Lily's Crossing

Bibliography

Giff, Patricia Reilly. Lily’s Crossing. 

New York, Yearling Newbery, 1997. ISBN 978-0-440-41453-7

Plot Summary

A young girl named Lily is away from her best friend Margaret and her father. This story is set during World War II in New York. Lily forms a close friendship with a young boy named Albert who is a refugee from Hungary. But, Lily’s tendency to lie leads to Albert’s life in potential danger.  

Critical Analysis

The main characters Lily and Albert are young children and they are accurately portrayed in the story. They are naïve young children who like to play games and actively use their imaginations. This story does not provide that many historical details but it is understood by young readers that it is a time of war. The main conflict for Albert is trying to reunite with his sister which is a real situation many families were facing during the war. This storyline contributed to the authenticity of the story. For example, Lilly's father had to go off to war out of the country and since Albert's family was persecuted in Europe had to flee to America. 

The name of separation of families runs through the story. People can relate to the story because many have experienced a family member in the military off at war. 

Speech patterns are used throughout the story as a way to ground the theme into the setting of war in 1944. For example, when Albert speaks, he sometimes does not understand what Lily means and asks for clarification. I recommend this book because it is a good historical fiction that shows friendship family and being torn during times of war.  

Awards & Review Excerpts

ALA Notable Book

Newberry Honor Book

Booklist: “With wry comedy and intense feeling…Giff gets across a strong sense of what it was like on the home front during World War II…The friendship story is beautifully drawn.” 

Publisher’s Weekly: “Exceptional characterizations and a robust story line…this has all the ingredients that best reward readers.”

The New York Times: “Brilliantly told.”

Connections

Two books come to mind that can be used as well; The Book Thief and Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl.  Students can research World War II and the Nazi regime and share what they find.  Students can discuss the consequences of lying.