The Summer of Lily and Esme - New edition
| By: | John Quinn |
| Publisher: | Poolbeg Press Ltd |
| Published: | April 1992 |
| Pages: | 199 |
| Categories: | Children |
| Language: | English |
| Available as: | Paperback |
| On sale at: |
The Summer of Lily & Esme tells a quiet story, filled with compassion, friendship, memory and heart. It is the story of Alan, an 11-year-old boy who has moved from the city into a house in the countryside; in the middle of nowhere.The house is old and extremely large and immaculate; and there is a locked, boarded over attic room that is said to be haunted by the ghost of a young boy who died tragically. Alan is not too pleased with this move and becomes even less thrilled when he discovers his closest neighbours, in fact his only neighbours, are a pair of elderly sisters, Esme and Lily, who seem to be suffering from dementia. When Alan falls down a hill of brambles and weeds, the sisters, who believe they themselves to be children, mistake Alan for their childhood friend, Albert. Albert sits at the centre of a mystery that occurred just a few short months after Lily and Esmes' 11th birthday, and now....according to them, he has arrived back. Alan and his new friend, Lisa who has arrived up from Wexford for the summer, set about discovering what happened to Albert, and, by extension, the sisters.
Other Books From this Category
-
5 Oct 2026 - Townhouse Publishing Ltd
Level Up!
Ready to LEVEL UP your maze skills? Solve the mazes in this book from easy to challenging, speed through the mini mazes, then customise and create your own amazing mazes! With over 2000 maze tile and ...
-
21 Sep 2026 - Townhouse Publishing Ltd
Please look after this Dragon
Encourage little one’s imagination with their own pet dragon! This brilliant board book encourages independent play, with a play piece that children can remove, carry and pop into the pages. Give yo...
-
21 Sep 2026 - Townhouse Publishing Ltd
Busy Helpers
Filled with flaps to lift and things to spot, Busy Helpers is perfect for supporting your little one’s language acquisition. It includes essential words as well as challenging ones, and each page ...
-
21 Sep 2026 - Townhouse Publishing Ltd
My First Tablet Book
Little ones will love to push the sounds buttons, move the sliders and wave to themselves in the mirrors in this tablet-shaped novelty book! Learn with Katie Cat and Big Cat as they try new hobbies li...
-
21 Sep 2026 - Townhouse Publishing Ltd
100 First Things to Say
Little ones will love this charming first words book – with phrases to learn as well! Featuring beautiful, vintage-style illustrations and with sturdy flaps to lift, this book will help make learn...
-
21 Sep 2026 - Townhouse Publishing Ltd
Please look after this Ghost
Little ones will love having their own pet ghost in! This perfect board book encourages independent play, with a play piece that children can remove, carry and pop into the pages. Give your ghost a na...
-
12 Sep 2026 - Lonely Planet Global Limited
Lonely Planet Kids A Kid's Guide to Spain
By Alexa Ward
-
12 Sep 2026 - Lonely Planet Global Limited
Lonely Planet Kids A Kid's Guide to France
By Paige Towler
-
7 Sep 2026 - Townhouse Publishing Ltd
K-Pop: Dragon Detectives
K-pop fans will love this dazzling colouring book, with pictures that tell a brilliantly fun K-pop themed story. They can follow K-pop band the Flames as they chase a mysterious dragon, all whilst bal...
-
17 Aug 2026 - Townhouse Publishing Ltd
Gymnastics
A gentle introduction to gymnastics for little ones. Packed with facts and tips for new gymnasts and including flaps to lift and vibrant scenes illustrated by Carol Herring, this book will encourage l...
-
17 Aug 2026 - Townhouse Publishing Ltd
100 First Words
Babies and toddlers will love this vibrant, simple first words book, with touch-and-feel felt on every page. With gentle, colourful illustrations, and soft, light felt pages, this is the perfect gift ...
-
17 Aug 2026 - Townhouse Publishing Ltd
Football
Introduce little ones to fun of the beautiful game in this brilliant first book about football! Packed with facts and tips for new footballers, and including flaps to lift and vibrant scenes illustrat...
