and loved the funny story about Lulu who insists she really is a rhinoceros. I'd definitely recommend this to read to small children.
I received this book from NetGalley in return for an honest review.

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lulu the bulldog is convinced that she is a rhinoceros, and thinks that if she can only find her horn, the other dogs will recognize her as such. The various objects she adopts as a horn - an ice cream cone, sock, traffic cone, and banana - don't produce the desired result, however. Eventually, chasing the pigeon who steals her banana/horn, she is led into the zoo, and finds her way to the rhino enclosure, getting her wish at last...

Written by American father/daughter team Jason and Allison Flom, and illustrated by British artist Sophie Corrigan, Lulu Is a Rhinoceros is one of those books that can be read and interpreted in a variety of ways. I imagine some will see it as a metaphor for transgenderism, while others might simply perceive a small creature (much like a child) who longs to be bigger and more distinct than they are. However one reads it, the story and artwork are clearly created in a spirit of fun, and there is a sense of humor throughout. I don't know that I enjoyed this one as much as I thought I would, picking it up - my funny-bone is decidedly difficult to reach, and the artwork, although cute, isn't really to my taste - but I do think many readers will enjoy it.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a cute, silly story of a dog who thinks she is a rhino, even though the world sees her as a bull dog.

So, she sets out to get a horn, because, of course, that is all she is missing. If the world saw she had a horn, they would see she is a rhino. The picture below is of a pigeon taking off with her horn, which she says is just a banana.



Although one could read this as a tale of a transgender...trans-species dog, I think it might just be about a dog that wants to be a rhino.

Fun, fast paced, and wonderful illustrations. Kids should enjoy falling in love with Lulu and her quest to be who she feels she is.

Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a cute little children's book about Lulu the bulldog who thinks she is rhinoceros (or is Lulu the rhinoceros who looks like a bulldog?). I do like how it tries to teach about diversity and how someone could look different than the one they feel. However, I think it falls short in being an allegory for transgender persons.

[Magpie67 · Rating 5 out of 5]

First off, this book is for my Louise who is a bit chubby for an English Springer. She has a large chest and sits with her feet bowed in the front so my daughter calls her a bull dog. We also call her LouLou. This is a Christmas gift to her and her silliness. We think her imagination is awesome and her character sweet just like LuLu who thinks and feels like a Rhino. What is sad is that some of the yard dogs could not play along and had to be bullies. A great book to teach children that being different is okay and that playing roles is good for the brain. Builds character. In the end LuLu gets her just rewards. Bravo!!

[La La · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 on the blog.

This story is nearly perfect. The illustrations are charming, and the reading rhythm is smooth. It deals with being one thing physically and looking in the mirror and seeing yourself as something else and wanting to be accepted as what you see. The only nitpicky thing I have to say is I think the transition to being with the rhinos was a bit wobbly. I will be buying this book for my Someday Grandchildren's library.

I was approved for an eARC, via Netgalley, in return for an honest review.

I will be doing a post about this book and the author on my children's book blog, and I will add the link here when it is posted.

[Diane Hernandez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute, well-illustrated picture book that explains why Lulu is a Rhinoceros.

Lulu looks like a bulldog to everyone but herself. She knows deep inside that she is a rhinoceros. To fix her lack of horn, Lulu tries on a banana peel and an upside-down ice cream cone. It is only when she meets a community that accepts her perception that she feels at home in her own skin.

It is the perfect little picture book for our gender-fluid times. Lulu is a Rhinoceros would be a good way to introduce the idea that the way you look may not match how you feel. While this is labeled a middle-school reader, it seems for younger children. It is recommended for families, like mine, that include transgender members or for children who might have their own gender dysphoria issues. 4 stars!

Thanks to the publisher, Wicked Cow Books, and NetGalley for an advanced copy.

[Charlotte · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love how cute this book is! Lulu is an adorable bulldog who believes she is actually a rhinoceros! She goes to the other dogs and tells them that and they all think she is loopy. Then she tries to find a horn so everyone will believe her. She uses an ice cream cone with ice cream on it and then when that didn't work, she used a banana peel. Silly Lulu! Then a pigeon takes it away and drops it in a rhinoceros cage at the zoo. She meets a tick bird that doesn't have a rhinoceros. And I guess she lives at the zoo now? The end! I believe this can teach kids they can be whatever they want, even if other people think they are loopy. In the end, the tick bird believed Lulu was truly a rhinoceros :)

[Theediscerning · Rating 4 out of 5]

This could be seen as a diatribe on behalf of the snowflake, "hey everyone, let's change gender and be something new and call ourselves Nancy" brigade, but I don't think I'll read it that way. I'll take is as a straight-up, warming and entertainingly illustrated picture book, concerning a dog that doesn't think she's a dog. The message is writ large about being what you want to be, but even here it's circumstance and not reality that gets our heroine to the position she's in at the close of play. What we have here is a decently plotted story, too, with fun to be had from the different self-affirming measures Lulu tries on for size. Commended.

[Karen Nelson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lulu is a a Rhinoceros was an easy and fun read. I can imagine a few young children that will enjoy Lulu’s adventures. Lulu is a bulldog who sees herself as a rhino and only if she had a horn, then everyone would know it. The illustrations are adorable and the story is affirming to anyone who has felt different.

