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Lala's Words
From debut author-illustrator Gracey Zhang comes a timeless and timely picture book that celebrates the unassuming power of kind words.
Oh, there goes Lala! She carries a pot of water around the corner, down the block, and over the fence, to a patch of dirt and concrete where tiny weeds sprout. "Hello, hello, friends!" she whispers. Lala waters the plants every day, but it is her kind words that make them sway and nod.
Lala's wild nature and quiet compassion enchant in this evergreen story about the power of kind words and the magic of being loved for who you are.
Oh, there goes Lala! She carries a pot of water around the corner, down the block, and over the fence, to a patch of dirt and concrete where tiny weeds sprout. "Hello, hello, friends!" she whispers. Lala waters the plants every day, but it is her kind words that make them sway and nod.
Lala's wild nature and quiet compassion enchant in this evergreen story about the power of kind words and the magic of being loved for who you are.
48 pages, Hardcover
First published July 6, 2021
4 people are currently reading
437 people want to read
About the author
Gracey Zhang
15 books23 followersGracey Zhang is a freelance illustrator and animator with a BFA in illustration from the Rhode Island School of Design. Born and raised in Vancouver, Canada, and educated in the United States, she is now based in New York, where she rides the train while thinking of warmer climates.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 125 reviews
June 24, 2022
It is summer in the city. The heat is making the adults short on patience. A little girl named Lala escapes to her little garden bringing water and words of encouragement. With time and patience, the whole city will see her garden grow strong and tall. Shade comes for Lala’s neighbors “like a fountain under the sun.” Lala’s words remind us of what all living things need to hear from others.
November 28, 2021
With the suspension of the Goodreads Choice 2021 Picture Book category, I was of mixed feelings; first, my family yearly rates all the nominees, but we had in recent years been less impressed with the nominees (which Rod Brown found were often published by Amazon subsidiaries). So I consulted a couple sources for likely Caldecott Award nominees, and I asked a few people to read them with me; in general they are so much better than, for instance, last year’s GR bunch. As my kids get older, they have mostly dropped out of the reading, but I still have anywhere from 2-4 readers with me this year.
# 2, Lala’s Words, is about a little girl who is a ball of energy, to the sometimes annoyance of her overworked mother, but Lala (always in yellow in her black and white urban world) adds so much joy to the world with her garden-whispering (all in green).
R (retired librarian): (5 stars). The illustrations say so much! Each page has something different to tell about--to get the reader to come to an understanding of the neighborhood. Good storyline, too. One of my 2-3 favorites.
J (poet/arts educator): (5 stars). Gorgeous, detailed, lively illustrations in grays with vibrant yellow and green adding to the life-force of both the neighborhood and the narrative. A refreshing story told equally by the images and the words about caring for--and being cared by--the natural world. One of my 2-3 favorites.
T (electrician): (4.5 stars): I really liked this one! A fun kid’s fabulous story.
Dave (teacher): (5 stars): Debut picture book by Gracey Zhang about a little girl who drives her mother crazy. But there's a quiet place in Lala that connects to plants, which she waters and talks to in her city. And the plants grow and grow. It's a hot summer, but the story turns to magical realism as the plants grow over the buildings and provide shade for them. Mom begins to appreciate what Lala can do with all her energy. I like it that the book is black and white with Lala always in her bright yellow dress, and all the green plants.
# 2, Lala’s Words, is about a little girl who is a ball of energy, to the sometimes annoyance of her overworked mother, but Lala (always in yellow in her black and white urban world) adds so much joy to the world with her garden-whispering (all in green).
R (retired librarian): (5 stars). The illustrations say so much! Each page has something different to tell about--to get the reader to come to an understanding of the neighborhood. Good storyline, too. One of my 2-3 favorites.
J (poet/arts educator): (5 stars). Gorgeous, detailed, lively illustrations in grays with vibrant yellow and green adding to the life-force of both the neighborhood and the narrative. A refreshing story told equally by the images and the words about caring for--and being cared by--the natural world. One of my 2-3 favorites.
T (electrician): (4.5 stars): I really liked this one! A fun kid’s fabulous story.
Dave (teacher): (5 stars): Debut picture book by Gracey Zhang about a little girl who drives her mother crazy. But there's a quiet place in Lala that connects to plants, which she waters and talks to in her city. And the plants grow and grow. It's a hot summer, but the story turns to magical realism as the plants grow over the buildings and provide shade for them. Mom begins to appreciate what Lala can do with all her energy. I like it that the book is black and white with Lala always in her bright yellow dress, and all the green plants.
