Lulu and Rocky in Detroit written by Barbara Joosse and illustrated by Renee Graef is a charming picture book travel guide to the city of Detroit. It is the second in the Our City Adventures series and it is full of fun, food, animal friends and fourteen unique Detroit sites. Lulu, a darling little fox, and Rocky, her cousin and travel buddy, can be seen driving in a yellow classic Ford coupe toward the Motor City.
First stop is Foundation Hotel, which used to be a firehouse, to get their itinerary. Then on to Campus Martius Park to play in the 400,00 pounds of sand before hopping on the people mover to ride to the Fox Theatre to experience the breathtaking and ornate décor inside. They also take a look at “sports heaven” where the stadiums for the Tigers, the Red Wings, the Lions and Pistons are located. And that is just the first day!
On the second day Lulu and Rocky visit the Eastern Market, the historic Belle Isle Aquarium, the Charles Wright Museum of African American History, Hitsville USA where the Motown Sound was born, the Ford plant where the Model T was built, The Detroit Institute of Arts where the world famous Diego Rivera murals can be seen and the Detroit International Riverfront where they ride on the carousel and wave to Canada.
The illustrations are super fun and extremely engaging throughout. A dapper little tiger can be seen driving a pink Cadillac around town. Lulu and Rocky can be seen trying hard to mimic The Fist, created in honor of legendary boxer Joe Lewis.
The back materials include a well-crafted More to Know section that captures further information about each site.
Lulu and Rocky in Detroit written by Barbara Joosse and illustrated by Renee Graef is a thoroughly delightful tour of Detroit for readers 5-8 years of age (Sleeping Bear Press, 2019).
Activity questions for Lulu and Rocky in Detroit
Lucy and Rocky have a fine time visiting Detroit. If they travelled to your city what would you have them visit? Think about it and make a list. Next, draw a picture map similar to the one on the first page of this book. Try to place buildings and parks and stadiums and museums in your city in the proper position to one another. Remember to label all of the sites.
There is a two-page spread of the acclaimed Diego Rivera murals housed in the Detroit Institute of Arts in this book. Look again at that beautiful illustration in of Lulu and Rocky in front of this work. Then go online at the Detroit Institute of Arts and study the full mural. Parents and grandparents can help. It is a tribute to the automobile industry that began in the Motor City. What do you see? Why does Rocky in this book describe it as Awesome? How does it make you feel?
The artist places eight portraits of prominent African Americans in the illustration of the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History. Are there any name here that you know? Look up the rest of the names online so that you are familiar with them all.
