THE LILY POND by Annika Thor

Thor, Annika. The Lily Pond. Translated from the Swedish by Linda Schenck. New York:        Delacorte Press, 2011.

ISBN: 978-0-385-74039-5

Plot Summary:

After leaving Austria during World War II, Stephie and her sister Nellie live with two different foster families on an island in Sweden.  So that Stephie can continue her education she must obtain a scholarship and move to a city on the mainland to attend school there.  She lives with a family, Dr. and Mrs. Soderberg and their son, Sven.  Although Sven is five years older than Stephie, she develops a serious crush on him.  Her life is filled with school, dreaming about Sven and worrying about her parents who are still in Vienna, persecuted because they are Jewish. Stephie is able to endure life without her family with the help of her close friends, May, and Sven, and through good times and bad, Stephie learns the value of a true friend.

 

Critical Analysis:

Annika Thor weaves an intricate plot that has many dimensions. The story is easily followed as Stephie lives her life under the cloud of World War II and the Holocaust which have affected her family.  The characters are authentic and, although from a different culture, could be any American teen going to school and developing school-girl crushes.  Of course, the different views of the war are brought into play through dialogue and are conveyed through different characters.  Sven has his anti-Hitler sentiments, Dr. and Mrs. Soderberg, while not supporting Hitler, will not speak out against the Germans, and Stephie, who is Jewish, worries what the future holds for her parents who are not able to escape Austria under German rule.  Stephie’s views are respectfully portrayed throughout even as she is treated unfairly by some classmates and teachers because of her Jewish heritage.  These differing themes and values are true to the sentiment in Sweden, a neutral country, during the war.  The setting is rich in culture and accurately portrays the time that the story is taking place, in late 1940-1941.  Thor uses rich language to describe the beautiful scenery that is typical of Sweden throughout the seasons.  This story seems to have been translated from Swedish flawlessly and is easy to read with flowing language and deeply developed characters.

  

Review Excerpts:

“A compelling look at World War II-era Sweden, this distinguished Holocaust story will resonate.” ~Booklist (December 1, 2011)

“Stephie’s story of adjustment to a new school and of a first crush is both specific and universal.” ~Horn Book (February 2, 2012)

Awards:

Mildred L Batchelder Honor Book

ALA-ALSC Notable Children’s Book

Connections:

**Books about the Holocaust:

    The Lily Pond is a sequel to A Faraway Island by Annika Thor and Linda Schenck, so they should be read sequentially.

    My Family for the War by Anne C. Voorhoeve

**Students can research the culture and city of Goteborg, Sweden, where the story takes place.

** Students can compare/contrast Stephie’s life with that of her friend, May.  Address living arrangements, family life and character as portrayed in the story.