  | Lily and the night creatures Author: Lake, Nick | |
| Price: $23.08 | ||
Summary:
Lily is chronically ill, but while her parents are welcoming a new baby she sneaks home from her grandmother's house and, aided by animal friends, combats the demons who have moved in.
| Illustrator: | Gravett, Emily |
Reviews:
Kirkus Reviews (06/15/22)
Booklist (+) (08/01/22)
The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books (00/07/22)
The Hornbook (00/11/22)
Full Text Reviews:
Booklist - 08/01/2022 *Starred Review* In the tradition of Neil Gaiman’s Coraline (2002), Lake offers up a creepy tale of a sickly girl who must face dark forces to save her family. Lily is dealing with a lot: frequent visits to the hospital for dialysis, the loss of her normal life, and the imminent and very unwelcome (to Lily) arrival of a new sibling. When it’s time for the baby to be born and Lily is left with her grandmother, the girl becomes determined not to be cast aside so easily. Sneaking out of her grandmother’s house, Lily bikes home to find her mother holding a baby—only it’s not her mother. Her eyes are dark as coal, and she doesn’t recognize Lily. And then she locks Lily out. The girl’s shock and confusion are compounded when she retreats to the yard and encounters a group of talking animals: a mole, a crow, a mouse, and a snake. These creatures act as a delightful foil to the malicious “replacements” in the house, and they assist Lily in her new mission—evicting the impostors before her real family returns. Lake, assisted by Gravett’s atmospheric illustrations, creates a truly menacing foe for Lily to defeat, but the process results in the girl's emotional growth and a much-needed shift in perspective. Rich with magic and a fair number of shivers, this is an empowering tale for the brave of heart. - Copyright 2022 Booklist.
