A New Home for Lily, Book 2, The Adventures of Lily Lapp by Suzanne Woods Fisher & Mary Ann Kinsinger, ©2013

A New Home for Lily

By Suzanne Woods Fisher & Mary Ann Kinsinger

Available February 2013 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

The second novel in the charming Adventures of Lily Lapp series, A New Home for Lily, gives children ages 8-12 a fascinating glimpse into the life of the Amish with lots of fun and laughter along the way. It combines the real-life stories of growing up Amish from Mary Ann Kinsinger and the bestselling writing of Amish fiction and nonfiction author Suzanne Woods Fisher. With line illustrations throughout, this series is sure to capture the hearts of readers young and old.

Lily Lapp is moving with her family to Pennsylvania to join a new Amish community. In this small town where changes – and newcomers – are greeted with suspicion, Lily must adjust to a new school, new friends and Aaron Yoder, an annoying boy who teases her relentlessly. Still, there are exciting new developments, including an attic full of adventure and a new baby brother. But why, Lily wonders, can't God bring her just one sister?

Mary Ann Kinsinger was raised Old Order Amish in Somerset County, Pennsylvania. She met and married her husband whom she knew from school days, and started a family. After they chose to leave the Amish church, Mary Ann began a blog, A Joyful Chaos, as a way to capture her warm memories of her childhood for her own children. From the start, this blog found a ready audience and even captured the attention of key media players, such as the influential blog AmishAmerica and The New York Times. She lives in Pennsylvania.

Suzanne Woods Fisher is the bestselling author of The Choice, The Waiting, The Search, The Keeper and The Haven, as well as nonfiction books about the Amish, including Amish Peace. Her interest in the Anabaptist cultures can be directly traced to her grandfather, who was raised in the Old Order German Baptist Brethren Church in Franklin County, Pennsylvania. Suzanne is a Christy Award finalist and a Carol Award finalist. She is the host of internet radio show Amish Wisdom and a columnist for Christian Post and Cooking & Such magazines. She lives in California. For more information, please visit www.suzannewoodsfisher.com and connect with her on Twitter @suzannewfisher.

This is the second novel in the Adventures of Lily Lapp series, and will give children ages 8-12 a delightful glimpse at life among the Amish…with both differences and similarities to their own lives.

A New Home for Lily

By Suzanne Woods Fisher & Mary Ann Kinsinger

978-0-8007-2133-6

Paperback; 272 pages

Publication Date: February 2013

Summary: From age seven, Lily finds it difficult to adjust to life in Pennsylvania, following a different set of rules, and going to school with judgmental Effie and annoying Aaron, but her second year brings some wonderful surprises.


My Review:

Lily comes to her new home in Pennsylvania to find other people unloading their belongings and putting them away! How do they know where Mama wants her dishes and spices? One woman even says she will have her children stop by IN THE MORNING to go with them to school! Oh, my. Lily decides if she stays up all night and doesn't sleep, she will have a headache in the morning and Mama would have to let her stay home.

What do you think you would feel like finding your comfortable home moved to a different building and land outside?? With new people in your house before you even walk inside? Mama agrees with the woman!

"I think it is a good idea to go to school tomorrow," Mama said, sounding certain. "The longer you wait the more you will dread it. Once you're there, you'll enjoy it."
  --A New Home for Lily, page 11

Lily finds her new one room school house is a little different from what she is used to and she needs to practice kindness, especially with one girl who obviously doesn't draw too many friends.

Lily's Mama makes new clothing and a head covering for Lily to be more like what those in their new community wear. Are there new things that you would like to try? Shoes are what I noticed when I was in school. In fifth grade, I wanted low boots with a round ring in front. I was so proud of them. Looking back, I noticed just I and a boy a few places over in our school class photo had them on! As we got older, girls in my school wore black soft suede low lace-up shoes that spread out after you wore them awhile. One girl would get newer ones and they would be snug on her foot again.

Lily would be a good friend. There are line drawings that you will enjoy, seeing what Lily is doing. A New Home for Lily is about her family and their times together in their new Amish community. I liked how Lily becomes friends and knows when to keep quiet, learning the right way to treat others. One time she forgets, and says what she is thinking. It turns out well for them all at breakfast!

This chapter book has 36 chapters of Lily's adventures.

There will be four books in the Adventures of Lily Lapp series. Book 3, A Big Year for Lily, is available for pre-order and will be published in July 2013.

Lily has a website where you may meet the authors, get to know Lily and her family, learn more about the Amish, and find fun games and activities. To read the first three chapters of Book 1, Life with Lily, and Book 2, A New Home for Lily, visit the Adventures of Lily Lapp website www.AdventuresofLilyLapp.com.

Book 1

Book 2

Book 3

Thank  you to the Revell Blog Tour Network Children’s Fiction for sending me a copy of A New Home for Lily to review in my own words. No other compensation was received.