LULU & ZOEY

“Sometimes they fight. Sometimes they’re friends. A sister story never ends.”

Finison and Jackson take a slice-of-life approach to their portrayal of the ups and downs of almost any sibling bond. Lulu and her older sister, Zoey, have their spats (which sometimes turn into physical fights), as sisters do: They find each other’s games annoying and mess with each other’s stuff. But when there are stories to tell and mermaids to draw, they come together once again…and even share the best cookies. Rhythmic rhyming couplets imbue this story with upbeat energy, which is reflected in the dynamic, vibrantly colored single- and double-page–spread digital illustrations. The sisters’ relationship is refreshingly realistic, from power dynamics arising from their age gap to the way shared creative passions can quell conflict. Readers with siblings will surely find echoes of themselves in both characters and take comfort in the fact that the story ends happily. However much these sisters might disagree or get on each other’s nerves, they will always find room in their hearts for each other. And, just maybe, the story’s ending anticipates, for another sister. Zoey has medium brown skin, and Lulu has light brown skin; their mother is Black, and their dad is White-presenting; all female characters have natural hair. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

A simple, heartwarming ode to sisterhood.