Reviews & Support
for Lu Lu the Blue Flamingo

Lady Gaga and the Born This Way Foundation

What are Lady Gaga, Cynthia, and the Born This Way Foundation team using for inspiration? Lu Lu, The Blue Flamingo is the first childrens book by Born This Way Foundation supporter Robert Barber.

Kirkus Reviews

A flamingo who doesn’t look anything like the rest of her flock is tired of always standing out.

Barber’s picture book emphasizes the positive message that it’s okay to be different. Lu Lu’s blue feathers make her a star attraction at the zoo where she lives, but after a frightening encounter with one young zoo visitor, Lu Lu decides that she’s tired of being a celebrity. The bird visits Dr. Havalook who mixes up a special batch of pink paint to coat her from head to toe. She’s excited that she finally looks like the rest of the flamingos. But the reaction of her fellow zoo animals makes her regret her decision. Scared that she might have to be pink forever, she hurries back to Dr. Havalook who gives her the good news that she can go back to her old blue self at any time. Her friends help wash off all the pink paint, and Lu Lu goes back to being the blue flamingo. She’s delighted to be a zoo superstar once again.

Colorful, realistic illustrations will appeal to kids. Some wordy passages and some longer words—“When the zoo keeper searched for his prized bird, he was horrified that Lu Lu refused to come out for anyone!”—mean this book isn’t suited to beginning readers, but it will certainly work as a read-aloud. The tale concludes with a fill-in page and two coloring pages, which make for useful extension activities but could prove problematic for library and classroom use.

The message is a simple but timeless one: celebrate what makes one unique rather than trying to hide those differences. Young listeners should have no problem identifying the message with a few helpful prompts. The book will also provide a useful springboard for discussions about identity and personal traits.

Uniqueness triumphs in this colorful, fun tale of an unusual flamingo.

Customer Reviews

I Love Lu Lu!

My favorite book is Lu Lu, The Blue Flamingo!

- Kyndal, Age 7

Lu Lu is Amazing!

Everyone in my household loved Lu Lu! My 5 children range in age from 6 to 18 and they all thoroughly enjoyed the story and the beautiful illustrations. The author's true passion for helping people cope with differences within themselves is displayed beautifully from cover to cover. We cannot wait to see a sequel from this author! We have even become friends with Lu Lu on Facebook so we can get updates as soon as they are available. Well done Mr. Barber!

- Donna

Enjoy who you are

I have worked with Children who have experience severe trauma and identity issues for over 40 years. Lu Lu speaks to young children and lets them know it is ok to be who you are. Finding comfort in who you are may come with some challenges but if you stay true to who you are you will find peace. Love the story, the colors, and the art work. I look forward to the next series of books and maybe a movie someday...

- Mike Hoar

Beautiful artwork and positive story!

As a children's television writer, I was intrigued by the idea behind this book -- to promote and celebrate a child's sense of self-worth and individuality, to truly appreciate a person's unique qualities, but in a fun way. It goes beyond what you might expect to find in an ordinary children's book by providing extra pages and illustrations for kids to color, and to fill in a chart about what makes them special, allowing them to apply Lu Lu's story to their own lives. Everyone I have shown the book to has enjoyed the story and was also impressed by its vivid colors and whimsical illustrations. Beautiful artwork. Lu Lu's journey to accept her differences is a great positive read that parents and kids can enjoy together!

- Mark

Buy this for any child you know

I bought this book for my grandchildren and it is wonderful both as a book for them to read and as a teaching tool to accept the differences in all of us. I would recommend Lu Lu to anyone who has any involvement with children - they will love it! Can't wait for the author to write a sequel!!

- Noelle

Lu Lu the Blue Flamingo

I have had the privledge of being one of the first few owners of the new edition of Lu Lu. I was inspired by the uniqueness of the title; after all, who ever heard of a Blue Flamingo?

Having two grandsons who stand out as special; I was determined to let them both know that being different is all about their special ways of living; their special ways of being accepted and that we as family would not want them to change themselves in any way. Their qualities are what makes them who they are, and I think, Lu Lu will allow them to see this first hand. This is a book they can read and understand.

She has the talents and the knack for illustrating the good in being different. If we were all alike, how dull the world would be. In this book the author has captured the strengths in what we see as ordinary and special, and has put it into words and art for us to realize we are not one of a kind, and after all, celebration of the differences is what our life is all about.

Buy Lu Lu today, celebrate her adventures, I am hoping there is more to come in the future!!

- Jenny Oeltjen

Lu Lu the Blue Flamingo

Lu Lu, the Blue Flamingo is delightfully written. It teaches a sweet, easy-to-understand lesson that being unique is OK. Truly, I believe there is a bit of Lu Lu in all of us. The book is beautifully illustrated and should delight children of all ages.

- Karen S.