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Lily's Crossing #1
Lily's Crossing
Author Patricia Reilly Giff's Newbery Honor-winning Lily's Crossing is now available for the first time in paperback!
Every summer Lily and her father go to her family's house in Rockaway, near the Atlantic Ocean. But the summer of 1944 is different. World War II has called Lily's father overseas, Lily's best friend Margaret had to move with her family to a wartime factory town, and Lily is forced to live with her grandmother. But then a boy named Albert, a refugee from Hungary, comes to live in Rockaway. He has lost most of his family to the war. Soon he and Lily form a special friendship, and they have secrets to share. But they have both told lies, and Lily's lie may cost Albert his life.
Every summer Lily and her father go to her family's house in Rockaway, near the Atlantic Ocean. But the summer of 1944 is different. World War II has called Lily's father overseas, Lily's best friend Margaret had to move with her family to a wartime factory town, and Lily is forced to live with her grandmother. But then a boy named Albert, a refugee from Hungary, comes to live in Rockaway. He has lost most of his family to the war. Soon he and Lily form a special friendship, and they have secrets to share. But they have both told lies, and Lily's lie may cost Albert his life.
181 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1997
246 people are currently reading
5458 people want to read
About the author
Patricia Reilly Giff
214 books467 followersPatricia Reilly Giff was the author of many beloved books for children, including the Kids of the Polk Street School books, the Friends and Amigos books, and the Polka Dot Private Eye books. Several of her novels for older readers have been chosen as ALA-ALSC Notable Books and ALA-YALSA Best Books for Young Adults. They include The Gift of the Pirate Queen; All the Way Home; Water Street; Nory Ryan's Song, a Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators Golden Kite Honor Book for Fiction; and the Newbery Honor Books Lily's Crossing and Pictures of Hollis Woods. Lily's Crossing was also chosen as a Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor Book.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 780 reviews
October 17, 2022
And then, just for a moment, it almost seemed possible. She could see herself reaching the troop ship, climbing aboard, and sailing to Europe to find Poppy. (PG. 77)
Newbery Honor Award- YA- 1997
Lily Mollahan was a liar, a thief and a disrespectful little girl throughout the novel. While I didn't care for her attitude I took a moment to understand her. This is a girl with abandonment issues, mix that with a dead mother, a father willingly going to Europe, WWII and we get to the source of her personality. Every year Grams, Lily, and Poppy head to their summer house in Rockaway but this year her best friend has to go to Detroit and her father goes overseas to war. The war is ruining everything in her life.
Lily Mollahan gets introduced to a Hungarian refugee named Albert. When they get over their initial distrust of each other they soon find common ground in their fears and wishes. Lily starts learning that lies can hurt others....
This was a short and to the point novel. Very kid friendly historical fiction.
Newbery Honor Award- YA- 1997
Lily Mollahan was a liar, a thief and a disrespectful little girl throughout the novel. While I didn't care for her attitude I took a moment to understand her. This is a girl with abandonment issues, mix that with a dead mother, a father willingly going to Europe, WWII and we get to the source of her personality. Every year Grams, Lily, and Poppy head to their summer house in Rockaway but this year her best friend has to go to Detroit and her father goes overseas to war. The war is ruining everything in her life.
Lily Mollahan gets introduced to a Hungarian refugee named Albert. When they get over their initial distrust of each other they soon find common ground in their fears and wishes. Lily starts learning that lies can hurt others....
This was a short and to the point novel. Very kid friendly historical fiction.
December 30, 2021
Giff’s 1997 Newbery Honor Book opens in June 1944 with ten-year-old Lily Mollahan and her grandmother packing for their annual summer stay at Rockaway Beach, a vast five-mile stretch on the Rockaway peninsula in the borough of Queens, New York. Lily’s father, “Poppy,” an engineer, is to join them for weekends. (Her mother died from a heart condition when Lily was an infant.)
Unfortunately, when Lily arrives in Rockaway she promptly learns that her longtime summer friend, Margaret Dillon, is moving away to Michigan, at least for the time being. Her dad has taken a job on a bomber-plane assembly line there. Before leaving, Margaret gives Lily, a budding writer, the key to the Dillon summer place, so she can escape her sometimes bossy grandmother and work on her stories in its wonderful attic room. A worse announcement comes soon after: Poppy is leaving for Europe, not as a soldier, but because his engineering skills are needed. He promises he will write to his daughter and somehow let her know where he is. Lily’s grief is intense, and she angrily refuses to see him off, an act that will haunt her through a very eventful summer.
