Lilly to the Rescue

Deborah Dowson is a children’s librarian in Caledon East, Ontario.

Formac Publishing’s attractively produced First Novel Series is a
terrific introduction for beginning chapter-book readers. This volume,
however, falls a little short in comparison to other titles in the
series.

The plot concerns Lilly’s tendency to be bossy and her growing
awareness that this attitude is interfering with her ability to make
friends. Bossiness is a characteristic that the target audience would be
familiar with, but the character of Lilly is not especially interesting.
And while there is some suspense at the climax of the plot, the story is
not particularly engaging.

The vocabulary level is appropriate for the intended audience but the
use of language is a little flat. Full-page line drawings greatly
enhance the book, as does the wonderful cover illustration. Drawbacks
aside, this book is worth consideration, particularly for a school or
public library collection. Recommended.