LILA ON THE LANDING

by Sue Alexander ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 19, 1987

A winning tale of an old-fashioned, non-high-tech child. Each day, Lila, 8, plays a different imaginative game on the landing of her apartment building, which she loves because ""It can be any place I want it to be."" There Lila has played Rapunzel's tower, Aladdin's cave, and Heidi; she has been a storyteller and a playwright. But though she loves it, she's lonely when she retreats to the landing. Alan, leader of the neighborhood children, says she can't skate with the others because she's not a good skater, and he doesn't want to share his new bicycle with her. When Amy and Jon want to join Lila's games, Alan is jealous; Lila realizes ""he needed other people to do things. Alan was scared to be by himself."" When Lila's landing newspaper proves appealing, Alan finally joins in as a reporter. The pecking order in a group of children is clearly revealed with its pain, confusion, and successes. The story of how Lila finds her place in the group--and finds herself--should appeal even to children whose lives are filled with electronic wonders of the computer age.

Pub Date: Oct. 19, 1987

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: 55

Publisher: Clarion/Houghton Mifflin

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 1987

Categories: CHILDREN'S