September 23, 2021
Wonderful book about kindness in action - beautiful art.
January 27, 2022
I'm not entirely sure I even understand this story, but it makes me happy as it riffs on Clifford the Big Red Dog with Lala, the little girl full of energy and heart, subbing in for Emily Elizabeth.
(Another project! I'm reading all the picture books and graphic novels from NPR's Books We Love 2021: Kids’ Books list.)
(Another project! I'm reading all the picture books and graphic novels from NPR's Books We Love 2021: Kids’ Books list.)
November 28, 2021
The illustrations are great, but the mother's abrupt change of heart at the end doesn't satisfy me. She never apologizes for her unkind words, and even though she begins to speak in a positive way to her daughter, she never acknowledges the pain she has caused. Even though this book has a nice message about kindness and the impact of loving words, this isn't something I would choose to share with a child, since the parent says so many hurtful things throughout the story without the book offering sufficient resolution to offset the negative messages.
Someone could definitely use this book as a teaching moment to foster discussion, but there are so many better books with similar themes that I would choose something else to foster discussion or reflection about the power of kindness. I would only use this book if I was specifically trying to have a teaching moment about unkind, discouraging parents.
Someone could definitely use this book as a teaching moment to foster discussion, but there are so many better books with similar themes that I would choose something else to foster discussion or reflection about the power of kindness. I would only use this book if I was specifically trying to have a teaching moment about unkind, discouraging parents.
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June 25, 2022It is summer in the city. The heat is making the adults short on patience. A little girl named Lala escapes to her little garden bringing water and words of encouragement. With time and patience, the whole city will see her garden grow strong and tall. Shade comes for Lala’s neighbors “like a fountain under the sun.” Lala’s words remind us of what all living things need to hear from others.
*Review by Darla from Red Bridge*
*Review by Darla from Red Bridge*
July 23, 2021
Lala is a ball of energy much to the dismay of her mother. While exploring her urban neighborhood, she nurtures plants and expresses her love showing how a little kindness can make greenery grow. I loved how the illustrations were primarily in black and white featuring Lala in a yellow dress with splashes of color.
October 12, 2021
I am so impressed by the images in this story and they almost speak more than the brief words. Using only shades of green, black, and yellow, the drawings are perfectly paired with the captions. They emphasize how much energy Lala has in that way Schultz illustrated Peanuts. There is no perfection, only movement in these images.
Lala has a love and she wants to share it with her world. She is very energetic and is constantly on the move, so much that it drives her mother bonkers, especially during the heat of summer. The place Lala goes every day is to an empty lot with weeds. There she tends to the plants throughout the year and they reward her in a spectacular fashion that even her mother lets her go back to them. Lala is a girl who can't be tied down or behave and in her strong-willed fashion, she makes her mother see that this can be a positive thing.
Lala has a love and she wants to share it with her world. She is very energetic and is constantly on the move, so much that it drives her mother bonkers, especially during the heat of summer. The place Lala goes every day is to an empty lot with weeds. There she tends to the plants throughout the year and they reward her in a spectacular fashion that even her mother lets her go back to them. Lala is a girl who can't be tied down or behave and in her strong-willed fashion, she makes her mother see that this can be a positive thing.
September 11, 2021
Lala is an energetic burst of yellow on the page and in the story. The heat of summer has stilled the city and frayed mom’s nerves. Constantly in trouble for her “rough” ways— she is messy and turning a literal flip on that page— she is also in love with the garden around the corner. She spends time there watering the plants and telling the beautiful green plants encouraging words.
Then she is grounded and unable to visit the garden. She cries and cries, then whispers her encouragement and greetings from her window. This is when a bit of magic strikes. Her plants have grown into shade producing giants, as they looked for her. At this point, her mother calls her down and tells her how special she is and sets her free to play.
I love the limited color palette in the illustrations and how they are used to tell the story.
Then she is grounded and unable to visit the garden. She cries and cries, then whispers her encouragement and greetings from her window. This is when a bit of magic strikes. Her plants have grown into shade producing giants, as they looked for her. At this point, her mother calls her down and tells her how special she is and sets her free to play.
