Lily. An Unexpected journey
A Cozy Chapter Book About Friendship, Feelings, and the Magic of Drawing (Ages 7–10)
with Kateryna Didevych (Illustrator); Viktoriia Medvied (Translator)
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Pub Date 7 Mar 2026 | Archive Date 28 Feb 2027
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Description
What if moving to a new home meant leaving everything familiar behind?
Lily’s life changes overnight when her family relocates to Spain. A new house, a new school, and a language she barely understands make her feel lonely, nervous, and completely out of place. Like many children facing a big move, Lily struggles to express her feelings and adjust to an unfamiliar world.
Everything begins to change when she discovers a mysterious old book and meets Ding-Dong — a tiny dragon with a gentle heart and a gift for inspiring courage and creativity.
Through drawing, imagination, and a little magic, Lily slowly learns how to overcome her fears, build confidence, and start making friends in her new environment.
This heartwarming illustrated chapter book combines fantasy and emotional growth in a story that helps children navigate change, friendship, and self-discovery. Perfect for families looking for kids books about feelings, social emotional learning stories, and comforting books about moving to a new house.
Ideal for readers ages 7–10, especially children:
- adjusting to a new school or country
- coping with anxiety or loneliness
- learning friendship and social skills
- building confidence through creativity
A touching story about change, resilience, and discovering that home is the place where you feel loved and understood.
A Note From the Publisher
This is a cozy, heartfelt chapter book for readers aged 7–10 about friendship, big feelings, and the magic of drawing — with charming illustrations throughout. It's a gentle, emotionally warm story, and a natural fit for classrooms, school and public libraries, and any young reader who loves art and stories about belonging.
We'd truly value your honest review. If you enjoy the book, posting your feedback on Amazon and Goodreads, helps other parents, teachers, and young readers discover Lily. Please feel free to reach out with any questions — happy reading!
Advance Praise
"This story really resonates with our family situation so I couldn't not leave a review. My daughter saw herself in Lily from the very first pages. Same feelings, same fears. It was hard to watch but also really healing.
The book is easy to read and understand and the illustrations are just beautiful. We kept stopping just to look at them together.
Thanks to the author for talking about this subject. Not enough people do."
— Fanisk, book reviewer
"I was absolutely thrilled to see a book by a Ukrainian author here! The story of a young girl named Lily is striking in its sincerity, and at the same time, it reveals a side of war that not everyone knows about—one of childhood struggles and loss, and of how a person, while still just a child, loses everything they love and is forced to rebuild their life in a new place. Thank you to the author for tackling this subject!"
— Marina, book reviewer
Available Editions
| EDITION | Paperback |
| ISBN | 9791399143027 |
| PRICE | $16.99 (USD) |
| PAGES | 48 |
Available on NetGalley
Available to Buy
Buy on Amazon Buy on Bookshop.org Buy on WaterstonesAverage rating from 23 members
Featured Reviews
Demi d, Reviewer
Super cute read for littles! I definitely think it's more for older than 7 or 8 but it's super cute and is very informative. The artwork is stunning too and gives good visuals and context for the story. Cute!
Educator 840648
I plan to use this with my ESOL students. This is a warm, descriptive novel that skillfully captures the feelings of a refugee child.
Lily and her family have moved from the Ukraine to Spain. They desperately miss their home country, but Dad his trying his best to acclimate them. Lily has a stuffed bunny that she keeps close, despite the irritation of her prickly older sister Sarah. Sarah is extremely irritated when Dad informs them that there are actually dragons nearby, accusing him of shielding Lily from reality, but magical things do begin to happen when Lily receives a special book.
Hoping that there will be sequels about Lily, Bunny, and Ding Dong! (and Sarah, calming down)
Caroline V, Reviewer
Lily. An Unexpected journey by Volodymyr Samoiliuk is a thoughtful, compassionate book that helps children navigate the trauma of unexpected change. While it is specifically about a refugee family, I think there are a lot of similarly sudden and difficult experiences that this book could help children work through. I think Lily’s story is a great resource to help children understand and explain their experiences while feeling less alone.
For children who have not experienced anything similar, Lily's story helps to build awareness and empathy for refugees and portrays their experiences to younger readers in an age-appropriate way. While I wish it were not needed, I am glad this book is available for children who could benefit from it.
Kateryna Didevych’s illustrations are cute and soft in a way that compliments the subject matter. She uses a fairly neutral, calming palette with pops of more vibrant color.
Lindsay O, Reviewer
This book would be a great read for children facing big changes like a move. Lily discusses her fears and challenges of a big move to a new location. Her bunny helps her through this time. The illustrations in this book are lovely and it would be an easy read for around ages 10-12
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