-
17 Aug 2026 - Townhouse Publishing Ltd
Baby Touch
Sharing books with babies helps to build their sense of happiness and security. This bright board book has been designed with the youngest babies in mind, and features touch-and-feel textures that the...
-
17 Aug 2026 - Townhouse Publishing Ltd
Baby Sees
Sharing books with babies helps to build their sense of happiness and security. This bright board book has been designed with the youngest babies in mind, and features strong printed felt flaps that b...
-
12 Aug 2026 - Lonely Planet Global Limited
Lonely Planet Kids Atlas of Spooky Places
By Paige Towler
-
10 Aug 2026 - Townhouse Publishing Ltd
Happy Town
Let your little one’s imagination run wild with this fold-out playmat book. Featuring a detailed busy town, with roads and paths for children’s favourite toys, it is perfect for small world play. ...
-
7 Aug 2026 - Little Island
The Grandfather Clock and Other Irish Folk Tales
Bursting with humour and adventure, and told in a lyrical voice, these colourful and entertaining stories are likely to be new even to children who are familiar with the classics of Irish mythology. T...
-
22 Jul 2026 - Townhouse Publishing Ltd
On the Farm
A bright and colourful felt playbook with five scenes and 40 felt pieces to play with and arrange… again and again! Little ones will love meeting all their favourite farm characters and arranging th...
-
6 Jul 2026 - O'Brien Press Ltd
It's Too Dark, Puffling
A baby puffling is afraid of his burrow. ‘The dark is too dark for me,’ he says. Can the other island animals help him to see the magic of nighttime?
-
1 Jul 2026 - JM Agency, Publishing Consultancy
Howl at Halloween: Áine goes to Kenmare
Other Books From this Author
-
13 Mar 2026 - Orpen Press
Daily Wisdom · Léann an Lae: Irish Proverbs and Sayings for Each Day of the Year
By John Quinn
Proverbs from the Irish language - seanfhocail - hark back to a time when Ireland and its people were predominantly agricultural, poor and Catholic; though centuries old, they are integral to a sense ...
-
29 Sep 2025 - Orpen Press
The Passing Year: Remembrances, Recollections, Ruminations
By John Quinn
The book contains the author's personal journal from 2024, documenting his observations and the memories and thoughts (recollections and ruminations) they inspired. Quinn reflects on both the negative...
-
15 May 2024 - Veritas Publications
Homage: A Salute to Fifty Memorable Minds
By John Quinn
In his inimitable style John Quinn pays homage to fifty well-known people from various fields – the arts, education, politics, business, science, economics – all of whom he interviewed in the cour...
-
20 Oct 2021 - Veritas Publications
Stolen Moments
By John Quinn
The moments collected in this book range from -the sad loss of a loved one -to the minor -the nuiseance of daffodils -and in between embrace an unlikely variety of triggers -a chance remark -honeymo...
-
1 Apr 2008 - Veritas Publications
Goodnight Ballivor, I'll Sleep in Trim: A Childhood Memoir
By John Quinn
Not another memoir of childhood? Well, yes actually. Not another regressive desire to capture a golden weren't-we-poor-but-happy age? Well, no. Nor a pursuit of misery and repression either. This is s...
-
22 Sep 2006 - O'Brien Press Ltd
Sean Boylan: The Will to Win
By John Quinn
Sean Boylan's own account of his years as manager of the Meath football team is an inspiring read and a must for any GAA enthusiast. Renowned as the manager who brought the Sam Maguire to Meath after ...
-
25 Nov 1993 - Poolbeg Press Ltd
Duck and Swan
By John Quinn
On a school trip to Dublin, Emer discovers Duck, a twelve-year-old half-Nigerian, half-Irish runaway boy who is taken in by an elderly couple, uncovers his athletic ability at the game of hurling, and...
-
1 Oct 1991 - Poolbeg Press Ltd
The Summer of Lily and Esme
By John Quinn
The Summer of Lily & Esme tells a quiet story, filled with compassion, friendship, memory and heart. It is the story of Alan, an 11-year-old boy who has moved from the city into a house in the country...