I love the limited color palette in the illustrations and how they are used to tell the story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 21, 2021
This picture book by a promising debut author/illustrator is a 3.5 for me. Using a muted palette of primarily gray shades except for touches of yellow and green that grow over the course of the story, the plot concerns Lala, a young girl with a generous heart. While her mother would have preferred that her daughter be a little more compliant and quiet, Lala loves moving and seems to leave a mess behind her. What she loves best, though, is heading outside to visit her friends--plants growing in an abandoned lot. She waters the plants every day and speaks words of encouragement to them. Readers will want to linger on some of the pages since the positive messages she delivers contrast vividly with Lala's own mother's negative comments about her daughter. Fed up with her antics and how dirty Lala is after playing outside, her mother forces her to stay inside one day. But Lala's messages of empowerment and positivity still reach those plants, and the neighborhood awakens to a surprise as greenery covers the area. Finally, Lala's mother realizes the error of her ways and the possible impact of her words and she embraces Lala, sending her outdoors with a recognition of how special she is. It's clear that one act of kindness or one kind word can make all the difference i the world, a message that many of us can benefit from hearing. The sunshine yellow pages and the rich greenery that blossoms forth as the result of Lala's tender loving care are visually appealing. I wondered about the quick change in Lala's mother's attitude, though, and how it seems as though the critical comments she directed at her daughter didn't have much effect on Lala. Words can make or break someone.
March 15, 2022
Energetic Lala seems to be getting on her mother's last nerve. (Maybe it's the heat . . . ) Luckily Lala has some friends of the green, leafy variety to talk to, and talk to them she does.
This story was sweet enough, though the sourpuss mom got on my nerves.
Enjoy 'em while you got 'em lady. They don't stay little forever, you know.
This story was sweet enough, though the sourpuss mom got on my nerves.
Enjoy 'em while you got 'em lady. They don't stay little forever, you know.
May 7, 2021
I received an ARC courtesy of Orchard Books/Scholastic in exchange for my honest review.
Absolutely lovely. I love the message of spreading kindness and the muted color palette was surprisingly engaging for my 3 year old.
Absolutely lovely. I love the message of spreading kindness and the muted color palette was surprisingly engaging for my 3 year old.
July 20, 2021
This is a sweetly magical book. Lala loves plants, and she loves best of all to visit the foliage growing in the vacant lot near her apartment. When Lala's mom forbids her from "playing the dirt and weeds" one day, how will her plants manage?
February 27, 2021
Message may be confused with Jack and the Beanstalk, and "meh" art.
ARC provided by publisher.
ARC provided by publisher.
April 18, 2024
The more times I read it, the more important it feels. The perfect companion text to Braiding Sweetgrass. The illustration style and use of color adds such a beautiful layer to the story.
March 7, 2021
Review written of an ARC from the publisher.
A promising debut book by Gracey Zhang.
Lala is a girl-on-the-go. While she may not be tidy, she is very determined to do all she can to help the plants grow in an empty lot nearby her home. She races to it to water the plants and talk to them. Regardless of what her mother said to her and in a tense tone, she talks to the plants kindly. One hot summer day, her mother loses her patience and restricts Lala to stay home. That night she bids her plants a "good night" from her window. The next day, Lala's plants offer a surprise for the whole neighborhood.
Zhang's text is spare and says exactly what she wants - with no frills. Lala is steadfast in her sunshiny disposition; she is kind and spreads her kindness everywhere - which is richly rewarded. Given the vocabulary, this would make an interesting beginning reader.
Zhang's illustrations hearken to those of Bernard Waber of Lyle, Lyle Crocodile (HMH, 1973) and The House on East 88th Street (HMH, 1973) fame. The strong black outlines are largely filled with a gray watercolor wash, with plants in shades of green, and Lila in a pop of yellow. The yellow makes it easy to spot Lala in an instant, the sunshiny yellow of happiness everywhere in her world by the end.
This title should be included in a unit about kindness.
Recommended for PreSchool-grade 2.
A promising debut book by Gracey Zhang.
Lala is a girl-on-the-go. While she may not be tidy, she is very determined to do all she can to help the plants grow in an empty lot nearby her home. She races to it to water the plants and talk to them. Regardless of what her mother said to her and in a tense tone, she talks to the plants kindly. One hot summer day, her mother loses her patience and restricts Lala to stay home. That night she bids her plants a "good night" from her window. The next day, Lala's plants offer a surprise for the whole neighborhood.
Zhang's text is spare and says exactly what she wants - with no frills. Lala is steadfast in her sunshiny disposition; she is kind and spreads her kindness everywhere - which is richly rewarded. Given the vocabulary, this would make an interesting beginning reader.
