Lily Alone
 Lily is the eldest child in the Green family. She has two younger half-sisters and a younger half -brother. She often has to take care of them when their mother, Kate Green, goes out to the pub, newsagent or off-licence. Although Lily does not usually mind being shouldered with the responsibility, she sometimes resents it. When Lily's mother meets Gordon, her new boyfriend, at a local club, Kate is convinced that her life has improved and she feels as if Gordon and her [are] on a rollercoaster up to heaven.' Lily becomes cross with her mother for not coming home in a timely manner. That night, she takes care of her brother and sisters by drawing and watching Tracy Beaker. The next day, Kate takes her children on a frivolous shopping expedition and uses a credit card, which causes Lily to become very suspicious. She worries about where and how her mum obtained the card. Kate flies to Spain to be with Gordon. Lily is fearful and angry when her mother suggests that Mikey, Kate's ex-husband, look after the rest of the family while Kate travels to Spain. Kate tells Lily that she has yet to reveal to Gordon that she has children. She further annoys Lily when Kate reveals that she feels as if she deserves a holiday from living in a 'dump.' Kate leaves a voicemail message for Mikey to tell him that he must take care of the children while Kate is on holiday. Lily is afraid of Mikey. By the time Mikey returns Kate's call, Kate has already left for Spain. Mikey tells Lily that he is on his way to Glasgow and tells Lily to tell her mother not to go anywhere. Lily pretends that she has delivered the message. They survive by eating what is left in the fridge. Lily is able to prepare simple meals for her siblings because she has grown accustomed to caring for them. Lily is frightened and cross because she is the one who is in charge. She is fearful that people will find out about her situation and that she will be separated from her siblings. She manages by taking her brother and sisters to the park as well as by using her imagination to entertain the others. She also uses her brains to deal with adults who ask about the whereabouts of her mother, such as the couple the children encounter in the park. Mr Abbot, Lily's teacher, comes to the flat because he is concerned that the children have not attended school and that Lily failed to go on the trip to the art gallery. Lily tells her teacher that they have all been ill and that her mother is at the shops in order to purchase medicine. Lily is scared that Mr Abbot will return with social workers so she packs food, clothing and bedding. When they run away, all of the children are very scared and struggle to feed themselves. They fend for themselves by stealing food from a nearby canteen, until the owners tell them to stop. Lily also enters a home and takes several items of delicious food.Now there's another person on her back her flat neighbour who they call Mr Nosy. Things go even more wrong when Bliss falls out of a tree and breaks her leg while Lily sleeps. Lily realises that she needs adult intervention. She calls an ambulance and they take Bliss to the hospital. When the nurses get Bliss lying down, their Mum returns. The police charge Kate with child neglect. She is told that she needs to perform community service as her punishment. Lily goes to a children's home, split apart from her siblings Baxter and Pixie who were fostered, while Bliss stays in the hospital. The story ends by Lily drawing a picture of the Green family and writing at the bottom: "We're all going to be together very, very soon."