Book Review: The Lily Pond by Annika Thor

 


1. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Thor, A., & Schenck, L. (2011). The Lily Pond. Delacorte Press. ISBN: 978-0385740395

2.  PLOT SUMMARY

The Lily Pond continues the story of two Jewish sisters who left Austria during WWII/Holocaust and found refuge in Sweden.

A year after Stephie Steiner and her younger sister, Nellie, left Nazi-occupied Vienna, Stephie has finally adapted to life

on the rugged Swedish island where she now lives. But more change awaits Stephie: her foster parents have allowed her to enroll in school on the mainland, in Goteberg. Stephie is eager to go. Not only will she be pursuing her studies, she'll be living in a cultured city again—under the same roof as Sven, the son of the lodgers who rented her foster parents' cottage for the summer.
Five years her senior, Sven dazzles Stephie with his charm, his talk of equality, and his anti-Hitler sentiments. Stephie can't help herself—she's falling in love. As she navigates a sea of new emotions, she also grapples with what it means to be beholden to others, with her constant worry about what her parents are enduring back in Vienna, and with the menacing spread of Nazi ideology, even in Sweden. In these troubled times, her true friends, Stephie discovers, are the ones she least expected.

3.CRITICAL ANALYSIS

I really enjoyed reading this historical fiction novel! Although this novel was written at a fourth-grade level, I felt the content and the themes can resonate better with middle school students. I also really liked that this story was told in a 3rd person point of view, because it allowed readers to better understand all the characters and not just the protagonist. The main character, Stephie is resilient and strong. Readers can relate to her coming of age challenges.  Although this isn’t a book that I am going to run to purchase, I did think the story line was good and I definitely plan on reading all four books in this series. Although this book touched on the devastation of World War II, like separation of families, and her constant worry for her parents, that wasn’t the focal point in the story. Instead, this story centers more around Stephie and how she adapted to her new home in Sweden, going to school, and her love interest.

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

* A Mildred L. Batchelder Honor Book

* ALA-ALSC Notable Children’s Book

Starred review in Booklist: "A compelling look at World War II–era Sweden, this distinguished Holocaust story will resonate."

Starred review in Horns Book: "Stephie’s story of adjustment to a new school and of a first crush is both specific and universal"

5. CONNECTIONS

* Have students create a comic strip detailing the plot of the story and key events. Students should consider the different plot elements (character, Setting, Problem, Solution, Climax, exposition) when creating their comic strip.

* Have students reflect on the time period. How is this book similar to other War World II books they have read? Do the characters in this story experience similar challenges from other characters in other books. Ask students to consider the time period, was the time period accurately described?

*Book Series by Annika Thor

Thor, A., & Schenck, L. (2015). Deep sea. Delacorte Press. ISBN: 978-0385743853 (Book 3)

Thor, A., & Schenck, L. (2009). A Faraway Island. A Yearling Book. ISBN: 978-0375844959 (Book1)

Book review was written for SHSU Lib course. 

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