Henkes, Kevin. 2006 (Spanish translation, 2008). EL GRAN DÍA DE LILY. New York: Greenwillow Books. ISBN 978061363160Lily is back and is as precocious and self-assured as ever. The young mouse best known for her purple plastic purse and movie star glasses now has designs on being the flower girl, la damita de honor, at her teacher’s wedding. Needless to say, Lily is not pleased when she learns that Mr. Slinger’s niece, rather than herself, has been selected. Readers will enjoy watching Lily make lemonade out of lemons as she copes with her disappointment and accepts Mr. Slinger’s concession.
Henkes continues to capture this young mouse’s voice with precision. He uses dialogue, illustrations and text position to emphasize Lily’s signature perseverance. Even after her parents explain to Lily she is not likely to be Mr. Slinger’s choice, Lily confirms to herself, “…I’m going to be the flower girl.” Further, Henkes emphasizes Lily’s commitment to proper flower girl etiquette by using 18 mini-illustrations on a two-page spread!
The Spanish translation of the text flows well with few unfamiliar words. The terms “tarareó” and “aula” are not commonly used among our school’s population. However, Henkes’ skillful use of context clues facilitates comprehension as well as vocabulary lessons. Criticas says, “the translation sparkles” and Horn Book notes “seeing this book in Spanish is a reminder that a good translation, such as this one, can make a story transcend language barriers.”
Recommended use: read aloud, story time, or independent picture walks for readers ages 5-9 years.
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