Lotsa Llama

by Dawn Jones

Illustrated by Steve Pileggi

Most children are fascinated by sweet-looking, furry creatures with long eyelashes.  "Sesame Street"'s "Elmo" is the most obvious furball that comes to my mind. 

 The characters in the children’s book Lotsa Llama, written by Dawn Jones and illustrated by Steve Pileggi, introduce the reader to animals not usually associated with children’s literature, but when you see the charming illustrations, one wonders why not. 
 
The alpacas and llama in this story are as unfamiliar with each other as we are with them, but they soon find ways to relate.  In turn, the reader can learn quite a lot about both animals.  The author uses many opportunities to teach about a subject that is obviously dear to her.  The story serves not only as an educational piece on the animals, but we also get a lesson in acceptance and appreciating those who are different from us.  Jones portrays a picture of bliss in a farmyard that consists of one kind of animal, the alpacas, until one day a different beast shows up, the llama.  Big and cumbersome, clumsy and a bit pushy, the llama proves to be somewhat of an irritation to the smaller alpacas.  We eventually find out that the llama isn’t as worthless as was initially thought and the alpacas learn to appreciate his strengths. 
 
I don’t know that I’ve ever equated "llama" with "cute", but the way illustrator Steve Pileggi draws them should make a Care Bear hang its head.  All in all, this is a nice book for kids, full of endearing illustrations and more facts than I ever knew that I didn’t know about these sweet looking, furry creatures with long eyelashes.