“The next day Lily Jean said, "Let's play king and queen. I'll be the king. Sandy will be the queen and Carly will be the dog."
"I don't want to be a dog," said Carly.
"Let's make Carly a lady-in-waiting," suggested Sandy.
"No. We need a dog," said Lily Jean.
"But I don't want to be a dog."
"Then you can't play," said Lily Jean."
When Lily moves in next door to Carly and Sandy, she introduces them to attitude. She has it in spades! She loves holding court over the two sisters and enjoys being the leader in all the make-believe she can conjure up. She tries hard to leave Carly out which makes the sisters determined to teach her a lesson. Lily Jean is one determined young woman, and it takes some work to be her friend. Many readers will see Lily in some of the children they know, especially those they do not particularly like. Without being obvious, Lily Jean gets a little of her own medicine and learns an important lesson. Her bossiness does seem to be an issue; but the girls have the means to keep it at bay, while spending happy hours together with their new neighbor.
Kady MacDonald Denton’s sweet and detailed watercolor illustrations give us young girls who are full of mischief, and yet sensitive and likable. It is so easy to get to know them them as they are expressive and full of life, which is vintage Denton and always such a delight to her many fans.
This lovely story teaches a lesson, but subtly and with compassion.
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