Book Review of It’s Me, Lilly McKee!
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The Children’s Book Review
It’s Me, Lilly McKee!
Written by Nancy Paris
Illustrated by Penny Weber
Ages: 7+ | 120 Pages
Publisher: Vellamere House LLC (2026) | ISBN: 979-8-9974599-0-1
What to Expect: Friendship, ballet, impulsivity, inclusion, stage fright, life dreams.
In this sweet and funny middle grade novel, ballet serves as the backdrop for friendships, learning, and trying new things.
Lilly McKee doesn’t mean to be always in trouble … it just happens that way sometimes. When her attempt to practice being a TV chef leads to an explosion of soggy toilet paper in the bathroom, her mom gives her a timeout—and suggests that finding a hobby might keep her out of trouble. Yoga is no good, and soccer is definitely not for her, but a visit to the ballet convinces Lilly that ballet classes would be the perfect hobby—especially when she discovers her best friend Luna also does ballet. Unfortunately, so does Beanie—the meanest kid in the 3rd grade. Still, everything seems to be going well … until the day of the first ballet performance. Stage fright, costume mishaps, and a very difficult decision might mean the end of Lilly and Luna’s friendship, until help arrives from a totally unexpected source—Beanie!
Lilly McKee is impulsive and irrepressible, and readers will love the way the first-person narration allows her to talk directly to them in her own quirky voice. Equally engaging is the way the friendship between Lilly, Luna, and Beanie develops not only through shared interests but also through shared challenges and difficult conversations. Underpinning the story of this friendship is the growing love all three share for ballet, and readers will learn through them about ballet moves, ballet history, and ballet culture. The black-and-white sketches that illustrate each chapter bring Lilly’s energy and enthusiasm to life on the page, as well as showing ballet in action. At the end of the book, a glossary, fact sheet, and discussion prompts help readers explore both friendship and ballet more deeply.
Warm, inviting, and with a gratifyingly happy ending, It’s Me, Lilly McKee! is perfect for young readers who love ballet, BFF stories, and quirky, energetic narrators.
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About the Author
Nancy Paris is a former professional dancer, choreographer, and longtime NYC-based dance teacher whose work took her across the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Sweden, and Japan. She trained at American Ballet Theatre, the Martha Graham School, and The Juilliard School.
Drawing on years spent in studios, classrooms, and rehearsal rooms, Nancy writes funny, heartfelt chapter books about friendship, big feelings, mistakes, and learning to see things from another person’s point of view. Her debut series, Lilly McKee & Friends, brings those themes to life through the lively world of children’s dance.
Nancy lives in Connecticut and writes for young readers who are still figuring out who they are, how friendships work, and what to do when things don’t go quite as planned.
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