Maybe you’re like me. You buy 30 books at a time from various used book websites. You’ve never read them. You don’t know what they’re about. What could go wrong?
I’ll be honest – my luck is usually pretty good – but it’s worth it to be discerning and only bring home what you really want.
I’m excited to start with this lovely story written by Liesel Moak Skorpen and illustrated by the phenomenal Doris Burn.
AGE: All ages of child will enjoy this book! My older independent readers stop and get sucked in whenever I’m reading it aloud, and in order to photograph it I had to track it down to its hiding place in my 10 year old’s reading lair (this is what I call a bed so full of books I wonder why I bother with bookshelves).
Illustrations are the first thing I look at when I’m shopping for books I know nothing about. When I see an illustration like this, I can almost guarantee I don’t need to know anything else about the book – it’s going to be everything I could hope for.
…And this book truly is. The story is simple and short – one brief phrase or two per page. It’s not rhyming poetry, but it reads like poetry. You follow effortlessly as the simple journey of the four siblings trips forward one step at a time – sometimes pausing mid thought while you turn the page to finish the sentence (I love that). There are some really beautiful lines about all the nature they explore (and are thwarted by):
The story already manages to be more than just the simple words, but it is elevated by the real powerhouse of the tale – the illustrations. Doris Burn does real, down to earth, adventurous children in such a magical way. You’ll laugh at the grumpy baby.
You’ll have to keep each page open while your children (and you) pore over all the details! There is so much “extra” story to read in these pictures!
And since this is a sweet story about some children who were living a little bit too large for the inside of their house, the message and ending are just right too!
Have a look, and if you’ve read it – or decide to give it a try, let me know what you think!
One final word: There is a newer edition that looks like this, so be sure you know what you’re getting!
Thanks for reading, and message me for more great recommendations from this genre – I have some delightful ones up my sleeve!
Book Herald 