Zhang's illustrations hearken to those of Bernard Waber of Lyle, Lyle Crocodile (HMH, 1973) and The House on East 88th Street (HMH, 1973) fame. The strong black outlines are largely filled with a gray watercolor wash, with plants in shades of green, and Lila in a pop of yellow. The yellow makes it easy to spot Lala in an instant, the sunshiny yellow of happiness everywhere in her world by the end.
This title should be included in a unit about kindness.
Recommended for PreSchool-grade 2.
June 1, 2021
Beautiful picture book about how important kind words are.
January 13, 2022
Lala is a little girl who loves to be outside especially when she can't contain her energy. She loves skipping down the block of her neighborhood, an urban street of homes and shops. When Lala leaves her house, she runs to "a patch of dirt and concrete [with] short green weeds and leaves. A place of Lala's own." There she whispers sweet words to each of the plants in her garden, and she brings them water on hot days. Fed up with Lala being covered in dirt and not still and quiet, Lala's mother refuses to let her "jibber-jabber in the dirt and grass" on the hottest day of summer. Sadly, Lala watches as all the people of her neighborhood pass by her window as she whispers to her garden's plant friends. Overnight, something amazing happens, and Lala's mother realizes just how special Lala is. Beautiful black and white ink and gouache illustrations with bursts of yellow and green perfectly capture Lala's joy, kindness, and love.
THOUGHTS: Readers will enjoy this heartfelt story of kindness. Perfect for a morning meeting or a counseling lesson on using kind words, this title is sure to be a hit.
THOUGHTS: Readers will enjoy this heartfelt story of kindness. Perfect for a morning meeting or a counseling lesson on using kind words, this title is sure to be a hit.
April 5, 2025
Lala's Words is a story about a girl named Lala that talks to her friends(plants and dirt) and tells them that they are special and tells them to grow. Lala's mom gets impatient with her because she is always on the move and gets covered in dirt. One day she makes her stay in and Lala whispers to her friends, the next day the plants have grown as tall as her building. Lala's mother hugs her and tells her to go out and play and be herself. The theme of this book is about respecting and loving nature and yourself. I chose this book because of the illustrations, most of the book is in black/white except for Lala and the plants. I would recommend this book for kindergarten students.
September 17, 2021
A good reminder of the power of kind words and letting kids grow into their giftings. I also enjoyed the art. Daily life plodding along in black, gray, and white until kindness and imagination create brilliant color.
January 24, 2022
This is kind of weird and I am not automatically a fan of the heavy black line style of the illustrations, but I liked the wild ending and I was won over by the splashes of vivid green, big and small.
November 28, 2021
I really liked this one. A fun kid’s fabulous story.
August 17, 2021
Lala’s Words follows a young girl named Lala, who is a bit messy and boisterous. Lala’s mother wants her to be stiller, quieter, and calmer, but Lala can’t help running around leaving a mess behind her. Her favorite place to be is a vacant concrete lot where weeds grow. While Lala hears discouraging words from her mother, she gives her plants nothing but kind words of encouragement. One day Lala’s mother has had enough, and she keeps Lala indoors all day. Lala worries about her plant friends all day, but wakes up in the morning to find that her plants have grown large enough to shade the whole neighborhood, cooling the summer day and showing Lala’s mother the power of positive words.
I absolutely adored the illustrations in Lala’s Words. Everything has a muted grey color scheme with vibrant pops of green and yellow that become more and more prominent as the story progresses. It’s such a genius way to provide young readers with a visual contrast between kind words and unkind words.
Thank you so much to Scholastic for providing me with a review copy of Lala’s Words. I’m so grateful for the opportunity to share this wonderful book.
I absolutely adored the illustrations in Lala’s Words. Everything has a muted grey color scheme with vibrant pops of green and yellow that become more and more prominent as the story progresses. It’s such a genius way to provide young readers with a visual contrast between kind words and unkind words.
Thank you so much to Scholastic for providing me with a review copy of Lala’s Words. I’m so grateful for the opportunity to share this wonderful book.
August 11, 2021
Lala's a busy little girl, never staying still. Even in the extreme heat of summer in the city when everyone else moves slow if at all, she hurries to visit her weedy lot where she uses kind words of encouragement with her plant friends. Kind words can cause miracles!
June 24, 2021
I received an ARC from Scholastic, Inc.
