#1099 – Lucy Loves Sherman by Catherine Bailey and Meg Walters

Lucy Loves Sherman
Written by Catherine Bailey
Illustrated by Meg Walters
Sky Pony Press 3/21/2017
978-1-63450-705-9
32 pages Ages 4—8

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“GIRL MEETS LOBSTER.
GIRLS loves LOBSTER. BUT CAN
GIRL SAVE LOBSTER?

“That’s the question at the center of this sweet and smart picture book about Lucy, her shell-y friend Sherman, and the seafood-loving town they inhabit.

“Lucy loves Sherman from the moment they meet at Flotsam’s Fish Market. Oh sure, he’s an eighteen-pound, eighty-year-old crustacean, but he’s also polka dotted. And blurble-y. And he smells like the ocean! Unfortunately, Nana is not hooked on the idea of a pet lobster.

“Things only get worse when Lucy meets Chef Pierre and discovers that Sherman’s fate is on a plate! She must rescue Sherman., even if it means getting into hot water with all the grownups. So Lucy takes action But will the efforts of one little girl be enough to save Sherman from the bib and butter?” [INSIDE JACKET]

Review
[WC 392]
While out shopping with her Nana, Lucy saw an interesting crustacean, wearing polka dots, just like her. Sherman waved and Lucy waved back. He said hello. Lucy said Hi. Then she asked her Nana if she could take Sherman home with them. Nana said no, for some very good reasons.

“He’s too dangerous.”
“It’s too big.”

“But I love him,” said Lucy.

It didn’t sway Nana, but Lucy kept on trying. She gave Nana every good argument she good think of.

“No shedding!”
“No barking! “

And she kept on trying.

“I’ll feed him.”
“He does tricks!”

And finally, “Pretty please?”

For Lucy—and even more for Sherman—things got worse after Nana said no. Lucy learned the horrible truth—lobster was the day’s special at Pierre’s Fancy Dining. She confronted the chef, who was less convinced than Nana. Lucy had only one option left: she had to save Sherman herself. Back to Flotsam’s she went. Flotsam immediately stopped her every move. He was good. But Lucy, Lucy was better. Soon Sherman was on the front page of the local newspaper. People picketed Flotsam’s Fish Market. Sherman became somewhat of a local star. Now Flotsam was stuck behind a rock and an eight-pound, eighty-year-old lobster.
Meg Walters’ Sherman is an engaging, though quiet, creature with amazingly expressive facial features. Thanks to Lucy’s responses, kids will instantly recognize the couple of words Sherman speaks. This perfectly planned spread immediately gives a friendship between Lucy and Sherman believability and helps readers care about Sherman’s fate.
How did Lucy save Sherman? She did something so old-fashioned, so un-twenty-first century it will amaze you. But it worked. Lucy does more than save Sherman; she proves you can accomplish most anything if you believe enough and work hard—for your new best friend. Lucy did and soon Sherman had a new home. This feel good story will encourage children to keep at whatever it is they love. It may also convince children never to eat lobster for fear of it being Sherman. Not that parents would ever let them eat an eighty-pound lobster. Lucy will thank them for that.

Lucy Loves Sherman is a wonderful about the power of friendship. The ending is powerful and poignant.

Back matter includes information about crustaceans in a format teachers will love.

Pre-Order at Amazon—Indie Books—Sky Pony Press

Add LUCY LOVES SHERMAN to Your Goodreads Shelf HERE.
Read How the Cover was Designed Here. (Tara Lazar’s Awesome Website)

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Reprinted with permission from LUCY LOVES SHERMAN © 2017 by Catherine Bailey, Sky Pony Press, an imprint of Skyhorse Publishing. Illustrations © 2017 by Meg Walters.

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Copyright © 2017 by Sue Morris/Kid Lit Reviews. All Rights Reserved

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Lucy Loves Sherman
Written by Catherine Bailey
Illustrated by Meg Walters
Sky Pony Press 3/21/2017
9781634507059