Anna Branford (text), Lisa Coutts (illus.), The Sleepover (Lily the Elf), Walker Books Australia, 1 August 2016, 64pp., $7.99 (pbk), ISBN: 9781925381146
Anna Branford (text), Lisa Coutts (illus.), The Jumble Sale (Lily the Elf), Walker Books Australia, 1 August 2016, 64pp., $7.99 (pbk), ISBN: 9781925381153
Anna Bramford’s Lily the Elf series are delightful instalments of childhood wonder and gentle life lessons. Designed for young confident/independent readers, the books follow a young novel format with chapters and more words than pictures. The font is large enough to keep each page feeling manageable, and Lisa Coutts’ black and white illustrations provide a sweet addition to the text.
In The Sleepover Lily waits impatiently for her cousin to arrive and is certain that she has all of the elements required for the perfect night. Fern, however, feels out of place and Lily must learn to see the experience from her cousin’s point of view and compromise her ideas to help her cousin feel welcome.
The Jumble Sale sees Lily struggle to let go of her ‘baby things’, but when she eyes the perfect treasure at a stall run by another elf, she is able to let go of the past to afford an exciting future.
Lily experiences the perfect blend of worry and optimism, making her relatable and realistic. The resolutions to her problems always involve some shift in perspective or compromise – both of which are great life lessons for this age group.
Read Lily aloud to a 4 or 5 year old and they will likely pick up to read independently at 6 or 7. Lily is bound to become a familiar childhood friend to those who get to know her.
Reviewed by Katie Bingham
