Review: Afternoon of the Elves by Janet Taylor Lisle

Synopsis: Anything might happen in Sara-Kate’s backyard. For that matter, anything was happening.

For nine-year-old Hillary Lenox, being friends with Sara-Kate Connolly is a complicated business. Sara-Kate’s clothes don’t match, her hair’s a mess, and she’s known to spit at people when they make her mad. But when Sara-Kate shows Hillary the tiny elf village in her overgrown backyard, Hillary decides she can’t be as awful as all that. 

Hillary is amazed by the delicate houses, the miniature well, even an intricate Ferris wheel made of bicycle wheels and popsicle sticks. But the more time she spends in Sara-Kate’s yard, the more questions she has. How come they never go inside Sara-Kate’s house? Why is Sara-Kate sometimes missing from school? And why hasn’t Hillary ever seen Sara-Kate’s mom? If Hillary can just look deep enough, she hopes, she will uncover the secrets of the elves—and of her new friend.

Review:  This is a haunting and bittersweet story. The story starts with the typical “outcast” child and the girl who becomes friends with her. But from there, it goes much different than I expected.

As Hillary spends time with the abrasive Sara-Kate, she begins to wonder about the magic of the elves and their village in Sara-Kate’s backyard.

Hillary, with her normal home and parents, struggles to understand the way Sara-Kate lives and process what it means. Her naivety often leads her to strange child-like conclusions.

But it is the ending that sets this story apart. There is not happy ending. Sara-Kate is shipped off to live with relatives after her secret is discovered. Sara-Kate doesn’t become “normal” like Hillary. No, Hillary becomes like Sara-Kate, taking up the world of the elves and their strange ways. While sorrowful, it is a much more powerful ending.

Worth reading, particularly with Children, although I would advise an adult on hand to discuss some difficult passages and scenes, as there is mention of child neglect and mild abuse, although nothing graphic. 

Bookmarks: 3.5 of 5

Awards: Newbery Honor, 1990

ISBN: 0-590-43944-8
Year Published: 1989
Date Finished: 8-5-2018
Pages: 122