A picture book in rhyme by the author of the bestselling Pendragon series, the book is a direct homage to Dr. Seuss, Shrek!, and every book with the message of accepting yourself as you are.  Lala is an underground-dwelling, krinkle-nut-digging, gnome-like creature known as a rugabee.  She spends her days longing to live above ground, and one day decides to make her dreams come true and wander upwards.  When three mean princesses play a prank on her, Lala retreats back to the world she knows.  However, when the princesses find themselves in danger, it is only Lala who can come to the rescue.  The book is worth checking out for Boiger’s richly detailed watercolor illustrations, but in many places the story seems clichéd, and the Seuss-like rhymes are forced and not quite natural.  This is a sweet story about inner beauty and acceptance, but it borrows heavily from other, better books.