“Lacqua has emerged as a fresh new voice for kids and she weaves together acceptance and understanding in a world where not everything has to be right or wrong, black or white. Sometimes, it’s pink, and other times it’s green or blue.”
—Readers’ Choice (5-star review)
Rainbows are more than pretty lights illuminating the sky after dark and stormy days. They represent hope and imagination, reflect on the countless colors and shades we see in the life around us, and no one seems to love them more than Livy Lu. In Lovey Livy Lu: A Rainbow View (Elivate) by Gia Lacqua, we follow the curious Livy as she explores not only the colors of the rainbow but also new perspectives through the eyes of her friends and loved ones.
One day, Livy’s friend Layla said something that made her think: “in all the rainbow’s colors, there is no pink!” This didn’t seem right to Livy, who knows when she looks into the sky she can see a whole spectrum of color, including pink. In the hunt for answers, she turns to the smartest person she knows — her mom!
To her surprise, Mom says that Layla isn’t wrong at all; in fact, both girls are right! She explains to Livy how in a spectrum of light all of the colors get their time to shine but on paper, there are usually only a few favorites that people choose. Relieved about this discovery, Livy knows now not to jump to conclusions if she doesn’t see things someone else’s way at first. By staying curious and using a different perspective, Livy begins to understand how she can see a whole new world around her by taking the time to pay attention to it.
This lesson, Livy realizes, is about more than just the color pink in the rainbow. It’s about the countless possibilities around us if we choose to see our world through different angles, scenarios and ways of thinking. Just like the careless shapes of clouds, or the moody thoughts of a chameleon — everything is changing constantly, and it’s up to us to keep up with it.
THINK OF ALL THE POSSIBILITIES!
The digital illustrations by Zuzana Svobodová are playful and bright, yielding to realistic textures and reflecting the message perfectly as you see a full spectrum of color and shapes on each and every page. Each page leads into the next seamlessly. And sometimes there are familiar elements hidden in the background that pop up again a couple of pages later, rewarding the attentive child.
One spread I enjoyed in particular is the perspective of a small fieldmouse looking at Livy’s doll while she’s laying in the grass with Livy and her mom. To the mouse, the doll seems every bit like a real little girl basking in the sun, watching the clouds roll by, mirroring Livy as she does the same. It’s a great example of what they are talking about: “Everyone’s view is based on what they see. It’s fun to think about all the possibilities!”
This book is the perfect read for any child learning their colors, learning about empathy and other people’s perspectives, and learning about the vast world around them. It’s the first book in an intended series of picture books called Limitless Little Leaders. According to author Gia Lacqua, the series “is designed to teach children lifelong empowerment and mindset skills that will set them up for a lifetime of happiness and success, no matter what life throws their way.” The teaching extends to lesson plans and activities that can be downloaded from the author’s website.
So often as children do we fail to notice anything beyond what our tiny bodies can do and see. Lovey Livy Lu: A Rainbow View is about having the curiosity, and taking the care, to step into someone else’s shoes for the first time to experience something new.