This gentle story is a great analogy for gender identity, or any other differences -- and the struggles Lulu has while insisting to dogs and pigeons that she's a rhino.

Thank you to #NetGalley for the opportunity to read and view a pre-publication ebook in exchange for an honest review.

[Gina · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was attracted to the cute picture, and was expecting a message about perseverance or how it's what's on the inside that counts. Instead, it is one of those plots of escalating chaos where things work out, which is okay, but doesn't get as many stars.

They are very cute pictures.

[Ashley Adams · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lulu is a bulldog. Well, that might be how she looks, but in her heart Lulu is a rhinoceros. This book is about finding friends who accept you for who you actually are, and not just for how you look in your skin.

[Becky Loader · Rating 4 out of 5]

*snicker* I love bull dogs. They have a great attitude toward life and other dogs. If Lulu thinks she is a rhinoceros, that is fine with me. I suspect some rhinos wish they were bulldogs. Just sayin'.....

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is so adorable and reminds me of my bulldog mix, Lucy. Great story for everyone about being who you are, regardless of the naysayers.

[Janel G. B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is funny and I love the illustrations. It was a wee bit tough to get the actual message out from my 9 year old daughter. I think the silliness might get in the way of the message?

[Skye Elder · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is adorable! 😊
Lulu is so adorable!
But why do all the other dogs and pigeons have to be so mean. Just let her think she’s a rhinoceros! 🦏
This is definitely worth 5 stars 🌟💫🌟

[A Allen · Rating 1 out of 5]

The characters are mean to Lulu. They point and laugh. They call her a freak. They continuously deny her identity. Lulu says "In my mind I have ____! But what I really have is _____." and if this book is meant to be an analogy for transgender acceptance, this idea of what Lulu "really" has is not helpful. Eventually Lulu finds herself in the rhino enclosure at the NYC zoo and is somewhat accepted as a rhinoceros after securing herself a tickbird. Trans folks shouldn't need to fit in your boxes/enclosures or secure anything to be accepted and respected.

[Em · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was adorable, but I so wanted it to be more than just a cute book. The bulldog, or rhino, was illustrated so adorably. And I do think it had a positive theme of self-confidence and being you no matter what.

[Hannah Terrell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Before jumping into my main qualm with this book, I want to add that the illustrations were adorably created, and Lulu experienced some very real problems to which some children may relate. I’m glad that the authors were willing to jump in and write about difficult things.

That being said, I held onto a hope as I read the book that Lulu would learn to love herself at the end. Body dysmorphic disorder is a real problem that many humans deal with, and seemed to be close to what Lulu was experiencing. I’m glad that Lulu found friends at the end, but I couldn’t get past the fact that she didn’t have a moment where she learned how wonderful she was, just being Lulu the adorable dog.

When the book ended, I couldn’t decide if I’d wanted it to be sillier or more serious. It walked the line of sharing a concept or lesson and being entertaining and fun for the sake of it (and there’s so much room and reason for both), and I’d just wished it would’ve leaned a little more to either end.

[Rachel · Rating 1 out of 5]

I have terrified visions of a follow up book called Lulu crushed by rhinos while living with them. I loved the images in this story. The puppy was so cute. The story I did not like. Lulu was adorable the way she was but she changed her whole life. (As to the end of the story) I think it is rather dangerous for a tiny bulldog to live in an enclosure with rhinos. She could get stepped on and squashed.

[Julie]

uh, what?

[Cat Strawberry · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a cute book and with a sweet story. Lulu is a bulldog, that’s what everybody sees, but deep inside Lulu knows she is really a rhinoceros. She doesn’t look like a rhino, and the other dogs laugh at her when she says she is a rhinoceros, but in her heart she believes she is one. The only thing she doesn’t have is her horn, but maybe if she had her horn then everyone would see what she really is.

I spotted this digital copy of the book and couldn’t take my eyes off the front cover, it’s so cute! The story follows Lulu who tries to find a suitable horn to make the other animals believe she is a rhinoceros. She tries lots of things like an ice cream cone and a sock to be her new horn but none of these is very convincing and the other animals continue to tease her. I don’t want to give away what happens at the end of the tale as it’s cute and worth reading but the story is about believing in yourself and who you are, and accepting others for who they are, even if it may seem silly.

The illustrations are so sweet, I fell in love with Lulu right away. The pictures are quite simply drawn and yet all the animals especially Lulu herself look very realistic and it’s amazing how cute the illustrator has made this British bulldog look. I haven’t got any internal photos of the book to show in this review as I’ve read the digital copy of this but every page is filled with colourful illustrations like the one on the front cover. The whole book is told through both Lulu’s speech at the beginning to us and then speech bubbles of different animals talking.

The story’s end is a little abrupt and I did think it could have done with an extra page but this ending was also perfect for Lulu’s story and a very heartwarming one that made me smile. It’s only after reading the book that I did a bit of research into the authors and found that Jason Flom is well known on Instagram, sharing regular posts of Lulu who is every bit as cute as her fictional version.

I do hope there will be more books of Lulu in the future, I still love the images of this dog so much that I keep looking back at this picture book over and over, just for the illustrations. It’s a good book and with a great message and the fact that a portion of the sale of each book goes to the African Wildlife Foundation which helps protect animals like the endangered rhinoceros, makes this all the more worth getting.
-Thanks to NetGalley, Edelweiss and the publisher for a free copy