Lottie & Walter, written by Anna Walker, reviewed by Klaudia Janek

Student Reviewer: Theo C.
Summary: Lottie and Walter by Anna Walker is a very interesting children's book. It is a good choice for younger readers. The book follows a girl named Lottie who is afraid of the water.She has a reason for not wanting to go into the water which is a secret from other people. It is explained in the beginning why she is afraid. She finds a friend named Walter who helps her feel comfortable and helps her get through whatever scares her throughout the week leading up to a pool party. There is an exciting twist to the secret that Lottie carries with her throughout the book.

Straight Talk for Librarians: This would be a perfect book when teaching kids about overcoming fears and maybe teaching about water safety. The book is upbeat and humorous which would be good for a simple conversation. The book’s characters are relatable and simple, leaving room for additional conversation starters but not leaving gaps in the story. The colors and art and simple and soft; there are so harsh details aside from one page with the shark which Lottie is afraid of. There are many blue tones which are used and give off a relatively relaxed feeling along with matching the theme of the book. It looks like the illustrator used watercolor. There is some anxiousness from Lottie’s side but there is nothing that would invoke fear in those who read it. The language which is used is easy to read and follow for both the child and adult reading it. The reference to a secret in the beginning and the end are cute. Walter likes to sing and his song will probably make young readers giggle - “humbelly doo, lumbelly la, loopy loo!” The story overall is adorable and would be good to read casually with a child or to be used to start a talk about fears. The fear of water is common with children and having a conversation about it early would be a good way to talk to them about what it means to have courage.