Lilly's Big Day

Lilly’s Big Day, by Kevin Henkes

            Picture Book—Grades K-2

            Rating: 4 Stars

            Summary: Lilly’s teacher, Mr. Slinger, is getting married, and Lilly has her heart set on being the flower girl at his wedding. When she finds out that Mr. Slinger has asked his niece, Ginger, to be the flower girl, Lilly is disappointed and must be content with just assisting Ginger on the day of the wedding.

            I really enjoyed reading Lilly’s Big Day and learning about Lilly’s character through this story. Lilly’s dream is to be the flower girl at Mr. Slinger’s wedding, and I felt a surge of empathy for her when she learns that Ginger will be flower girl. I think this arousal of emotion that I experienced helps this story to shine as a great work of literature, as Tunnell and Jacobs say that well-written books “stir deep emotional responses in readers” (p. 18). I felt a connection with Lilly and found myself continuously wondering if her feelings of resentment toward Mr. Slinger would ever be resolved. This anticipation is what pushed me to keep reading as I was secretly pulling for Lilly and hoping that she would somehow find a way to shine at the wedding. In the end, the tension shifts as we learn that Ginger is too nervous to walk down the aisle and it is only with Lilly’s help that she is able to fulfill her role as flower girl.

            This story would be a great addition to any classroom library, as Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse is already an adored favorite of many children. The lessons that Henkes shows through Lilly are endless, and I think it is through his characterization of her that students can benefit from reading this and other stories about Lilly. She embodies the self-centered nature that we all possess when we're young, so students will find it easy to relate to her. For example, I am sure that many of us have experienced a time when we wanted to be in the spotlight and have all of the attention, similar to the way Lilly feels as she desires to walk down the aisle as the flower girl. However, Lilly shows us in her own fun way that we should ultimately respect what others want and sometimes we may be surprised by what comes our way in the end. For this reason, I might suggest this book to students who have a hard time recognizing the needs of their peers. Lilly’s Big Day would also be a good choice for a read-aloud just to get students laughing and engaged with a character that they are likely familiar with and can relate to.