Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse

Lilly’s personality jumps off the page, and I wonder what inspired her energetic and sometimes mischievous spirit. Did the author draw from personal childhood memories?

The story captures those intense moments of wanting to be heard and understood. I’m curious if others saw parts of their own childhood in Lilly’s reactions.

The humor keeps the story light, but it still delivers meaningful messages. I wonder if Henkes intentionally structured it to entertain while teaching empathy.