Lala’s Words

When the city falls sleepy under the hot, hot sun at noon, everything is silent and still. But not Lala! She runs across and through streets, carrying a pot of water to her friends – tiny weeds that are sprouting out of a patch of dirt in a corner. Lala takes care of the plants every day. With water. With love. And with her words.

Lala is full of life. She also is mischievous and naughty. She runs instead of walks. She stands on her hands on the sofa. She makes a mess at home. She talks a lot! Lala reminds me of my youngest, a fellow three-year-old girl who also loves her words and never stops talking, ever! Ha!

When Lala talks to the plants, her whispers become so gentle and loving. “You are stripy and lovely,” says Lala. She loves them for just the way they look and the way they are. “You are so very special,” sighs Lala to the plants after she is lectured by her mother for “playing with weeds and leaves” all day and being “covered in dirt”. The affirmation message Lala sends to the leaves, stems, and roots might also be a message she is trying to convey to herself – you are special and precious.

The plants quietly grow in an unknown and unattended corner, a place to which no one, except for this little girl, pays attention in a busy, noisy, big city. Every day, they grow. They finally grow so big, so magnificent, that they reach up in the sky and branch all the way over to Lala’s window. Their lively green is shouting out a strong message: Lala is so very special!

The author and illustrator Gracey Zhang shows her talent for storytelling in Lala’s Words. She uses both the words and the art to tell the story, demonstrating a perfect balance and mutual support. Narratives and dialogues, one following another, invite readers to come and stay in the storyline as if they are watching a play starring Lala. Rich details in the illustrations fill the white space in the simple text, leaving readers to discover, connect, and feel the joy of the “treasure hunt”. I particularly love how Zhang gives Lala a bright, yellow colour that “pops” out of the black-and-white background. The background, painted in traditional Chinese ink painting, with only two colours yet rich layers and subtle changes, sends out a peaceful, tranquil, and serene vibe. In that vibe comes Lala, an active young child who shines in golden yellow. And not just Lala; everything in, on, and around her, is a warm and uplifting colour – like the sun, like the hug of mom.

Lala’s Words is fiction; however, it echoes and resonates so much. We can see a lot of ourselves in the story. We can see the liveliness and innocence of young children. We can see how parents discipline yet profoundly love and are proud of their child. We can see the power of love, care, and most importantly, words. And we can see the images of Lala and her mother, though not explicitly pointed out by the author, represent Asian families. That, I argue, is another strong message this book sends. I’d love to read this book with my kids and be delighted to see them spotting the resemblance between themselves and Lala, between their mother and Lala’s. I’d love to bring this book to K-12 classrooms and teacher education programs. And I’d love to see that people have access to this story in community places, such as libraries and non-profit literacy organizations.