Most of the action of the novel is concerned with Lily’s growing friendship with a war refugee from Budapest, the nephew of the Mollahan’s neighbours, Mr. and Mrs. Orban. Albert has been through a traumatic time. Two years earlier, his grandmother took charge of him and his little sister, Ruth, just before their parents were arrested for publishing a newspaper that was critical of Hitler, an act which cost them their lives. The children’s grandmother arranged to have them smuggled west across Europe to France and, hopefully, to America. Unfortunately, by the time the siblings reached France, Ruth was seriously ill with measles. She had to be left behind with an order of nuns. Now Albert is deeply distressed by the fact that he did not say goodbye to Ruth.
The climax of the novel hinges on a lie that Lily tells Albert, which makes him believe he might be able to get himself aboard a troopship to Europe so that he can find Ruth. All of this may sound a little heavy going for young readers, but Giff has a delicate touch; lighter incidents, including the discovery of a marmalade kitten, counterbalance the serious ones.
The many warm and emotionally satisfying moments in the novel also compensate for a few events that might raise the eyebrows of adult readers. Giff’s child characters have a remarkable amount of freedom compared to most of today's kids. When I consider my own and my friends’ childhood experiences, I marvel at, and am grateful for, the benign neglect of our parents, which gave us the freedom to roam. Giff’s main characters have freedom to roam and then some. They glide off in rowboats, sometimes in the middle of the night, and they go swimming in rough water without any adult supervision—things even the relaxed parents I knew would never have permitted, even though their kids were capable swimmers. Some of today’s helicopter parents might be alarmed by the ideas this novel might give to young readers!
These quibbles aside, Giff’s book is generally a rewarding piece of historical fiction about the power of friendship and family love. Recommended.
Rating: 3.5 rounded down
Unfortunately, when Lily arrives in Rockaway she promptly learns that her longtime summer friend, Margaret Dillon, is moving away to Michigan, at least for the time being. Her dad has taken a job on a bomber-plane assembly line there. Before leaving, Margaret gives Lily, a budding writer, the key to the Dillon summer place, so she can escape her sometimes bossy grandmother and work on her stories in its wonderful attic room. A worse announcement comes soon after: Poppy is leaving for Europe, not as a soldier, but because his engineering skills are needed. He promises he will write to his daughter and somehow let her know where he is. Lily’s grief is intense, and she angrily refuses to see him off, an act that will haunt her through a very eventful summer.
Most of the action of the novel is concerned with Lily’s growing friendship with a war refugee from Budapest, the nephew of the Mollahan’s neighbours, Mr. and Mrs. Orban. Albert has been through a traumatic time. Two years earlier, his grandmother took charge of him and his little sister, Ruth, just before their parents were arrested for publishing a newspaper that was critical of Hitler, an act which cost them their lives. The children’s grandmother arranged to have them smuggled west across Europe to France and, hopefully, to America. Unfortunately, by the time the siblings reached France, Ruth was seriously ill with measles. She had to be left behind with an order of nuns. Now Albert is deeply distressed by the fact that he did not say goodbye to Ruth.
The climax of the novel hinges on a lie that Lily tells Albert, which makes him believe he might be able to get himself aboard a troopship to Europe so that he can find Ruth. All of this may sound a little heavy going for young readers, but Giff has a delicate touch; lighter incidents, including the discovery of a marmalade kitten, counterbalance the serious ones.
The many warm and emotionally satisfying moments in the novel also compensate for a few events that might raise the eyebrows of adult readers. Giff’s child characters have a remarkable amount of freedom compared to most of today's kids. When I consider my own and my friends’ childhood experiences, I marvel at, and am grateful for, the benign neglect of our parents, which gave us the freedom to roam. Giff’s main characters have freedom to roam and then some. They glide off in rowboats, sometimes in the middle of the night, and they go swimming in rough water without any adult supervision—things even the relaxed parents I knew would never have permitted, even though their kids were capable swimmers. Some of today’s helicopter parents might be alarmed by the ideas this novel might give to young readers!
