Lulu and the Brontosaurus
Author: Judith Viorst
Illustrator: Lane Smith
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Summary: Lulu, a spoiled, sassy girl, requests a brontosaurus for a birthday gift. When
her parents say no, a phrase Lulu rarely hears, she embarks to find a brontosaurus on her
own. On her way to find the brontosaurus, Lulu encounters three animals and fights them
off in a very rude way. When Lulu finally finds the brontosaurus, he wants to make Lulu
his pet. Through this experience Lulu learns manners and respect. There are then a few
alternate endings. In one ending, Lulu invites the brontosaurus home to have cake with
her on her birthday.
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Awards Received:
o Junior Library Guild Selection
o NCTE Notable Children's Books in the Language Arts
o Notable Children's Trade Book Language (AR)
o Children's Book Committee Bank Street College of Education Best Children's
Books of the Year 2011, Humor, ages 5-9
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Review: From Kid Lit Frenzy: “Judith Viorst, well known for her book Alexander and
the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day (among others), teams up with illustrator
Lane Smith (most known for his collaborations with David Scieszka) in creating this
early/first chapter book that children will love. Viorst has an interesting way of
interjecting herself into the story right from the beginning. She acknowledges that
dinosaurs and people didn't live at the same time, but since this is her book she is going to
do what she wants. And she has created a very vivid character in Lulu. Viorst also
shares with the reader that Lulu is a pain, but not a pain in the elbow or the knee but a
very big pain in the butt. It is with this information that the reader begins to get to know
Lulu and the story. So what happens to a stubborn, bratty little girl who wants a
brontosaurus for her birthday? This is where the fun begins. Lulu goes on a hunt for a
brontosaurus and she discovers something more than she expected. The brontosaurus is a
perfect match for our small friend and as a result Lulu has a lot to learn. However, the
story just doesn't end as readers might come to expect. Actually, Viorst provides three
ends for her story. Readers can choose the one they most prefer. When I heard this book
talked at a teacher workshop, I knew I had to have a closer look. The book is long
enough to provide a challenge to early readers who are embarking on chapter books, but
short enough that it can be read as a read aloud in one session. The story provides the
basis for a great discussion about Lulu's behavior and also what happens when she
encounters the Brontosaurus. Rather than just reading the three endings, an adult can
challenge children to predict their own endings and then compare their predictions with
the ones in the book. This is a fun early chapter book that is very well done and will be
engaging to a wide range of children.” –Alyson Beecher
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Author Information, Viorst: http://authors.simonandschuster.com/Judith-Viorst/707395
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Illustrator Information, Smith:
http://www.lanesmithbooks.com/LaneSmithBooks/Lane_Smith_Books.html
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Discussion Questions:
o Pre-reading questions:
 What is one gift you have always wanted?
 How do you react when you don’t get something that you want?
 Have your parents ever told you that you couldn’t have something or do
something that you wanted? What did you want or want to do? What did
your parents say?
o Questions to ask while reading:
 How does Lulu react when her parents say no?
 What would you tell Lulu if she asked you for something you couldn’t get
her?
 What would you do if you came in contact with a bear, a snake, or a tiger?
 What would you pack in your bag if you were going on a long adventure?
 What would you do if a dinosaur wanted to make you his pet?
o Post-reading questions:
 Did Lulu learn a lesson? If she did, what was it?
 What ending was your favorite and why?
 What are some things you liked about Lulu? What are some things you
did not like about her?
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Curricular Activities:
o Reading/Oral Language: Have students read chapters from the book aloud,
using expression.
o Writing: Give students the writing prompt “If I could ask for one thing, anything
in the world, what would I ask for and why?” Or, “If I were to ask my parents for
a brontosaurus, how would they react?”
o Science: Research the brontosaurus. Why isn’t it called a brontosaurus anymore?
Discover some characteristics that would make a brontosaurus a good pet and
some that would make it a bad pet.
o Social Studies:
 Talk about manners and what it means to be respectful to animals and to
parents.
 Help students come up with a set of manners for the classroom, the school
or the community.
 Practice using manners and being respectful to others
o Art: Have students imagine what kind of pet they would want and draw it.
o Drama: Give students the opportunity to act the way Lulu acts for most of the
book. Then have them act like Lulu acts at the end. Ask which way is nicer and
which way they would like people to act toward them.
o Cooking Food:
 Make Lulu’s favorite snack, a pickle sandwich.
 Try different kinds of pickles
o Music: Lulu sings a song about finding a brontosaurus. Sing the words to the
song while making music using tambourines, rhythm sticks, and bells. Lulu sings
the song loud, so try singing loud and singing soft. Students can sing the song
placing different emphasis on each word. There is no wrong way to sing the
song.
o Physical Education: Set up an obstacle course of all the things Lulu encounters
on her adventure. Make an obstacle for each animal she meets. Have the students
help in the creation of the course.
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Related Books:
o That Cat Can’t Stay by Thad Krasnesky
o Bink and Gollie by Kate DiCamillo
o Lousy Rotten Stinkin’ Grapes by Margie Palatini
o Clever Jack Takes the Cake by Candace Fleming
o The Birthday Fish by Dan Yaccarino
o The Birthday Pet by Ellen Javernick
o Princess Justina Albertina by Ellen Dee Davidson
o Hieronymus Betts and his Unusual Pets by M. P. Robertson
o Children Make Terrible Pets by Peter Brown
o Happy Birthday, Danny and the Dinosaur by Syd Hoff
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Other Titles by Viorst:
o Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
o Alexander, Who’s Not (Do You Hear Me? I Mean It!) Going to Move
o Absolutely, Positively Alexander
o Alexander, Who Used to Be Rich Last Sunday
o My Mama Says There Aren’t Any Zombies, Ghosts,
o Vampires, Demons, Monsters, Fiends, Goblins or Things
o If I Were in Charge of the World and Other Worries: Poems for Children and
their Parents
o Sunday Morning
o The Tenth Good Thing About Barney
o I’ll Fix Anthony
o Sad Underwear and Other Complications: More Poems for Children and Their
Parents
o Earrings!
o Nobody Here but Me
o Rosie and Michael
o The Good-bye Book
o Just in Case
o The Alphabet From Z to A: (With Much Confusion on the Way)
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Other Titles by Smith:
o Glasses, Who Needs ‘Em?
o Grandpa Green
o It’s a Book
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o
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John, Paul, George & Ben
Madam President
The Happy Hocky Family
The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs by Jon Scieszka
Math Curse by Jon Scieszka
Science Verse by Jon Scieszka
The Stinky Cheese Man by Jon Scieszka
Time Warp Trio series by Jon Scieszka
Baloney, Henry P. by Jon Scieszka
Hooray for Diffendoofer Day by Jack Prelutsky and Dr. Seuss
Websites for further study or enrichment:
o Dinosaurs for Kids http://www.kidsdinos.com/
This website has interactive games and facts on dinosaurs.
o PBS Kids: It’s My Life: Pets http://pbskids.org/itsmylife/family/pets/article7.html
This site has a lot of information on pets. It tells how to get one, how to care for
one, and has some fun facts.
o TeachingBooks.net: Lulu and the Brontosaurus
http://www.teachingbooks.net/tb.cgi?tid=21235
This website has links to interviews with the author and illustrator as well as a
link to an audiobook excerpt.