Lilly’s Big Day
Lilly's Big Day
Kevin Henkes (Illustrator)
Lilly's heart leaps when her adored teacher, Mr. Slinger, reveals to his class of mice that he is going to marry Ms. Shotwell, the school nurse. "It will be the biggest day of my life," she tells herself, confident that she will be his flower girl. In her bedroom, she practices holding her head high, smiling brightly, walking very, very slowly, and humming "Here Comes the Bride." "Did Mr. Slinger ask you?' asks Lilly's mother. "Not yet," Lilly says, unfazed. Just in case her teacher hasn't figured out her heart's desire, she draws a portrait of herself as the "World's Best and Most Famous Flower Girl." Poor Mr. Slinger has to break it to her that his own niece, Ginger, will be taking on the official job, though he kindly offers Lilly the chance to be her assistant. On the big day, when the music swells, Ginger gets stage fright and freezes, "still as a stone." Lilly's quick thinking saves the wedding.
Themes : MICE. TEACHERS.
CRITICS HAVE SAID
- Henkes’s familiar watercolor cartoons elaborate on the witty text.
–School Library Journal - As in the previous books about Lilly, Henkes catches the hopes and dreams of children along with their stubborn belief that the world will turn the way they push it.
–Booklist
IF YOU LOVE THIS BOOK, THEN TRY:
- Barasch, Lynne. The Reluctant Flower Girl. HarperCollins, 2001.
- Cox, Judy. Now We Can Have a Wedding. Holiday House, 1998.
- Henkes, Kevin. Chester’s Way. Greenwillow, 1988.
- Henkes, Kevin. Chrysanthemum. Greenwillow, 1991.
- Henkes, Kevin. Julius, the Baby of the World. Greenwillow, 1990.
- Henkes, Kevin. Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse. Greenwillow, 1996.
- Henkes, Kevin. Owen. Greenwillow, 1993.
- Henkes, Kevin. Sheila Rae, the Brave. Greenwillow, 1987.
- Henkes, Kevin. Wemberly Worried. Greenwillow, 2000.
- Look, Lenore. Uncle Peter’s Amazing Chinese Wedding. Atheneum, 2006.
- Park, Barbara. Junie B. Jones Is (Almost) a Flower Girl. Random House, 1999.
- Soto, Gary. Snapshots from the Wedding. Putnam, 1997.