Blow Me a Kiss, Miss Lilly

Carlstrom, Nancy White

ISBN 10: 0060210133 ISBN 13: 9780060210137

Publisher: HarperCollins, 1990

Synopsis

Sara's best friend, Miss Lilly, is very old, but it doesn't seem to bother her one bit. She eats ice cream for breakfast, brings birthday bouquets to all the neighbors, and makes plum jelly from her tree in the garden. Miss Lilly tells Sara stories of when she was a young girl as they cuddle under the rainbow afghan on her sofa. They even blow each other kisses, their special way of saying they will always be friends.

One morning Miss Lilly gets sick and goes to the hospital. Sara misses her and makes a special card with her crayons. She draws the plum tree in the garden so Miss Lilly can see the plums are almost ready to be picked. Inside, Sara writes,

BLOW ME A KISS, MISS LILLY!
I love you...

About this title

About the Author:

Amy Schwartz is the author and illustrator of many picture books for children, including Begin at the Beginning; Things I Learned in Second Grade; Bea and Mr. Jones, a Reading Rainbow feature; What James Likes Best, recipient of the 2004 Charlotte Zolotow Award; and a glorious day.

From School Library Journal:

PreSchool-Grade 2 --A beautifully executed story of a young girl's response to the death of an elderly friend. Miss Lilly and her cat Snug live across the street from Sara, who spends a great deal of time there talking, helping tend the flowers, and making plum jelly. Whenever it's time for Sara to leave, she and Miss Lilly blow kisses as their special way of saying they will always be friends. When Miss Lilly becomes ill, Sara makes a get-well card in which she writes, "Blow me a kiss, Miss Lilly!" Her friend dies and Sara is terribly sad. Caring for Snug helps, and when spring comes, seeing Miss Lilly's garden blooming reminds Sara of their wonderful times together. Filled with the everyday details of friendship, Carlstrom's story is told in terms young children can understand. Deceptively simple, the language evokes deep emotion and vivid imagery. Schwartz's jubilant ink-wash illustrations capture the childlike innocence and serve as the perfect complement to the story. The vibrant greens, blues, and pinks add to the undeniably joyous quality of the illustrations. A thoughtful balance between text and illustrations completes the visual appeal. With its reassuring, positive message, this book will undoubtedly help many children understand the grieving process. --Denise Anton Wright, Library Book Selection Service, Inc., Bloomington, IL
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Publication date: 1990
• ISBN 10: 0060210133
• ISBN 13: 9780060210137
• Binding: Library Binding
• Number of pages: 32
• Illustrator: Schwartz Amy