Lana Llama

Written and illustrated by Lori Doody

Running the Goat, Books & Broadsides

978-1-927917-81-7

32 pp.

Ages 3-7

July 2022

 

Lana Llama looks similar to her flock. She is wooly like the sheep and she has four legs and two ears and a fuzzy tail. But she still notices that her legs and neck are longer and she can't bleat.

From Lana Llama by Lori Doody

As with any creature who wants to fit in, Lana tries to emulate the sheep of her flock. But it's awkward and she is unsuccessful.

From Lana Llama by Lori Doody

Still, when a barnyard bully, also with the same attributes of wooliness, four legs, two ears and a fuzzy tail, comes along, Lana Llama uses her differences to stand up to it and be accepted by her flock exactly as she is.

Now she's happy to stand up for others,

just by standing out.

 

From Lana Llama by Lori Doody

Every Lori Doody picture book that comes out is a treat for the heart and the eyes. Her folk art consists of simple lines and bold colours but it is more. It's both subtle and striking, and still cozy and true. She doesn't overwhelm with details in her characters or landscapes but the farm and its animals are definitive and real. Based in that reality is always a story that will resonate with young readers (and old ones too). Here it's about trying to fit in but finding the best fit comes from being oneself. Of course, Lana Llama wants to be like the sheep of her flock. They are her people, her community, and she believes that they give her her identity too. But Lori Doody reminds us that what makes us different makes us unique and valuable, with Lana Llama being the only one who can stand up to a barking bully by virtue of those very differences.

Whether you're a bleater, a hummer, a clucker or a barker, Lori Doody will find you the right community as she did for Lana Llama. After all, we all belong.