These quibbles aside, Giff’s book is generally a rewarding piece of historical fiction about the power of friendship and family love. Recommended.
Rating: 3.5 rounded down
April 3, 2012
Lily’s Crossing is a historical fiction book that takes place in the summer of 1944, during World War II. Lily is a young girl who is about to start her summer in Rockaway Beach with her grandmother. She has plans to fish and spend time with her good friend Margret who lives there. Her father is supposed to visit every weekend and share in her time there. Nothing goes as it is planned though; Margret’s family has to move because her father must start making bomber planes for the war and Lily’s father’s first weekend visit comes with terrible news. He must go overseas and help the allied troops. Lily is devastated. Even though her summer and life seems to have fallen apart, she meets a young boy named Albert who has been affected by the war also. Together they find strength each other’s friendship and become best friends sharing emotional experiences that will last a lifetime.
I would recommend this book be read as it is a great way for us to get a feel for the fears of this time period. There are many references to planes flying overhead and you could feel the fear of the characters wondering if it was a Nazi plane. While some feel the separation of loved ones from wars today, it shows how it was different then. You would not even know where loved ones were for weeks if you were lucky. There was no internet, no Skype, and no communication except for an occasional letter. This book because of the reading level and subject matter would be good for advanced ages (12-18).
This book had no illustrations.
I would recommend this book be read as it is a great way for us to get a feel for the fears of this time period. There are many references to planes flying overhead and you could feel the fear of the characters wondering if it was a Nazi plane. While some feel the separation of loved ones from wars today, it shows how it was different then. You would not even know where loved ones were for weeks if you were lucky. There was no internet, no Skype, and no communication except for an occasional letter. This book because of the reading level and subject matter would be good for advanced ages (12-18).
This book had no illustrations.
November 5, 2022
I did not finish.
At the beginning, the main character just seemed too modern and too much of a brat for me to get into/like the story. So I started skimming, and it did seem that the main character learned her lesson about lying... but then, I found out the premise of the entire story and it was pretty dumb. It didn’t entice me or seem worth an actual read.
Cleanliness: lying, stealing, sneaking into movie theaters, wearing lipstick (not sure what age she is but it is conveyed that she's too young). The word "d*mn" appeared twice in the 56 pages I read.
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At the beginning, the main character just seemed too modern and too much of a brat for me to get into/like the story. So I started skimming, and it did seem that the main character learned her lesson about lying... but then, I found out the premise of the entire story and it was pretty dumb. It didn’t entice me or seem worth an actual read.
Cleanliness: lying, stealing, sneaking into movie theaters, wearing lipstick (not sure what age she is but it is conveyed that she's too young). The word "d*mn" appeared twice in the 56 pages I read.
**Like my reviews? Then you should follow me! Because I have hundreds more just like this one. With each review, I provide a Cleanliness Report, mentioning any objectionable content I come across so that parents and/or conscientious readers (like me) can determine beforehand whether they want to read a book or not. Content surprises are super annoying, especially when you’re 100+ pages in, so here’s my attempt to help you avoid that!
So Follow or Friend me here on GoodReads! And be sure to check out my bio page to learn a little about me and the Picture Book/Chapter Book Calendars I sell on Etsy!
August 17, 2016
This book is a children's book that won a Newbery Honor in 1998. It is set during WWII as a little girl's father goes off to war and she is living with her grandmother. She is a bit of a brat, but I like the way the author opens her up and makes it so that she can be understood, even in her naughty ways. As hard as she thinks she has it, she meets someone who has it even harder.
I'm clearly not the target audience for this book, but I like that there are books like these that can get kids to wonder.
I'm clearly not the target audience for this book, but I like that there are books like these that can get kids to wonder.
March 27, 2022
School's out and Lily is getting packed to stay at Rockaway,NY for the summer as usual. . It's 1944 and the whole world is at war. Big brothers , men in town, and her father have been called up in the latest recruitment wave. The war effort relocates friends to factory jobs in other states. Nothing is as it was. This summer, a boy from Europe is staying with a neighbor. Could he be a spy?
Lily has a few problems that she wants to make better.1- Lily is a dreamer 2- She tends to lie 3- Her marks in school are terrible. 4- She really needs friends.
