Afternoon of the Elves

Hillary is an ordinary girl, living an ordinary life – until her neighbor Sara-Kate tells her elves have built a village in her backyard.

Could it be true?  Hillary isn’t sure, but the idea of elves is too interesting to ignore.  So against the advice of her friends at school, Hillary ventures through the backyard fence and into Sara-Kate’s world.

As Hillary is drawn into the world of the elves afternoon after afternoon, her friends and parents grow more concerned.  And Hillary wonders if Sara-Kate is telling the truth, and wonders why she’s never met Sara-Kate’s mother, and all sorts of other mysteries surrounding her new friend.

As she tries to unravel the mysteries, events spiral out of the girls’ control, suddenly tearing their friendship apart and leaving Hillary reeling.

Author Janet Taylor Lisle creates an enchanting and engrossing world in Afternoon of the Elves, and raises more questions than she answers about truth and reality.  This book really made me think about my perspective of life, and how it differs from another person’s perspective.

Recommended for ages 9-14.