Life Lessons For Us All

Adventures In Lylaland by Louise Pentland is a wonderful debut novel for girls aged eight years and over. It is a very charming read, with life lessons for us all whatever our age.

We witness the power of the mind to transport us to faraway places where the only limit is our imagination. Lead character Lyla is ten-years-old. She escapes to Lylaland whenever life gets hard for her. Bullies tease her for this, whilst others long to hear her stories.

As the novel progresses, Lyla learns that she can control her thoughts and “Lylaland is for fun, not for escaping to when life feels hard.” When life is hard, we need to face it and we need to share our fears with others.

We see Lyla navigating school with its’ pitfalls of friendships, the playground, and the forceful Maths teacher. With kindness and also by applying herself to her lessons, Lyla has the power to overcome it all.

Divorced parents create a rocky road for Lyla as she is caught in the middle. Lyla loves both her parents. We see the unconditional love that her mother gives her, and the not always so great, advice she receives from her father’s girlfriend.

Lyla’s Aunt Kath teaches her a wise lesson about love and loss. Those we have loved and have lost, live on in our hearts and minds.

All the characters were delightful and very likable. Lyla was easy to empathise with.

Adventures In Lylaland is a perfect book for the tweens – whether the book is read to them or whether new readers can access it alone, they will learn that whatever they face, they are not alone. I think every personal library should have a copy, as should primary classrooms.

Adventures In Lylaland is entertaining and educating. I will leave you with my favourite quote”

“Never be afraid of where your mind can take you… Sometimes it’s exactly what your heart needs.”

JULIA WILSON