by Jonathan Eig
First published 2021
Lola Jones faces a puzzle when her teacher assigns a traditional song for the Winter Concert. The third grader and her twenty-nine classmates stare at lyrics that make no sense to them. Instead of admitting defeat, Lola leads her class in creating their own version with ridiculous new words that send everyone into fits of laughter. The silly substitutions catch the attention of her mother and Grampa, who decide to help solve the mystery of the original song. As the concert date approaches, Lola discovers the real meaning behind the traditional words. The investigation takes an unexpected turn when the family learns about climate change and its connection to the old song. By performance night, Lola understands both versions and something much bigger about the changing world around her.
Genres: fiction, family-life, contemporary
Vibes: emotional, thought-provoking, whimsical
Tropes: found-family, investigation
Period: 21st-century
96 pages · Hardcover · Albert Whitman & Company