Here's Lily: The Lily Series, Book 1

Gr 4–6—Plucky red-headed Lily Robbins feels clumsy and is picked on by her brothers and Chad, the class bully, in Rue's first title (Zonderkids, 2000) in the series. When a modeling agency representative drops by her school to give tips on poise, the rep suggests Lily take modeling classes. Her parents and annoying brothers don't take it seriously, but Lily shows dedication to her lessons and hopes that the final fashion show will prove to everyone that she isn't a klutz. Her father questions her aspirations and challenges her to find God in modeling. Lily struggles with this, even as the author shows Lily offering encouragement to the other girls in her class who are picked on by Chad, and creating a Girlz club and teaching them what she's learned about developing self-confidence. Just when the story seems headed to an easy solution, a grease fire burns Lily's face and seriously injures her father. Faith plays a larger role in the second half of the story as Lily deals with guilt. Tara Sands's narration is right on the mark for tween girls. She does an excellent job of voicing all the characters, breathing life and realism into Lily's family. Sands's inflections make even the club members easily distinguishable. Many girls will identify and commiserate with Lily and her friends in this novel with a Christian basis.—C. A. Fehmel, St. Louis County Library, MO