Lulu's Birthday

Elizabeth Fitzgerald Howard is the author of several books that celebrate her extended family. The real Lulu is the author's great-aunt. Born in 1870, Lulu was an elementary school teacher for almost fifty years. She also rolled bandages for the Red Cross, worked a swing shift during World War II, learned to create books in Braille, and studied millinery, drafting, ceramics, Spanish, rug-hooking, and leather and metal tooling, and voted faithfully in all local elections. "Was Lulu your grandma?" children often ask the author. "Well, sure," replies Mrs. Howard. "Lulu was everybody's grandma." Elizabeth Fitzgerald Howard lives in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Pat Cummings was born in Chicago but grew up traveling with her military family all over the world. She has been writing and illustrating children's books since she graduated from Pratt Institute. In addition to her art for the Coretta Scott King Award winner My Mama Needs Me by Mildred Pitts Walter, Pat's luminous work includes Angel Baby; Clean Your Room, Harvey Moon!; and the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award winner Talking With Artists. She lives in Brooklyn, New York, with her husband, Chuku Lee, and the ghost of their cat, Cash.

It's Lulu's birthday, and she can't decide if she wants to celebrate

at the zoo
at the beach
at the ballet
at the movies
or
at a ball game.

Laurie and J. Matthew have their own ideas about how to throw a party for their favorite aunt Lulu....Are you ready for their BIG SURPRISE???