This is a rich little story giving the reader a sense of what it was like to be a child as the war raged. Watching Lily start to become less careless and thoughtless to showing empathy and growing into her creativity is a pleasure.
Lily has a few problems that she wants to make better.1- Lily is a dreamer 2- She tends to lie 3- Her marks in school are terrible. 4- She really needs friends.
This is a rich little story giving the reader a sense of what it was like to be a child as the war raged. Watching Lily start to become less careless and thoughtless to showing empathy and growing into her creativity is a pleasure.
August 6, 2008
You know how there are some characters you just can't warm up to? I didn't care for this little girl at all in the beginning of this story. Lily is dishonest, rude and disrespectful right off the bat. I suppose I knew she had her reasons and usually I'm much more empathetic towards children in stories--assuming their naughty behavior has an explanation. So I'm still not sure why I never quite took to Lily.
August 17, 2022
3,75 stars - English Ebook
Review follows later.
Review follows later.
October 31, 2022
A Newbery honor book, based on the author's childhood. During the summer of 1944, World War II is affecting everyone's lives and the summer is not at all as Lily had planned: Lily's best friend Margaret moves away when her father takes a job in Detroit building B-24; then, Lily's father is sent to Europe. But she finds a new friend in her neighbors' nephew, who arrives as a refugee from Hungary.
September 25, 2010
Lily loves to lie. The lies flow fast and easy. Each time she vows not to lie, another one slides right on out of her mouth. Lily just cannot help herself.
The setting is Rockaway, NJ where Lily, her grandmother and father spend idyllic summers. But the summer of 1944 is different and lives are changed because of WWII. Lily's best friend moves to Detroit where her father can build bombs, the seaside boardwalk is empty and Lily's father is going oversees to fight in the war.
Having lost a mother in childhood, Lily knows the fear of abandonment and loneliness. When a young Hungarian refugee arrives, Lily learns the unspeakable things Albert experienced in losing his family during Nazi occupation.
Slipping into her habit of pathological lying seems harmless until one places Albert's life in jeopardy.
This 1998 Newbery Honor book is highly recommended. The themes of loss, grief, friendship, the impact of war and the repercussions of actions are all packed into a mere 180 pages. ( )
The setting is Rockaway, NJ where Lily, her grandmother and father spend idyllic summers. But the summer of 1944 is different and lives are changed because of WWII. Lily's best friend moves to Detroit where her father can build bombs, the seaside boardwalk is empty and Lily's father is going oversees to fight in the war.
Having lost a mother in childhood, Lily knows the fear of abandonment and loneliness. When a young Hungarian refugee arrives, Lily learns the unspeakable things Albert experienced in losing his family during Nazi occupation.
Slipping into her habit of pathological lying seems harmless until one places Albert's life in jeopardy.
This 1998 Newbery Honor book is highly recommended. The themes of loss, grief, friendship, the impact of war and the repercussions of actions are all packed into a mere 180 pages. ( )
August 11, 2009
I saw this at the library--it's a Newbery awarded book so I thought I would read it. This book was set near the end of WWII and offers a different perspective of the war than I had previously read. It's an easy summer read and I think for kids, a good eye-opener to some of the hard things kids had to go through during the war.
What I didn't like: The protagonist is naughty, she steals, lies, sneaks into movies, and is mean to her grandmother. The whole first half of the book all I could think was I hope my kids don't act like this when they are 11 (or read this book and get ideas). It was distracting for sure. In the end she learned from her behavior, but I'm not sure, aside from some of her misdeeds that directed the storyline, the message was clear to not do those things. It's funny how your perspective changes after becoming a parent!
What I didn't like: The protagonist is naughty, she steals, lies, sneaks into movies, and is mean to her grandmother. The whole first half of the book all I could think was I hope my kids don't act like this when they are 11 (or read this book and get ideas). It was distracting for sure. In the end she learned from her behavior, but I'm not sure, aside from some of her misdeeds that directed the storyline, the message was clear to not do those things. It's funny how your perspective changes after becoming a parent!
October 11, 2015
Meh. It was fine and there would be a lot of good discussion points in a classroom , but it bored me a bit.
March 1, 2020
I especially enjoyed all the descriptions of the beach, water, boating, swimming, etc in this story-it made it very easy to identify with the main character.