Lala is full of joy and a nurturing spirit. This puts her in opposition to her mother's wish that she stay quiet and keep clean. Lala has found a quiet patch of ground near her home in the city where she takes care of plants. She waters them daily and speaks gently to them. When her mother keeps her home, she continues to whisper out her window. The plants grow tall and search for her. Her mom realizes what Lala has been doing and releases her to play.
I love the pop of yellow color that surrounds Lala in each illustration. It contrasts well with the grayed illustrations on each page. Readers will easily see where Lala is and what she is doing. They can compare it to everyone else. I'm not fond of how the mother is portrayed but it serves the author's point in promoting kindness and a nurturing spirit.
Lala is full of joy and a nurturing spirit. This puts her in opposition to her mother's wish that she stay quiet and keep clean. Lala has found a quiet patch of ground near her home in the city where she takes care of plants. She waters them daily and speaks gently to them. When her mother keeps her home, she continues to whisper out her window. The plants grow tall and search for her. Her mom realizes what Lala has been doing and releases her to play.
I love the pop of yellow color that surrounds Lala in each illustration. It contrasts well with the grayed illustrations on each page. Readers will easily see where Lala is and what she is doing. They can compare it to everyone else. I'm not fond of how the mother is portrayed but it serves the author's point in promoting kindness and a nurturing spirit.
March 24, 2021
Thank you to Scholastic for the galley in exchange for an honest review.
In this picture book, readers meet a wild, energetic girl (Lala) who bounds outside to care for her plant “friends” in her city garden. When Lala's mother is frustrated by the dirt that her excursions collect, Lala is forced to “be still and quiet” indoors. However, she still whispers out her window to her “friends” who “listened” and grew “strong and tall”. This is joyful celebration of childhood energy, resiliency & care for nature. The illustrations reflect the aura of the characters - greyscale city, green plants, and Lala in warm, dynamic yellow.
In this picture book, readers meet a wild, energetic girl (Lala) who bounds outside to care for her plant “friends” in her city garden. When Lala's mother is frustrated by the dirt that her excursions collect, Lala is forced to “be still and quiet” indoors. However, she still whispers out her window to her “friends” who “listened” and grew “strong and tall”. This is joyful celebration of childhood energy, resiliency & care for nature. The illustrations reflect the aura of the characters - greyscale city, green plants, and Lala in warm, dynamic yellow.
May 29, 2021
This one is pretty good. The colors are beautiful - gray, with accents of yellow and green. The text is well placed on the page. The pacing is good. Lala very much reminds me of my own daughter - playing rough, being dirty, and calling everyone and everything her friend. This is what my daughter's pediatrician labels as 'spirited'. So I can absolutely feel the mother's frustration through the pages, and yet Lala's kind words to the plants is also just as emotive. I felt like the mother's 180-tone-change in this one was a bit jarring. But I can't wait to see what else Gracey Zhang comes out with! The illustrations are just so wonderful. Thank you to Orchard Books for an ARC to review.
July 10, 2021
Lots to love with this one - starting with the illustrations which are amazing. Everything is black and white - except for Lala who is bright yellow and her beloved plants which are green. Lala is like a little sunbeam - spreading a bit of light wherever she goes.
I also liked the contrast between Lala's loving words to her plants and her mom's not so loving words to Lala. It takes a bit of a miracle to make mom realize that she is being a bit too harsh on Lala.
A good book to read with kids to demonstrate the importance of using kind instead of unkind words; the importance of trying to encourage people (and plants!) instead of being discouraging.
I also liked the contrast between Lala's loving words to her plants and her mom's not so loving words to Lala. It takes a bit of a miracle to make mom realize that she is being a bit too harsh on Lala.
A good book to read with kids to demonstrate the importance of using kind instead of unkind words; the importance of trying to encourage people (and plants!) instead of being discouraging.
July 22, 2021
I thought the muted colors with the yellow for Lala, green for the plants, and black and white for everything else was pretty cool. I think that was my favorite part about the book. The book is advertised as being about her kind words that make all the difference and I guess that's true but it doesn't seem to be the main aspect of the book. The book was mostly about Lala being different from everyone around her (too loud and active) and misunderstood.
I wanted to like it more than I actually did.
I wanted to like it more than I actually did.
June 18, 2021
A cute story that celebrates compassion and kindness. It also showcases that sometimes being different leads to great treasures. Lala spends time in a garden nurturing and talking to her plants that most people see only has mud and weeds. Lala found their value and it comes back ten fold showing the power of putting positivity into the world and not expecting anything in return and having it return when least expected.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 125 reviews