The Lily Pond continues the story of Stephie Steiner, who was introduced in A Faraway Island. Stephie and her younger sister, Nellie, are Jewish children from Vienna who have been taken in by families on a Swedish island during World War II. As the second book in the series opens, Stephie is going to the mainland to continue her schooling since the island school only goes through sixth grade. Stephie has been offered a room in the apartment of the Soderberg family, who had rented Aunt Marta and Uncle Evert’s home on the island the previous summer. Stephie makes friends with another scholarship student, May. Stephie has a secret crush on 17-year-old Sven Soderberg. Not everyone is as welcoming as May and Sven. Stephie’s German teacher, Miss Krantz, is prejudiced against Jews, and a classmate, Alice, seems to hate her for no reason. And Stephie is worried about her parents, who are still in Vienna but hoping to get visas to emigrate to America. A secluded lily pond is Stephie’s retreat when things get to be too much for her.

The first book in the series reminded me of the Anne of Green Gables books. This one didn’t so much. This book rehashes several themes from the first book, with Stephie trying to fit in with a new family, a new group of children, and a new “city” culture. Stephie’s unrequited crush on Sven is the only really new theme. This book didn’t have enough of Nellie, Aunt Marta, and Uncle Evert to suit me. Even though I didn’t like this book as much as I did the first book in the series, I still want to finish the series to find out what happens to Stephie and Nellie. Will they be reunited with their parents in the end, or will they be among the 6 million Jews who perished in the Holocaust? ( )

Stephanie goes to the mainland to attend grammar school. Her younger sister Nellie remains on the island. Stephanie lives with the doctor's family who visited on the island, but she's not really treated as a family member, taking her meals in the kitchen. She's glad the other two girls from the island are in the other class. Stephanie has a crush on Sven, the son in the family with whom she resides. She befriends a girl from a poor family. Sven takes Stephanie on a tour around town, showing her a lily pond which is in front of wealthy families' homes when she arrives. She knows it is a place she'll visit often. It was the perfect title for this book since she visits there regularly to reflect and ponder. Her parents are still in Vienna, hoping to secure passage to America. I don't want to give too much away. It's a great installment in the series. I'm glad someone decided to make these available in English. I listened to the audiobook. ( )

I thought I might not like these books past the first book. But I liked this one just as much. I really enjoyed it. I plan to read book 3 soon as I am eager to find out what happens next. Book 4 looks available in English as a Kindle edition but I’m not sure it’s available in any other format. I hope that there is some way I’ll be able to read it if I want to continue on past book 3.

This book could work as a standalone but I highly recommend reading book 1 before reading this book. I know I would have liked this book much less than I did had I not read book 1 first. Just enough background is given in this one so readers won’t be totally lost though if they decide to read this book first.

I loved getting to know some new characters and the city vs. middle of nowhere setting. I also really liked seeing other sides to people I’d already met in the first book.

I appreciated that the main character is flawed and makes mistakes but is very likeable and loveable anyway.

I thought the relationships and people and happenings were mostly realistically done.

It was chilling to see the anti-Semitism, subtle and a bit less so, from some of the characters, especially the Swedes and most especially some of the teachers. Luckily, there are many, many characters that are on the right side of things.

Fabulous story(ies) that would have been a favorite of mine when I was 9-12.

I deliberately read through this slowly because my other library books were not ready and I didn’t want to be left with no library books, but this is a book I could normally easily read in one or two days. ( )

A very good picture of what life was like in the beginning years of the second world war for Jewish refugees. Stephie is a character with heart and courage who has adapted to life on an isolated island and then has an opportunity to attend school on the mainland. ( )