Life with Lily, by Mary Ann Kinsinger & Susan Woods Fisher
Reviewed by: Jennifer Roman
Genre: YA, Amish
Publisher: Revell
Publication Date: 10/11/2012
Five-year-old Lily Lapp is an Amish girl who lives with her parents and younger brothers, Dannie and Joseph, on their farm in New York. Her daily life provides her with lots of adventures and chances to spend time with family and friends. She does chores, helps her mother around the house, and plays with her many cousins. Designed to entertain as well as inform, Lily’s story educates readers on the lifestyle of the Amish. It explains what they do and why they do it. This is the first book in a series, so readers will get to follow Lily as she grows up, enters the church, and probably is courted by a young Amish man.
Rather than written as a fluid story, this book is written as an adventure per chapter. It follows a timeline, but it is not an unfolding story. For example, in one chapter, Lily stays at her grandparents’ house while her mother delivers baby Dannie. In other chapters, she goes to the livestock auction, goes to school, travels to visit relatives in Kentucky, and shares Christmas joy with her family. The stories are interesting and entertaining and portray Lily as a spirited little girl learning how to properly behave in the Amish life. We get to see what her house is like, what she does for fun, and how she spends time with her friends and family. Black-and-white drawn illustrations add to the quality of this book. Charming and fun, readers will enjoy Life with Lily. I am definitely looking forward to the next installment in the Adventures of Lily Lapp series!
This book is recommended for readers eight and up because the vocabulary is extensive and the sentences are complex. Advanced readers under the age of eight will be fine reading this story. Because of the subject matter, there is nothing offensive in the book. At the back are Frequently Asked Questions that will help children and adults alike understand more about the Amish way of life.
Rated G: This book follows the life of a young Amish girl and her family. There is no profanity, violence, or sex.
Review copy provided by the publisher. Thank you!
