Lily Alone facts for kids
First edition
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| Author | Jacqueline Wilson |
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| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Children's novel |
| Published | February 2011 |
Lily Alone is a popular novel written by the famous author Jacqueline Wilson. It was published in February 2011 and features illustrations by Nick Sharratt.
Story Summary
The story is about Lily Green, who is the oldest child in her family. She has two younger half-sisters, Bliss and Pixie, and a younger half-brother, Baxter. Baxter and Bliss are twins. Lily often has to look after her younger siblings when their mum, Kate Green, goes out. Lily usually doesn't mind helping, but sometimes she feels a bit tired of the responsibility.
One day, Lily's mum meets a new boyfriend named Gordon. Kate is very happy and feels like her life is getting much better. Lily gets upset when her mum comes home late. That night, Lily takes care of her brother and sisters by drawing and watching T.V.. The next day, Kate takes the children shopping and buys many things using a credit card. This makes Lily wonder where her mum got the card and if everything is okay.
Kate then decides to fly to Spain to be with Gordon. Lily feels worried and angry when her mum suggests that Mikey, Kate's ex-husband, should look after the children. Kate tells Lily that Gordon doesn't know she has children. She also says she deserves a holiday from their "dump" of a home, which makes Lily even more upset. Kate leaves a message for Mikey, asking him to care for the kids. However, by the time Mikey calls back, Kate has already left for Spain. Mikey tells Lily he is going to Glasgow and asks her to tell her mum not to go anywhere. Because Lily doesn't like Mikey, she pretends to have given the message. This means the children are now all alone.
For the next few days, Lily looks after and entertains her younger siblings. She doesn't go to school because she worries the younger children might accidentally tell someone they are home alone. The children eat what's left in the fridge. Lily is used to preparing simple meals for them. She feels scared and stressed because she is in charge. She is afraid that someone will find out about their situation and that they will be taken away and separated. Lily tries different ways to keep her siblings busy, like taking them to a new park. She also tries to avoid adults who ask about her mum.
Mr. Abbott, Lily's teacher, comes to their flat because he is worried the children haven't been to school. Lily tells him they have all been sick and that her mum is out buying medicine. At the same time, "Old Kath," a neighbour, also starts to suspect something is wrong. Lily is scared that Mr. Abbott will come back with people from social services. So, she packs food, clothes, and blankets. She tells her siblings they are going to camp in the park. The children run away to the park, but they have no tent or money. They try to find food by taking leftovers from a nearby cafe. Lily also takes food like apples, strawberries, and chicken from a big house.
Lily goes back to the flat to see if Kate has returned, but it is still empty. Old Kath sees her, and Lily quickly runs back to the park. The next morning, Bliss is playing with Baxter and accidentally breaks her leg when she falls from a tree. Lily gets help from a lady, who calls an ambulance. Bliss is taken to the hospital. Kate arrives at the hospital, very worried about Bliss. The story ends with Lily going to a children's home, separated from her siblings Baxter, Bliss, and Pixie, who are fostered by the same family. Bliss stays in the hospital. Lily draws a picture of her family and writes, "We're all going to be together very, very soon."
Characters
The Green Family
Lily Green: Lily tells the story from her point of view. She is the oldest of the Green children and often takes care of her siblings. She is eleven years old. Even though she likes looking after them, she also has a secret game called 'Lily Alone.' In this game, she imagines living by herself in a beautiful, clean house that she designs. Lily is patient, kind, and responsible. However, her mum often leaves her alone with her siblings to go out. Lily loves her mum very much and doesn't always realize how much pressure she is under. At the end of the book, she is placed in a children's home, but she believes her family will be together again soon.
Bliss Green: Lily's six-year-old half-sister. She is very quiet and doesn't talk much. She loves her toy polar bear, 'Headless,' which lost its head in an accident. Bliss loves the fairytale Cinderella and often asks Lily to read it to her. She is a sweet and shy girl who loves the things around her but finds it hard to express herself. She enjoys talking with Lily when they are alone. Like Lily, she prefers to be by herself. Bliss doesn't like school much. She has a strong love for her big sister, Lily. At the end of the story, Bliss breaks her leg in the park and is taken to the hospital.
Baxter Green: Lily's six-year-old half-brother and Bliss's twin. Baxter acts a lot like his dad, Mikey. He is the only boy in the Green family and looks up to his father. He cuts his hair short to look like Mikey and tries to act tough. He sometimes teases his sisters, but he shows he cares when Bliss breaks her leg. At the end of the book, he is fostered by a family along with Pixie. His favorite toy is a forklift truck.
Pixie Green: The youngest in the Green family, she is a sweet, playful, and talkative three-year-old. Her mum and many others favor her. Lily loves her dearly but sometimes feels overwhelmed by Pixie and Baxter's constant demands. Kate often gives Pixie what she wants to keep her quiet. Pixie also loves ice cream.
Mum/Kate Green: She is the mother of the Green family. She had Lily when she was young. She later had Baxter, Bliss, and Pixie with different partners. She faced financial difficulties and struggled after one of her partners passed away. Lily feels that her mum often goes out too much and leaves her with too much responsibility. Lily's mum has long hair and enjoys dressing up. She went on holiday to Spain with Gordon, leaving her children alone to manage by themselves.
Other Characters
Mr. Abbott: Lily's favorite teacher. He wanted Lily to go on a school trip to the Art Gallery, but Lily couldn't go because she had to look after her siblings. Lily likes him because he cares about her and doesn't make her feel silly. He becomes worried about Lily and her siblings.
Arnie and Elizabeth: An older couple who used to be teachers. Arnie was a History teacher, and Elizabeth was a PE teacher. When Lily and her siblings were in the park, Arnie offered them sweets. They walked with the children to the park gates before Lily pretended to see her mum and ran away with the younger children.
Jenny and Jan: Friends of Lily's mum. They used to work with her. They are briefly mentioned in the book.
Gordon: Mum's new boyfriend, who is nineteen years old. They travel to Spain together. Mum says he is a rich young man. He finds out that Kate has children when they are in Spain, and he leaves her, paying for her flight back home.
Old Kath: An older woman who lives next door to the Green family. Lily describes her as having hair that is falling out from too much dye and wearing too much bright red lipstick. Lily doesn't like her much because Kath says unkind things about Lily's mum.
Mikey: Bliss and Baxter's dad. Lily describes him as a big man. Lily also dislikes Mikey because he has a scary dog named Rex, who bit Bliss. She feels that Mikey doesn't like her either. During the story, Mikey goes to Scotland without knowing the children are alone.
Paul: Kate's second partner. He passed away shortly before the story begins.
