Lola Flies Alone

Volume XXX / Issue 39 - June 14 / 2024
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Lola Flies Alone

Author: 
Bill Richardson
Illustrated by: 
Bill Pechet
Tors Cove, NL: Running the Goat, 2022
56 pp., hardcover, $22.99
ISBN: 
9781927917831
Grades: 
Grades 1-3
Ages: 
Ages 6-8
Review by: 
Stephanie Johnson
3
Excerpt: 

The day had dawned when, for the very first time, Lola would fly alone. It was a Special Occasion.

Special Occasions require Special Outfits. Lola considered carefully. She chose her lime-coloured mermaid leggings…her ballerina tutu…and her red velvet cape to which were attached peach-coloured fairy wings.

…Lola was the first passenger to board the plane. Arshbir was waiting for her. Arshbir was the flight attendant.

…‘Have you flown alone before?”

“It is my first time.”

“Don’t worry. It’s easy. And anyway, you look like you’re ready for anything.”

Lola said, “Indeed I am.”

… “Travel is tiring,” said Lola to herself, as Arshbir walked away. “Perhaps I’ll treat myself to the shortest visit to Napland.”

But hardly had she closed her eyes, when she heard Arshbir make an announcement on the loud speaker.

“Excuse me, is there a mermaid on board? We have an emergency only a mermaid can handle. If you’re a mermaid, please press the call button.”

Lola seized her wand and pressed.

Because Lola has her mermaid leggings on, she is qualified to deal with this mermaid situation and calmly helps the flight attendant. After Lola deals with the mermaid emergency, there follows a series of emergencies that can only be handled by a ballerina, a fairy and a unicorn, all of which Lola is qualified for because of her Special Outfit. Pretty soon the flight lands, and we realize that Lola has been in Napland the entire time, capably handling dream situation after situation because she is “ready for anything”, including her first flight alone.

The illustrations of Lola Flies Alone are a major highlight as they’re unique with the line drawings and loosely filled in colours. Some pages are pastels and white with focus on the line details, and some pages have deeper colouring to focus on the main topic of the page. There are multiple double page spreads, including the end papers, and these are fun to look at as you search out the details in the art. The text is quite wordy, and, because there are a lot more pages than a typical picture book, this book would suit slightly older children who can pay attention longer. There is a lot of repetition in the text, like the listing of Lola’s outfits and the repeated dream situations, and so perhaps that would make it more accessible to younger readers. The story has cute moments, such as dealing with rowdy mermaids and a fairy who eats too many egg salad sandwiches, but the simple story might not pair well with the lengthy text and older readers.

Lola Flies Alone is worth a read for the fun illustrations and the silly scenarios in which Lola finds herself.

Recommended
Reviewer: 

Stephanie Johnson is a graduate of the University of Alberta School of Library and Information Studies and is the Director of Devon Public Library in Devon, Alberta.