Surprise Lily

by Sharelle Byars Moranville

Ten-year-old Rose's perfect life is upended when her long-absent disaster of a mother turns up. Can she hold her family together as everything unravels?

Growing up on the farm it was always just Rose and grandma, working the land that had been in the Lovell family for generations. She doesn't miss her mother, Iris, a bit.

In fact, when Iris shows up, Rose is furious. But when an ugly argument between her mother and grandmother reveals painful truths about their family history, Rose runs away. . . . And inadvertently discovers her secret little sister, Lily.

Generations of whispered secrets and family dysfunction surface as Rose struggles to reconcile the home and life she loves with the history she never knew-- and to protect Lily at all costs. Even if it means letting Iris into her life.

In alternating chapters, previous generations of Lovell women narrate their experiences on the farm, adding depth and context to this powerful story of complex families and unconditional love. Moranville's captivating prose will keep readers turning the pages as Rose grapples with her changing life and learns the truth about her family-- mothers, daughters, and women who weren't ready to be either.

Genres: Middle Grade, Fiction, Childrens

240 pages, Hardcover

First published October 8, 2019

About the author

When I was a kid, I wanted to be an engineer--and some days still do. But I love being a writer and teacher of creative writing. I live on a small acreage with my husband in the midwest and am devoted to gardens and grandchildren. I spend most of my time helping things grow: ideas into stories; seeds into flowers; grandbabies into miracles.

Reviews

[Darla · Rating 5 out of 5]

This surprising middle grade novel from Holiday House explores mental illness and teenage pregnancy through the perspective of a line of Lovell women. Many of the characters have flower names, which is delightful. There are early chapters from the past giving us glimpses of the experiences that have shaped the family we see reflected in present day Rose (10). There are some heartbreaking, humorous, and heartwarming moments as Rose's mother (Iris) returns to town with a surprise. How will Ama (Tulip) and Rose move on after the upheaval Iris brings? Includes some great details about farm life as well as caring for a toddler.

Thank you to Holiday House and Edelweiss for providing a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ten-year-old Rose Lovell is content with her life on the family farm with her grandmother. What starts as a fairly innocuous school project--a family tree--ends up becoming much more complicated once Rose's mother, Iris, arrives for a visit. Rose overhears a conversation between Iris and her grandmother, and she realizes that she hasn't been told the whole truth about her family. When she runs away, hiding in the back of Iris's car, and realizes that Iris has another child, Rose decides that it's up to her to take care of her sister, even at the expense of her own well being. The author alternates chapters focused on Rose and modern times with chapters from her female predecessors, each of whom faced challenges of her own. The author deftly describes the bonds that bind us even when we are different from the rest of our family while also unearthing family secrets that have remained in the dark for decades. I appreciated the lovely descriptions of the joys of rural life, complete with a calf named Peanutbutter, Rose's earnestness, and the mental health issues that plague various members of the family and lead to certain choices. Watching Rose fall in love with Lily, the sister she never knew she had, and seeing her mother and grandmother try to bind up old wounds was both a delight and heart-wrenching because those moments rang so true. While this story might not be very everyone, it is well told and worth reading and might serve as a reminder to youngsters that their ancestors had lives and stories of their own, the effects of which may ripple down into the next generation and the next. The author has chosen to tell only the stories of the women in one family. While it might have been interesting to hear what some of those men thought and experienced, this decision is effective and allows readers to focus on a long line of women.

[Jan Blazanin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ten-year-old Rose lives on the Lovell family farm just like generations of women before her. She loves the land, the animals, even the chores, and she can't imagine living anywhere else. Ama, her grandmother, encourages her to be independent, making her feel as if she can do anything. Life is nearly perfect until Rose's mother, Iris, shows up unannounced and gets into a huge argument with Ama. Rose overhears secrets that break her heart and make her furious at the same time. She runs away, into a situation she never imagined, and her life irrevocably changes.

Rose is a brave, loving, and sometimes headstrong character children will identify with, envy, and root for from beginning to end. This is a novel teachers, parents, and grandparents will enjoy reading with their children as much as children will enjoy reading it on their own. My favorite children's novel of the year!

[Christine Indorf · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun 3.5!!

Rose lives with her Grandmother on a farm and loves her life and can't imagine a life any better. But when her Mother comes back and she finds she has a sister she will do whatever it takes to protect her, even leaving her Grandmother. Wonderful story of love and also mental health. I find this more for adults than middle grade. I feel its an important book especially those how struggle with mental health. Highly recommend!!

[Mike DeAnda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Children’s Book!

Surprise Lily is one of those all-too-rare novels that throw a spotlight on a rural community in the center of the United States. Ms. Moranville’s meticulous details of farm life provide a believable backdrop for the Lovell woman through several generations. Each girl’s chapter provides a snapshot of her life at age ten as well as the joys and flaws of her family. The relationship between Rose and her grandmother Ama is especially touching, which makes it all the more heartbreaking when it falls apart. Readers will fly through the pages to see how Rose handles a series of shocking surprises and cross their fingers that her family will heal by the book’s end. A great children’s novel!

[Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is AMAZING!!!!!!!! It is soo well written. Her characters are so well thought out, the story is a great story of what family means and that no matter what, they will always be there for you

[Stephanie Tournas · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a compelling story that examines what happens when a family keeps secrets, and it is delivered with an unusual narrative structure. The first chapter introduces Rose, a sensitive eleven year old who lives with her grandmother, Ama. They live on an active farm, and Rose loves everything about the animals, nature and the seasons. She is nervously getting ready for a class presentation about a great aunt, and has made a family tree, which incidentally, only lists women. The next four chapters are each about other family members on her tree: her great grandmother, aunt, grandmother, and mother. The reader notices that all share deep feelings of sadness or insignificance, and that there are pieces missing from the family puzzle. The last few chapters continue the beginning narrative with Rose, and the reader starts to put the missing pieces together. I felt close to and protective of these characters, as I had the ability to see their common sadnesses. I liked Rose immensely, especially, and I think readers will be moved by her journey. I also like how her talent for paper-folding art meshes with her development as a person. The farm itself is an affecting presence in the story.

[Cindy Mitchell *Kiss the Book* · Rating 3 out of 5]

Surprise Lily by Sharelle Byars Moranville, 240 pages. Holiday House. 231 pages, 2019. $16.

Language: G (0 swears); Mature Content PG; Violence: G

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS – ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Ten-year old Rose is happy growing up on the farm and taking care of her calf and living with her grandmother, Ama. But family secrets have a way of revealing themselves, and much to Rose’s dismay, her absentee mother suddenly shows up in her life. Told in alternating chapters from different women in Rose’s family tree, Rose’s familiar life is upended as she discovers more about her family.

A story about family struggles and the imperfections that make family what it is, this story reminds us of the importance of knowing who you are. While beautifully written, I wish the mental illness would have been explained more fully, and that some of the characters would have made a repeat entry. Rose’s family tree may be messed up, but it shows that family ties run deep.

Michelle in the Middle
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2020...

[Mackenzie Hager]

“Surprise Lily” Is written by Sharelle Byars Moranville and is narrated in 3rd person point of view. This book is about a girl named Rose that had grown up on a farm with her grandmother. She had never thought about her mother and honestly didn’t miss her. But one day, Rose’s life turns upside down after her long-absent mother, Iris returns home. Let’s just say that Rose wasn’t too pleased of her mother's unexpected arrival. Her mother's newly found presents causes pain in her family’s history which leads Rose to run away...You will have to keep reading to see what happens next in this book! This book was full of twists and leaves you longing for more. I would give this book 4/5 stars for its unexpected beginning, emotional storyline, and realistic plot. The theme of this book is that life isn't always what it seems, join Rose on the journey of uncovering her family’s lies and discovering her family’s true history. If you like drama, addictive, and action-packed books, then the novel “Surprise Lily” is for you!

[Teresa Bateman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rose's family tree is...complicated. She discovers this after a genealogy assignment at school. Her family tree involves a long line of women, but their relationships are not always what they seem. Rose was raised on the farm by her grandmother, after her own mother dumped her there as a baby. She loves her life and feels perfectly safe in it, until her mother shows up again, years later. Soon Rose finds herself torn as more secrets are revealed. Can she cope with the changes ahead? This is a thoughtful book that examines family from a variety of viewpoints, showing the resilience that comes with love.

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

The person who did the jacket art definitely read and understood (and loved) the story. Main character Rose is ten and the book is categorized as juvenile but I would say emotionally, upper elementary and above, and would note that it is non-linear and deals with some tough issues. The author has done a beautiful job of writing while presenting these tough issues. Surprise Lily contains life as it is with its secrets and surprises.

[Deanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

A page turner, read it in one night.

[Mariah Meyers · Rating 1 out of 5]

I didn’t enjoy this book at all. I don’t mind books that deal with hard or heavy topics, but this one just wasn’t written well and didn’t feel thoughtful or meaningful. It almost glorified teen pregnancy and substance abuse, and there were basically no consequences for the choices Rose’s mother made. The story also puts an unrealistic amount of responsibility on a ten-year-old, and it doesn’t teach any real lesson.

[Macy Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this exploration of a messy family, mental health, and rural living. I wish that the multiple perspectives from the beginning of the book would have continued through the whole novel.

[Tina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love reading books by Iowa authors. I read The Snows by Moranville over a decade ago and loved it. This one has some similarities with that book (from what I remember of it at this point) and does a great job of depicting family relationships and life in rural America.

[Jacqueline · Rating 5 out of 5]

A touching story of a young girl who loves the familiarity of her quiet rural life and must reluctantly adjust to change and the revelation of family secrets.

[Breelynd Huntley · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked the idea of this book, but all the jumping around of timelines got to me and I couldn't finish it.

[Mariah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book tackled so many heavy themes in an easily digestible way. Though I think it will honestly go over the heads of most kids who read it.

[Steph · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a super unique middle grade / young adult story, and I loved those family trees woven throughout. I have the perfect friend to pass my copy on to. :-)

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book has an open ending. There are several possible ways things could go. That's a bit annoying, but still...maybe I like the fact I can choose my own ending for Rose's future.

[Yourlocal_nychotdog · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book is very beautiful and although it felt a little confusing at times to remember the names/ nicknames and even the family tree is was a good book a little slow but overall a great read

[Strawbibble · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you enjoyed the confrontation of generational trauma found in Encanto, and the setting/atmosphere of Charlotte's Web then I can't recommend this book enough.
We watch our main character, Rose, as she grows up, learns family secrets, and tries to mend the hurt and trauma affecting her loved ones that has trickled down to her. Through it all we see her conflicting anger, love, jealousy, and maturity in this beautiful display of family and acceptance.