Lulu the One and Only

NCSS-CBC 2021 Notable Social Studies Trade Book

One of Bank Street's 2021 Best Children's Books of the Year

STARRED REVIEW! "Armed with her own unique power phrase--'I'm Lulu Lovington, the ONE and only!'--Lulu feels empowered to handle any questions that come her way.... This book does more than simply tell a single story of biracial experience: it talks about navigating everyday racism in sensitive, but frank, ways. This affirmation is just as important as the power phrase.... All children will benefit from this pitch-perfect discussion of race, identity, complexity, and beauty."--Kirkus

Lulu loves her family, but people are always asking

What are you?

Lulu hates that question. Her brother inspires her to come up with a power phrase so she can easily express who she is, not what she is.

Includes a note from the author, sharing her experience as the only biracial person in her family and advice for navigating the complexity of when both parents do not share the same racial identity as their children.


Author: Lynnette Mawhinney
Publisher: Magination Press
Published: 06/09/2020
Pages: 32
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 0.75lbs
Size: 10.10h x 8.10w x 0.60d
ISBN: 9781433831591
Audience: Ages 4-8


Review Citation(s):
Kirkus Reviews 04/15/2020

About the Author
Lynnette Mawhinney, PhD, is Chair of, and an Associate Professor in, the Department of Urban Education at Rutgers University-Newark, at which she is also affiliated faculty in the African American and African Studies Department. She helps to prepare future urban teachers for the classroom and her academic research focuses on autoethnographic explorations around biracial identity and development. Dr. Mawhinney has published four books and 27 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters, including ones on biracial identity. Her first children's book, Lulu, The One and Only, received a starred review from Kirkus. She lives outside of Philadelphia, PA. Visit https: //www.lynnettemawhinney.com/

Jennie Poh was born in England and grew up in Malaysia (in the jungle). Pen and paper by her side at all times she loved drawing princesses and writing stories. At the age of ten she moved back to England and trained as a ballet dancer. After failing her art A-level Jennie decided the art world was definitely for her so she studied Fine Art at The Surrey Institute of Art & Design as well as Fashion Illustration at Central St.Martins. Illustrating is the reason she gets washed and dressed in the morning. She loves drawing quirky beautiful girly stuff and works with ink, watercolor, collage, origami paper, pencils, and usually ends up wanting to bash her computer. Jennie lives in Surrey, England.