Home > Reading Comprehension > book reviews > Dear Lola

Book Review: Dear Lola by Judie Angell

Title, Author & Publisher: Dear Lola by Judie Angell

Length: 166 pages, no illustrations

Print size: fairly small

Other readability/instructional issues -

This book is written in the first person, as she thinks and feels. There is a lot of dialogue in the story; the plot is linear (no foreshadowing), though it does begin with the main character remembering a dream. This is a great book for working on inferences and even better for analyzing social skills situations, as the conflict and tension of the plot revolve around the social behaviors in a small town. Since the last chapter is an epilogue, students could also predict what it will say.

This is a very good story for reading aloud and holds student interest well. It's also a good springboard for discussions about accepting your own and other peoples' differences, social behavior in terms of "inappropriate" or "appropriate," as well as at a more pragmatic level of what kinds of things people react to, how people can present their intentions as one thing (stopping by for a friendly "welcome") and really mean something else (trying to get information about the family).

Summary: People write letters asking "Dear Lola" for advice. When the story opens, "Lola" has recently turned 18 at the orphanage where he lives, and so he and 5 other kids leave and try to make it on their own, supported by "Lola's" steady income. Getting along proves a challenge, though, as neighbors wax curious about their "family." James is 13 and terrified of public places, Annie (the narrator) and Al-Willie are ten, Edmund is nine and somewhat impulsive, and Ben is five and swallows things when he gets anxious.

Typical words:

Typical multisyllable/irregular words - you may want to see how many of these words your students can identify before expecting them to read independently.