Written and Illustrated by Ashley Spires
The Thing Lou coudn’t do is… climb a tree with her friends. She loves playing and having adventures, but when her friends decide the pretend pirate ship is up in a tree, Lou makes lots of excuses for why she can’t climb up to join them. She’s scared and she’s never climbed a tree before, but eventually she gives it a go. She doesn’t get very far, which is pretty funny, and a good lesson for kids. I think younger kids will relate to Lou being scared and it would be fun to discuss how we can still try things even when they’re scary. Ashley Spires also wrote The Most Magnificent Thing, so the art and humor are similar to that great book.
Reviewed by Lana E Gukeisen, Librarian, Farnsworth Elementary
Review shared in April 2026
Rating: ★★★★✩ (4 stars)
Interest Level: Grades K-3
The Thing Lou Couldn’t Do
Written and Illustrated by Ashley Spires
Kids Can Press
32 pages
Release Date: May 5, 2026 (new paperback edition)
ISBN: 978-1-52531-561-9
A review copy was provided by the publisher.