January 23, 2022
This was my last book to read to reach my goal of reading all the Newbery winners and the last 25 years of honor books before the 100th anniversary tomorrow. This was a good book- especially the last 1/4. It started slow and I wound have liked more character development - especially the secondary characters.
March 20, 2025
Sweet book, I enjoyed reading it.
November 22, 2024
Another very interesting read by Patricia Reiiy Giff!!! Loved it!!!
September 18, 2019
Mediocre children’s historical fiction, set in WWII.
Read Audrey’s review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Newbery Honor book in 1998.
Read Audrey’s review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Newbery Honor book in 1998.
October 2, 2020
Lily is a child living in Rockaway, NY in 1944. The war has destroyed all her summer plans. Her best friend has left with her parents to go to Detroit. Lily's father is sent to the war front. What does Lily have left to make her summer memorable? Then a boy refugee from Hungary arrives and becomes her friend. Both children have secrets that might tear their relationship apart. Lily's secret is that she tells tall tales quite often and something she said might injure or kill her new friend.
I think the author does a great job creating the gloomy mood of New Yorkers as the war continues. The futile attempts to learn to swim mirror my experiences. However, the fact that the boy from Hungary speaks great English was totally unrealistic.
I think the author does a great job creating the gloomy mood of New Yorkers as the war continues. The futile attempts to learn to swim mirror my experiences. However, the fact that the boy from Hungary speaks great English was totally unrealistic.
February 27, 2019
LILY’S CROSSING ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I read this middle grade book as part of my personal challenge to read books recommended by my family. My sister read LILY’S CROSSING in elementary school and asked me to read this milestone, childhood book. I loved the different layers of the story. Lily is an American girl living out adventures on her summer vacation during WW2. So much of her world comes undone, but Lily’s spirit, hopefulness, and spunkiness prevail.
September 8, 2012
As I consider what I liked best about this story, I think it is the expression of Lily's contrary feelings. Remember when you were young and you loved your mom, but you disliked her too? When your mom showed you expressions of love, you may have shunned them. Contrary. A perfect expression of those teenage emotions. And stubborn. Too stubborn to give in to those soft feelings.
Lily has those feelings towards her Gram. She feels mad at her dad who is leaving her to serve in the war. She doesn't have a mom, she died long ago. Her best friend Margaret is leaving for the summer too. So Lily tells lies and stories to comfort herself. The only good thing is she is at her beloved home by the ocean in Rockaway. While there Lily has some adventures with a new friend, Albert, who has been orphaned by the war and has his own struggles.
In essence, this story is about Lily's beginning to grow up. To understand that love and life is complicated.
I really enjoy reading teen/young adult fiction. For one, you can read a story in an afternoon, and secondly, it's often better than much of the adult fiction that's out there.
If you read aloud to your children, this would be a good option for your upper elementary student. If you just want a story to while away a few hours, this would fit the bill.
Lily has those feelings towards her Gram. She feels mad at her dad who is leaving her to serve in the war. She doesn't have a mom, she died long ago. Her best friend Margaret is leaving for the summer too. So Lily tells lies and stories to comfort herself. The only good thing is she is at her beloved home by the ocean in Rockaway. While there Lily has some adventures with a new friend, Albert, who has been orphaned by the war and has his own struggles.
In essence, this story is about Lily's beginning to grow up. To understand that love and life is complicated.
I really enjoy reading teen/young adult fiction. For one, you can read a story in an afternoon, and secondly, it's often better than much of the adult fiction that's out there.
If you read aloud to your children, this would be a good option for your upper elementary student. If you just want a story to while away a few hours, this would fit the bill.
March 19, 2013
This is the first book I am rating so it might no be very good. Anyway, Lilly's Crossing is about a girl in the hard times of World War 2 she is all alone in her summer home until an immigrant her age comes to town his name is Albert from Hungary he had to leave his sister in France. He is alone too. But they come very close. But after the summer when Lilly leaves to go back to school will they ever see each other again? (this book is historical fiction) -heather kroesche
January 13, 2016
Having read a number of children's books about WWII written in the 1940s and 1950s, I felt that the writing style of this book just didn't work. It has a modern feel that doesn't fit well, and the references to music, etc. seem contrived and researched (even though the author was born in 1935 and lived through the period).
