A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection A 2023 Skipping Stones Honoree A School Library Journal Best Book of 2022 Part of Niki Daly's Lolo series More fun is on the way for Lolo in Fly High, Lolo , the fourth book in Niki Daly's Lolo series for beginning readers. Lolo is kind-hearted, creative, full of joy, and— whether it’s making homemade Christmas decorations from recycled plastics, or stepping in when the school play goes awry—she always knows just what to do to save the day! In this collection of easy-to-read stories, we meet Lolo, a girl who lives in South Africa with her mother and grandmother, Gogo. Charmingly illustrated by the author, Fly High, Lolo follows Lolo as she explores her world, and the new adventures each day brings. In Fly High, Lolo , Lolo gets an unexpected role in the school play, meets Miss Teen the Beauty Queen, goes on a beach clean-up with Mama’s new friend, and makes beautiful recycled Christmas decorations. Gr 1–3—This fourth book in the "Lolo" series packs a delightful mix of ventures a young girl might typically experience. Divided into four stories, this early chapter reader begins with Lolo wanting to be the star of the school play, the eagle! Unfortunately, Lolo must learn to deal with disappointment more than once, as she also struggles with self-image issues and wanting to look like everyone else around her. It isn't until a special guest visits her Soweto school that Lolo learns beauty is about what's on the inside. Lolo's mother begins to date, and Lolo is pretty certain she won't like this new man in their life, until she meets him. The book rounds out with Lolo learning about conservation and finding new ways to recycle. Black-and-white pictures cover more than half of nearly every page, with some pages containing only illustrations. Lolo is Black, as are many of the other characters in the story. VERDICT A beautiful addition to the series, and a worthy addition to library shelves. Lolo is an inspiration and a wonderful portrayal of little girls everywhere.—Tracy Cronce "Lolo is a fun-loving, likeable character, whose experiences and dilemmas are typical of children her age. She considers the impact her actions have on others, making this a great book to promote discussion about emotions, empathy, kindness and friendship. Ideal for newly independent readers to increase their confidence, each page is illustrated with characterful black-and-white illustrations that bring the stories to life." — Book Trust (UK) "Lolo is thoughtful and caring and she is very good at considering the feelings of others. Each book would be wonderful picks for a learning setting, encouraging conversations about emotions and friendships. The books would be great for young readers 5 and upwards, who are becoming more independent at reading and would like to make the transition from picture books to chapter books. Great reads." — Mamma Filz Book Blog "Each Lolo book consists of four short stories, suitable for early readers moving onto chapter books. ..sweet, simple stories.. Punctuated by beautiful black and white drawings by the author" — Children's Books Ireland "With a simply written, graceful text and gray-scale pictures on nearly every page, these appealing stories are just right for children moving from beginning readers to chapter books." — Booklist "Bright and cheerful Lolo is the star of the show in this new chapter-book series from South Africa. [...] Young readers will find much to enjoy in this tale of a winning little girl and her family—hooray indeed!" — Kirkus Reviews "The outstanding feature of this series of books is that very few books for children of this age (say 5 to 8 years) combine a highly readable tone and a feisty young character of colour." — International Board on Books for Young People, UK "These books are part of a mini series for new solo readers starring young Lolo, a sparky young character who lives with her Mama and Gogo (gran) in South Africa... ...Sparkly stories all, with lots of gentle humour that will win Lolo lots of friends among young readers who are sure to enjoy making the acquaintance of this enormously engaging girl." — Red Reading Hub “Daly’s lessons are relatable and resonant, sowing seeds of compassion and connection between the reader and Lolo. […] The expressive black-and-white digital illustrations, which resemble classic line art à la Amelia Bedelia, lovingly depict Lolo and her community. An endearing protagonist and clear thematic messages make this first in a series a winsome pick for early readers.” — Publishers Weekly "Each chapter is a lesson about life which requires the young reader to read and reflect. It is multigenerational as well as multicultural. The book illustrates compassion and connections not only with people but with nature. [...] As an English as a second language teacher, I highly recommend this book on various levels of language, culture, and social interaction. [...] Daly h