Mary Lyn Ray is the author of many acclaimed books for
children, including Go to Sleep, Little Farm, illustrated by
Christopher Silas Neal; New York Times bestseller Stars,
illustrated by Marla Frazee; and The Thank You Book, illustrated by
Stephanie Graegin. She lives in South Danbury, New Hampshire, in a
home much like the one in the book, with minimal modern
technology.
E. B. Goodale is an author, illustrator, and designer whose
debut picture book, Windows by Julia Denos, received an Ezra Jack
Keats New Illustrator Honor. She also illustrated Here and Now by
Julia Denos and is the author-illustrator of Under the Lilacs. E.
B. Goodale lives in Massachusetts with her family.
An old house takes center stage, waiting for just the right family
to move in. . . . Young readers/listeners will appreciate this
sweet, compassionate story and be charmed by the notion of a house
serving as a protagonist; this tale should spark discussions and
generate memories about kids’ own homes. . . . The soft, delicate,
airy illustrations, rendered partially in muted watercolors and
ink, are atmospheric and suffused with nostalgia and coziness...A
reassuring conversation starter about the special connections we
feel to our homes.
—Kirkus Reviews
Long ago, a family built a house in the countryside. . . After a
new family moves in and begins making new memories, the house
becomes a home once again. . . Goodale contributes lively,
impressionistic illustrations created with ink, watercolor,
monoprint technique, and digital collage, evocatively depicting the
house, some of its residents, the verdant meadow, and the night
sky. This appealing picture book offers an imaginative perspective
on moving.
—Booklist
Joining a growing shelf of picture books about dwellings that
witness generational change, this quiet story by Ray (The
Friendship Book) stars an old white saltbox house that has long
been occupied by families. . . Lyrical lines that convey a sense of
calm linger over the house’s loneliness. . . Most of the book’s
attention is on time slowly elapsing, a facet that builds carefully
to fulfillment, involving a family of color, that radiates forward
and backward in time
—Publishers Weekly
The careful, gently lyrical, gently anthropomorphic text makes
explicit the kind of emotional investment many children (and
adults) place in their homes, and the details of country life are
idyllic and inviting. Goodale’s mixed-media art radiates with
verdant joy. . . Small details mark different eras, but the cast is
credibly multicultural and the people are always more salient than
the history. Like Wahl’s The Blue House (BCCB 7/20), this would be
a tender preparation for a move to a new house or a farewell to an
old one.
—The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
The text is simple but makes readers pause, reflect, and think of
their own memories and the places that provided them warmth and
shelter. Vibrant but gentle illustrations done in monoprinting,
watercolor, and digital collage are mesmerizing as well as tactile.
. . . A visual history of a home, full of longing, and a powerful
story of hope and reassurance
—School Library Journal
Ray’s quiet, eloquent text serves as a poignant meditation on
appreciation: of the things we take for granted, the things we
value most, and the things we cannot live without. As the house
enjoys life, loss, and renewal, readers experience it, too, through
Goodale’s highly expressive, textured, and fluid illustrations, a
beautiful mix of monoprinting, ink, watercolor, and digital
collage. The house’s longing and sadness are reflected in dark
colors, shadows, silhouettes, and the moon; while cheerier hues,
nature scenes, and bright sunshine reflect its joy and
contentment.
—The Horn Book
This picture book, lovely in tone and illustration, personifies a
country house which has seen numerous families come and go over the
years. . . . The passing of seasons and of years are shown with
soft, luscious illustrations which could tell the story without the
words. However, the beautiful, descriptive language is not to be
missed. . . . When teaching literary elements, this title could be
used even in middle grades as an example of personification and
figurative language
—School Library Connection
In E.B. Goodale’s moody illustrations, house and setting retain
beauty to match Ray’s words.
—The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
It is a beautiful book for all ages, well timed for a wild housing
market, as Americans pack up and return to their hometowns in
droves, as parents reconsider what kind of childhood they want for
their kids and empty houses rejoice.
—The Arlington Catholic Herald
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