March 13, 2021
A wonderful story of great friendship between a young girl and a Hungarian boy in 1948. The truths they discover for the consequences for lying are timeless. This is truly a beautiful must read book that I don't know how I missed growing up with.
July 22, 2010
Madisen loaned it to me because I had nothing else to read!
September 3, 2011
See my review on my book blog: http://quirkyreader.livejournal.com/1...
March 14, 2013
I made it to chapter 6. I hate Lily. I don't want to know what kinds of awful, selfish things she does to her "friends". DNF
April 27, 2020
As World War II rages on in the summer of 1944, young Lily Mollahan finds herself in Rockaway, New York, enjoying her summer missing her father Poppy, who was called out to help build U.S. war ships, and her best friend Margaret, whose father was called out to build U.S. aircrafts in Detroit. Lily has a bad habit of lying to those around her. When she meets and befriends Hungarian refugee Albert, will another lie Lily weaves cost the friends their lives?
Terrel A. Young, one of the authors of Children’s Literature, Briefly, state “if a book is truly well written, the words between its cover are arranged in almost magical patterns that stir deep emotional responses in readers,” (Young, 27). That being said, I do think Lily’s Crossing is a quality historical fiction. Plot, characters, setting, style and language, and theme are factors that are evaluated in fiction books to determine if they are of quality. The plot of Lily’s Crossing is very believable; a little girl struggling with her new-found life with the absence of her father and best friend and how to navigate her summer without them. With the chapters often ending on a cliff-hanger, Lily’s Crossing definitely made me want to keep reading to find out what happens next. The characters in Lily’s Crossing are believable and the protagonist Lily is dynamic. The friendship between Lily and Albert is sweet and innocent; something you would find in a real friendship between young children. The internal shift Lily experiences about her constant lying makes her a very dynamic character.
The setting in Lily’s Crossing is believable and is integral to the story. Wartime during the 1940s is a common memory for those who lived through it, such as my own Grandmothers'. If Lily’s Crossing was set in the Midwest for example, Lily would not have been able to see the huge warships sailing on the Atlantic Ocean or hear the constant roar of aircrafts overhead. The style and language used in Lily’s Crossing does stir emotions. Because Lily’s Crossing is narrated through an omniscient narrator, the reader is able to know what Lily is doing and thinking, as well as what is occurring in the setting. The theme of friendship in Lily’s Crossing will appeal to many young readers. As they read the book, readers may be able to see their own friendships reflected in the story. Young readers can also learn about World War II, how it affected the world, and what life was life in the U.S. during the time. Also, the theme of lying and its consequences will teach readers how lying is frowned upon and how it affects them and the people surrounding them.
As a future classroom teacher, I can see Lily’s Crossing having an important role. Because it is a quality historical fiction story, Lily’s Crossing can be used in my classroom as a way for my young students to come to know the world. Frank Serafini and Lindsey Moses state, “ in addition to informational texts, students can come to know the world by reading about human experiences through historical fiction,” (Serafini and Moses (2014), 13). Through reading Lily’s Crossing, my students will be able to learn what life was like during wartime in the 1940s. As a class, we can make a Venn diagram comparing and contrasting how our life today is different than Lilly and Albert’s lives.
Terrel A. Young, one of the authors of Children’s Literature, Briefly, state “if a book is truly well written, the words between its cover are arranged in almost magical patterns that stir deep emotional responses in readers,” (Young, 27). That being said, I do think Lily’s Crossing is a quality historical fiction. Plot, characters, setting, style and language, and theme are factors that are evaluated in fiction books to determine if they are of quality. The plot of Lily’s Crossing is very believable; a little girl struggling with her new-found life with the absence of her father and best friend and how to navigate her summer without them. With the chapters often ending on a cliff-hanger, Lily’s Crossing definitely made me want to keep reading to find out what happens next. The characters in Lily’s Crossing are believable and the protagonist Lily is dynamic. The friendship between Lily and Albert is sweet and innocent; something you would find in a real friendship between young children. The internal shift Lily experiences about her constant lying makes her a very dynamic character.
