Lilliput

August 31, 2015
Cliffhanger chapter endings and vibrant language should quickly ensnare readers of this suspenseful takeoff from Jonathan Swift's Gulliver's Travels, British author Gayton's U.S. debut. Snatched up from the beach when Gulliver returned to Lilliput, tiny Lily, "almost twelve moons old," is now trapped in an enormous world of adults. After enlisting assistance from nature's smaller creaturesâa spider, a mouseâin her ingenious escape plans, Lily gradually learns to trust human help. Along the way, she meets captives of other sorts, confronts unimagined obstacles, and gains the satisfactions of friendship. Compressing the tale into a few days heightens the theme of time's preciousness, evoked too by Ratterree's pencil illustrations, which have a theatricality and precision reminiscent of Tony DiTerlizzi's work. Despite the occasional anachronism ("sleepover") or one-dimensional supporting character, Gayton's colorful prose depicts a true adolescent: moody, clever, and feistyâalbeit with heightened sensory perception, a flair for languages, and fierce defenses coating a heart longing for affection. This literate romp through 18th-century London will have readers cheering Lily home. Ages 8â12. Author's agent: Becky Bagnell, Lindsay Literary Agency. Illustrator's agent: Marietta Zacker, Nancy Gallt Literary Agency.

June 1, 2015
A pocket-sized but fiery heroine proves that brains always beat brawn, even in the streets of London. After enduring ridicule back home in London for his stories about the tiny citizens of Lilliput, Gulliver is intent on proving that his travels there actually occurred. He returns to the island and plucks young Lily right off the beach to act as living proof. Imprisoned by Gulliver for six months (or half her life), Lily is determined to return home before it's too late. Gulliver keeps her trapped in a bird cage hanging from a ceiling in a musty attic above a clockmaker's store, but Lily perseveres with her numerous escape plans. After failing for the 33rd time, she loses all hope of seeing her grandmother again. However, the clockmaker's apprentice, Finn, discovers the note she tied to a mouse's tail from Escape Plan 21 and rescues her from Gulliver. Finn and Lily's new friends, Mr. Ozinda, a chocolatier who speaks only in rhyme, and his parrot, Senor Chitchat, offer comic relief as they come to her aid. Young readers will adore Lily's grouchiness yet relate to her compassion for those less fortunate. Sporadic pencil-and-watercolor illustrations offer a hint of Lily's fiery temper but mostly serve to break up the text. This delightful adventure inspired by Gulliver's Travels will appeal to budding fantasy readers-and position them for the source material later on. (Fantasy. 7-10)

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August 1, 2015

Gr 4-6-Lily is a three-inch tall child from the country of Lilliput. At three moons old, she was kidnapped by Lemuel Gulliver to be proof of his travels. Desperate for home, she has tried to escape 33 times and failed. After every attempt, she gets stuffed into a sock. On her latest sock stint, however, Finn, the clockmaker's apprentice, manages to rescue her. In their attempts to find a way to return Lily to Lilliput, Finn's master, Mr. Plinker, discovers Lily's existence. Determined to turn Lily and Finn into clock-fixing servants, the clockmaker is hot on their tail. To top it off, Gulliver wants Lily back so he can prove his research. Will Finn and Lily manage to get her back to Lilliput? Will Mr. Plinker catch up with them? The illustrations are detailed and have an eye-catching, three-dimensional quality. Though the plot is simplistic, the old-fashioned storytelling style is well done and brings Lilliput's world to life. The characters are likable, unique, and engaging. VERDICT Readers who enjoy adventure and visiting new places will want to meet Lily.-Kira Moody, Whitmore Public Library, Salt Lake City, UT

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2015
Grades 4-6 Lily is happy at home with her nana, until the day a giant named Gulliver walks out of the ocean (and every Lilliputian child's nightmares) and kidnaps her to his home in faraway London. With the help of a beleaguered clock-maker's apprentice and a few other friends, Lily is determined to make her way back home. Geared toward the younger set, this sequel to Jonathan Swift's Gulliver's Travels is equal parts escape tale and philosophical exploration of freedom. The language and story, though not as ornate or complex, are reminiscent of Kate DiCamillo's Tale of Despereaux (2003). There is death and abuse, but it isn't explicit, and the omniscient narrator distances children from some of the emotional content. Black-and-white illustrations rendered in pencil and watercolor add a whimsical touch to Lily's adventures, softening the intensity and danger of her exploits. Gayton's book is a good choice for a read-aloud, and an afterword introduces children to Gulliverania (fan fiction) and the notion of public domain.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)