Locked Out Lily - Nick Lake (illustrated by Emily Gravett)

 

Everything is changing for Lily: she's been ill and has been in and out of hospital which means that people have been treating her differently; on top of that, her mum is having a baby.  All Lily wants is to have everything go back to the way it was: to before she was ill and before her mum was pregnant.  The story begins when Lily is in the car with her Grandma Squeak; they have stopped at Lily's house to pick some things up before Lily stays at her Grandma's house, for Lily's parents are at the hospital having the baby.  Once back at her grandma's, Lily is determined to get back home so, once she is certain her grandma is asleep, she sneaks out and heads through the darkness to her own home ... only to discover that her parents are there with the baby, but they won't let her in.  They look like her parents but it turns out they very definitely aren't!  It takes Lily new found friends, Mole, Mouse, Crow and Snake to help her realise that she can be brave enough to get back into her own home and reclaim it.  But she only has one night to evict 'The Replacements'.  Can she do it?

Lily is a wonderful character.  She is clearly going through an awful lot.  Although her illness is never specifically identified, it's clear that it's serious and has involved quite some time in and out of hospital for treatments.  She is simply desperate for a bit of normality but instead is worried that her parents don't have the time for her now the new baby is coming.  She's lonely and in need of friendship which comes in the form of four very different animals.   Each of the animals has a unique personality that seems be just what Lily needs to get her through the night - they arrive just as she needs them most and seem to know just what to say!

The writing has a classic feel to it and the story has a magical quality, however, there is a somewhat sinister undertone that will keep you enthralled throughout (I'll warn you that I found myself in tears at one point in the story!  It came quite out of the blue and I was rather grateful for the sunglasses I was wearing at the time!)

Accompanied by wonderful illustrations by Emily Gravett, this is a wonderfully thought-provoking book that will capture your heart.

Locked Out Lily is due for release on the 30th September.