When Lily is a young teenager, the time comes for her and her friends to leave school and find work; some are emigrating to America, some going to work in shops. Lily is going into service in the Big House - Lissadell.

Lily's employers, the Gore-Booth family, are kind, but life as a young housemaid can be hard: Lily works long days, she has to learn to get along with the staff, particularly her roommate, the sullen and uncommunicative Nellie, and she misses her home and family.

But when Maeve, daughter of Constance Markievicz and niece of the Gore-Booths, comes to visit and decides to paint a portrait of Lily an unusual friendship begins between the two girls from such different worlds.

A warm and engaging story about friendship, life in the early 20th century and how the political world affects everyone.

About the Author
Judi Curtin is the best-selling author of the 'Alice and Megan' series, the 'Eva' series and the 'Time After Time' series, about Beth and Molly, time-travelling best friends. Judi won the Children's Book of the Year (Senior) at the Irish Book Awards in 2017 for Stand By Me. Her 'Lily' series is set in Lissadell House, Sligo in the early twentieth century, while the 'Sally' series is set among the Irish emigrant community in New York of the same era. Sally in the City of Dreams was shortlisted for the An Post Irish Book Awards 2023 Rachel Corcoran is a freelance illustrator and designer from Dublin, Ireland. A member of Illustrators Ireland, Rachel's work appears in children's books and book cover illustrations. Rachel also runs her online shop where she sells her earth-kind illustrated greeting cards and prints. When Rachel is not illustrating, she loves to bake with her helper Billie the cat, garden with her outdoor cat Socks, and read books that are set in times long ago.

Reviews

written with a light touch and shot through with fascinating details about the period ... this warm, touching book about friendship across the class divide truly shines

* Irish Independent *

Judi Curtin can do no wrong ... a perfect tale

* Mummypages *

Lily at Lissadell by Judi Curtin is a very good book which I really enjoyed reading. It has a very interesting storyline and some amazing characters ... Lily at Lissadell is such a good book that it is nearly impossible to put down once you start reading it. This book is my favourite book by Judi Curtin." (Sarah Hurley, 5th class)

* Limerick Leader *

Like Jacqueline Wilson, to whom she is frequently compared, Judi Curtin is increasingly drawn to setting her stories in the past, and that is the case in this her latest novel. It's 1913, and young Lily must leave school - and her dreams of becoming a teacher herself - to go and work as under housemaid at Lissadell House ... Lily is a long way from home and misses her mother, and little sisters and brothers very much. But, like many Curtin heroines, she's bright, caring, optimistic and, above all, resilient ... For all its Upstairs, Downstairs setting, the accent is mostly on how much the people in the house have in common, and while Curtin skilfully creates a real sense of history - the arrival of the motorcar, talk of what is happening beyond Lissadell and Lily's two room cottage home - we care most about Lily; the drama, such as it is, comes not from historic events but the sense of her development, and of what she might go on to do. It's clear that Lily is living in an age on the brink of huge change, but the overall atmosphere is one of optimism and hope. The three main characters - Lily, Maeve and Nellie - are as lively a trio as you could hope to meet, characters that readers will believe in and care about. As we've come to expect from Judi Curtin, the story is full of charm and humour and this is a genuinely heart-warming read

* Books for Keeps *

warm and engaging story about friendship

* Primary Times *

warm hearted and a wonderful read

* Woman's Way *

an imaginative picture of life in the great house

* Irish Examiner *

a beautifully written book for children aged nine and over ... this fiction book would lend itself well to use in the classroom both for literacy and history lessons alike ... instantly appealing ... another delightful page-turner from this well-loved children's author

* InTouch Magazine *

Lily at Lissadell is Curtin's most consummate children's novel to date and surely worthy of a sequel or two

-- Pet O'Connell * Evening Echo *

I think it is a lovely book that is both happy and sad in equal measure... I would recommend this book to everyone

-- Aoibhe, 5th class * Seomra Ranga *


Awards
Short-listed for Specsavers Children's Book of the Year (Senior) 2019 (Ireland).



Book Information
ISBN 9781788491976
Author Judi Curtin
Format Paperback
Page Count 288
Imprint O'Brien Press Ltd
Publisher O'Brien Press Ltd
Weight(grams) 235g
Dimensions(mm) 196mm * 130mm * 18mm