Lou 4: The Perfect Summer

"Lou and her friends Mina, Karen, and Mary Emily go on vacation with Mary Emily's parents at a seaside village, but when Lou's former next-door neighbor Tristan shows up with his friends, it makes for some romantic complications. Meanwhile, Lou's mom has written a new fantasy novel and gone on a signing tour, which doesn't go as she thought it would. Kids who don't care for the romantic intrigue will nonetheless enjoy the comedic elements of the book tour. The endpapers provide a story recap of the Lou! series for new readers." --Booklist

"Lou is almost a teenager, but don't hold that against her. She's the star of a rare combination in comics: a critical success (winner of the Youth Award for ages 9-12 at the world-famous Angoulême Comics Festival) and a runaway pop hit, too, with appearances in various languages in comics and animated television around the world.

And it's easy to see why the whole world has fallen in love with her. She's a sparkling combination of spunky (she frequently takes care of herself when her mother is off being a famous writer...or playing video games) and self-conscious (does Tristan like her? Does she like him?). She surrounds herself with interesting people who see what an interesting person she is even when she doesn't see it herself. She designs her own clothes--with mixed but enthusiastic success. She moves easily among pushy friends, stylish friends, nerdy friends, and even her mother's friends with a conviction that people are basically good and ought to be able to get along. The comics are drawn with daring, using vibrant colors to match Lou's bursting personality, but when the mood turns introspective, the colors slip effortlessly into muted ambers. There's even a hint of manga influence, as the characters' faces take on whatever ludicrous proportions are most appropriate for their emotions-of-the-moment. Lou! deserves every bit of its international acclaim, and you might as well get on the bandwagon now." --Teacher Librarian