Magical, this is a book containing emotions of a little girl who is happy in her ability to sing. She sends a message to all who she hopes will listen, and eagerly respond. When there is no response after many attempts, she becomes desolate, sad, and longs to know why her message of joy does not bring a show of gratitude.

Until, at the end of the tale, she sings her song to the large smiling full moon who deeply appreciates her beautiful efforts and returns her song with a large smile.

There are no words to describe the beauty of the multiple colored hues. The faces of the little girl reflect her emotions. And, not only the faces, but the way she dances as she sings help the reader understand both her disappointment and then her joy.

Kate DiCamillo remains one of my favorite authors. This book is at the top of the list, well deserving of five stars! ( )

I love that it is only one word. I love that is it one theme. Loneliness, finding someone. So much emotion in the girl and the artwork. Such a satisfying end. Great pacing of her longing, looking.

This is a really adorable, beautiful and enjoyable wordless book. I couldn’t help but tell myself a story as I looked through the pages.

I really wanted to love this book. I enjoy Kate DiCamillo's work and I was intrigued by this book. However, I found it difficult to follow. I didn't even catch that the little girl was supposed to be singing. She kept saying La and would look sad afterwards but I couldn't figure out why. I read Kate DiCamillo's explanation as well as Jaime Kim's afterwards and realized what was going on. I felt a bit obtuse not understanding it until I read other reviews and realized that others felt the same way. Perhaps spending more time with the book would allow me to warm up to it more but there are so many other books out there, I think I'll pass. ( )

A young girl goes singing through the world, only to find that she gets no answer. Her trilling "la la la" elicits no response from the trees, the pond, or the moon. Then she falls asleep, and is awakened by a brilliant celestial body who is singing to her...

Wordless, save for the eponymous "la la la" sung by the girl, and then by the sun, La La La: A Story of Hope is the third picture-book from two-time Newbery Medal-winning author Kate DiCamillo, following upon her Louise, The Adventures of a Chicken and Great Joy. There isn't really any text here, although I assume that DiCamillo sketched the story idea, so it falls to illustrator Jaime Kim to really bring the narrative alive. And boy does she! The artwork, created using watercolor, ink and digital techniques, is just lovely, capturing the girl's loneliness and sense of isolation, when her attempts at communication are not initially reciprocated, and her elation, when she finally does get a response. I don't think this would make a particularly good read-aloud, but as a book to pore over, and spend time with, one on one, it will definitely work, especially for more introspective kids. For my part, as an adult reader I was struck by the central idea, that sometimes we feel as if the universe is a faceless, cold, unresponsive void into which we futilely shout. How lovely that this feeling is contradicted through the story here. Recommended to anyone looking for quiet, contemplative picture-books with a somewhat philosophical bent. ( )