White Lilac; or the Queen of the May

Published in 1889, 'White Lilac; or the Queen of the May' by Amy Walton is a juvenile fiction novel that follows Lilac White, a girl raised by her widowed mother. As Lilac navigates her coming-of-age journey, she faces challenges related to social standing, beauty, and self-acceptance, particularly in relation to her cousin Agnetta. The story is set against the backdrop of a May Day competition, where Lilac is crowned Queen, only to confront the tragedy of her mother's illness and death, leading her to grapple with identity and societal expectations in a rural village.