About the Author

Anna McQuinn has worked in children's books for more than twenty-five years as an editor, publisher, and writer. She is the author of more than twenty books for children, including Lola at the Library, Lola Loves Stories, Lola Reads to Leo, The Sleep Sheep (Scholastic), and If You're Happy and You Know It! (Barefoot). Anna leads groups like Leo's at her local library.

Rosalind Beardshaw loved drawing from early childhood and from a young age decided she wanted to become an illustrator. She studied at Manchester Polytechnic where she earned a degree in illustration. Since graduating in 1992, she has illustrated many children's books, including two of her own stories; Grandma's Beach and Grandpa's Surprise (Bloomsbury) inspired by long summer holidays spent with her playful grandparents. Animals have also played a large part in her work. Her lurcher, Basil is proving to be a constant source of inspiration for new characters!

In her spare time, Rosalind works as a volunteer with adults who have learning difficulties. She lives in York, England.

Reviews

After years of everyday joys with McQuinn and Beardshaw's Lola, readers now watch her start school. It "will be a bit like story time at the library, but Lola will stay by herself." The little black girl "knows what to expect" because she's visited the school with her mom. She is prepared with gifts from loved ones—"fun pencils" from Nana, a water bottle from Ty. The night before her "big day," Lola lays out her outfit. In the morning, she tucks her stuffed kitty, Dinah, in her bag and poses for a snapshot. In the classroom, Miss Suzan, a white woman, shows her where to put her things. Lola spends time reading with her friend Julia, who has pale skin and black hair, and then they play dress-up. Her mom sits for a while before saying goodbye. After snack time and more play, there is circle time. Of course, "Lola knows the song and all the motions." Picking Lola up at the end of the day, Mommy hugs her daughter. Beardshaw's soft, slightly smudgy illustrations allow young readers to focus on one cozy moment at a time. Even at this milestone, Lola still appears quite tiny, and the text is no more complex than in previous books, making this a seamless transition from Lola's younger days to her new life in school. Both perfect for Lola fans and likely to earn her ever more readers. 
—Kirkus Reviews