Review: Lulu Bell and the Birthday Unicorn (Lulu Bell #1)

Fun-loving Lulu Bell is my kind of girl! She might only be eight, but she's the practical one in her family — which is good, because her younger sister Rosie is easily distracted by angel wings and sparkly things, her little brother Gus creates havoc wherever he goes, her artist Mum is a little bit zany, and her Dad is busy saving animals in his work as a vet. Without Lulu and her best friend Molly around to help, things could end up going seriously wrong!

In this first book in talented author Belinda Murrell's new series, it's Rosie's sixth birthday and everyone is helping to put the finishing touches to the mermaid party decorations. The cake is done, the lolly bags are being decorated, the costumes are ready and silvery fish made out of foil are ready to swim down the hall.

But then Lulu's Dad is called out to rescue a runaway pony and the only place to keep him until the owners are found is the backyard. Which would be fine, except that Gus lets the pony into the kitchen … where he eats the cake! With Rosie in tears, Gus hiding under the table and Mum trying to clean up the mess, it's up to Lulu to save the day. Can she come up with a new cake for Rosie that still fits the mermaid theme? And is there a way that the beautiful white pony can become the biggest birthday treat of all?

The second book in the series, Lulu Bell and the Fairy Penguin, is available now, with two more titles being released in August 2013. With engaging characters, both human and animal (and inspired by the author's own life growing up in a vet hospital), this series' focus on the everyday adventures of a quirky but very lovable family is sure to win Belinda Murrell a new legion of fans.

Title: Lulu Bell and the Birthday Unicorn
Author: Belinda Murrell
Illustrator: Serena Geddes
Publisher: Random House Australia, $9.95 RRP
Publication Date: June 2013
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9781742758756
For ages: 6–9
Type: Junior Fiction