Lili

This is a charming picture book with fantastic illustrations. I shared this with my class of 7/8 year olds and we all enjoyed the story - but overwhelmingly agreed that the story is just too short! We all loved the character of Lili, a girl whose red hair is useful to some (like her family, for cooking tea!) but not so useful to others - like the village children who don't enjoy playing with her. Lili resorts to entertaining herself and ends up saving the same village children who refused to play with her. This story has themes of friendship - despite the fact the children don't enjoy her company, Lili still rushes to save them and in the end, they all become friends. The illustrations are captivating and the strength of the book; Tan's decision for Lili's hair to be the only colour in the pictures is great - both adults and children alike were captivated by the witty details in the pictures. This book is suitable for younger readers; it doesn't have a lot of text, the story is easy to follow and very short. As older readers, my class didn't enjoy the story as much because of how short it is& - they wanted to see more of Lili's escapades! They all enjoyed the concept however, and recommended it for younger children to read - especially children who enjoy funny books or get scared easily (as there isn't anything scary about it!). Picture book / Ages 4+ / Reviewed by Lizi Coombs, teacher.

Suggested Reading Age 3+