The setting in Lily’s Crossing is believable and is integral to the story. Wartime during the 1940s is a common memory for those who lived through it, such as my own Grandmothers'. If Lily’s Crossing was set in the Midwest for example, Lily would not have been able to see the huge warships sailing on the Atlantic Ocean or hear the constant roar of aircrafts overhead. The style and language used in Lily’s Crossing does stir emotions. Because Lily’s Crossing is narrated through an omniscient narrator, the reader is able to know what Lily is doing and thinking, as well as what is occurring in the setting. The theme of friendship in Lily’s Crossing will appeal to many young readers. As they read the book, readers may be able to see their own friendships reflected in the story. Young readers can also learn about World War II, how it affected the world, and what life was life in the U.S. during the time. Also, the theme of lying and its consequences will teach readers how lying is frowned upon and how it affects them and the people surrounding them.
As a future classroom teacher, I can see Lily’s Crossing having an important role. Because it is a quality historical fiction story, Lily’s Crossing can be used in my classroom as a way for my young students to come to know the world. Frank Serafini and Lindsey Moses state, “ in addition to informational texts, students can come to know the world by reading about human experiences through historical fiction,” (Serafini and Moses (2014), 13). Through reading Lily’s Crossing, my students will be able to learn what life was like during wartime in the 1940s. As a class, we can make a Venn diagram comparing and contrasting how our life today is different than Lilly and Albert’s lives.
February 7, 2021
I recently read Lily’s Crossing by Patricia Reilly Giff. Lily’s Crossing takes place in World War II in Brooklyn. We meet Lily, a girl who travels to Rockaway with her family every summer. She’s an avid writer who spends her time sneaking around and spying on her neighbors. Her father works for the Allies in the factories, and when her father is sent away to France, she is alone with her grandma. Lily is even more lonely when her best friend, Maragret, travels away from Rockaway, a small town in New York. Her life suddenly changes when she meets Albert, a tentative Hungarian refugee who has lost his family during the war. Lily learns of Albert’s sad story, and their friendship grows.
I liked the book because of the well thought out characters and the enticing plot. Patricia Reilly Giff introduced an element of mystery surrounding Albert, and anticipation of Lily’s growth as a character makes you sit on the edge of your seat. The characters had flaws which made them feel alive. Lily lies, and Albert is keeping a secret. The author provided clues which subtly add depth to the characters, The world was realistic as well. For example, she mentioned candies such as Hershey’s, Walnettos, and Sugar Daddy lollipops, all candies which were found in that time period. Patricia Reilly Giff also mentioned the movie Action in the Atlantic, a movie which was produced around that time period.
This book is most suitable for ages 9-12, but I think everyone should read this great book of two very different friends who met during World War II.
I liked the book because of the well thought out characters and the enticing plot. Patricia Reilly Giff introduced an element of mystery surrounding Albert, and anticipation of Lily’s growth as a character makes you sit on the edge of your seat. The characters had flaws which made them feel alive. Lily lies, and Albert is keeping a secret. The author provided clues which subtly add depth to the characters, The world was realistic as well. For example, she mentioned candies such as Hershey’s, Walnettos, and Sugar Daddy lollipops, all candies which were found in that time period. Patricia Reilly Giff also mentioned the movie Action in the Atlantic, a movie which was produced around that time period.
This book is most suitable for ages 9-12, but I think everyone should read this great book of two very different friends who met during World War II.
April 24, 2024
Patricia Reilly Giff expertly describes the thoughts and feelings of a ten year old girl. The story is set during World War II in America. Lily’s father leaves to fight in the war and Lily is forced to stay with her grandmother in her beach house. She befriends a young boy who is a refugee from the war from Hungary. She teaches him to swim so that he can swim out to a ship and return to Europe where he can be reunited with his sister. She realizes however that she never should have told him that he would be able to reach a ship by swimming. Secrets are revealed by her young friend and the book overall gives a snapshot of life on the home front during World War II.
August 14, 2020
This is a Young Adult novel, a World War II story set on the home front. For those born well after WWII ended, it's easy to forget - or not know - that life at home was affected in many ways. This story is well told and covers much ground - the war, certainly, but the struggles a young girl must endure such as having to practice piano even on summer vacation! I really enjoyed the balance between the cataclysm of war and worrying about a father away somewhere in Europe, and childhood concerns that go on even when the world is at war.
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