Julia's House Moves On

This is a story of moving on after profound and devastating loss, when all your plans fail. It was written in the aftermath of the sudden and tragic death of Hatke’s daughter, context which may help the reader understand the book a little better. Like all of his books, it’s a wonderful, understated lesson about how much better we can be with a little (or sometimes a lot of) help from our friends.

Julia has a plan for everything... until she doesn't. I loved Julia's House for Lost Creatures, and definitely would recommend checking that story out as well if you haven't. But this book arrived in the mail on a day when my plans were falling apart around me, and as I read it to my four year old at bedtime, I realized I needed to hear this story as much as he did. Sometimes our plans don't work out, and it's ok to let others help us when that happens.

I really liked "Nobody like a Goblin," and "Julia's House for Lost Creatures." However, this just doesn't have the charm. The artwork really feel off too. In the first book Julia is creative and makes decisions and orders her life. In this book, bad things happen and then is seems to go all Deus Ex Machina on us to fix everything while Julia just is helpless. Sure she makes some choices in perspective, but this seems a weak theme to me. This book just seems rushed and uninspired compared to the other two books I mentioned. Wish I could give it 2.5, but I'll round up.

We are fans of Ben Hatke. We have Julia's House for Lost Creatures, Little Robot, And The Zita and Jack Series. His stories and illustrations are playful and exciting.
This book is considerably moving considering it was released after the death of his 4 year old daughter, who died in a tragic horse accident. Knowing that, let it give you perspective on your best laid plans. Julia is forced to move on before she is quite ready and disaster ensues. A bright new color palette sees Julia's house try to move on without her. It isnt necessary to read the other book to understand this one, but we enjoy following her journey from the beginning! Looking forward to the next and probably last book in the Julia series.

My son (6) and I (much older) read Ben Hatke's books over and over. We are big fans of trolls, goblins, mermaids, etc. The stories are great and the art is so much fun. We always have good discussions after reading.

For over planners out there and for people who like to not always have a plan. Explores hopelessness and hope in having all your plans dashed and going forward and maybe others helping when you need help most.

In this story, Julia's house is a special one, home for “lost creatures of every kind”. The house is getting restless and wants to move, which Julia plans for by finding the perfect spot and packing. But her plans are interrupted when a giant sea turtle takes the house out to sea. Of course, the house starts sinking, but Julia devises a series of plans to keep them safe, but these don't work out quite as she had hoped. Unexpected help on two fronts sees Julia's house and all of its inhabitants off on a new adventure. This book is gorgeously illustrated. Depending on the page, it has a warm or cool palette. Some pages are very dramatic, giving a strong sense of movement. Be sure to look at all parts of the illustrations, as sometimes they tell more of the story not mentioned in the text. The book had some good themes, too, like resiliency, never giving up, friendship, adjusting to new circumstances, planning, being open to adventure, and courage. All of this combines to make a whimsical and fun read.

I received a free copy of this book, but that did not affect my review.

Julia's house is full of misfit or lost creatures, goblins, mermaids, ghosts and trolls. This is the second Julia's House book and I wish we had read the first one. You see, Julia's house is a walking house. Everyone is getting tired of being in the same place and are ready to move on. Julia is packing up and making a plan, but the house is ready to go and starts moving on. Every time Julia makes new plans, something else gets in the way, till Julia finally relaxes, and things come together. Where will they end up this time? This is a fun story to capture the imagination of children. The illustrations are gorgeous and full of things to look at. A wonderful read aloud to share with my grandkids. I was gifted with a copy of this book upon request. The rating and opinions shared are my own.

A good follow up to Hatke's 2014 book "Julia's House for Lost Creatures."

A delightful little story about moving and what happens when the best laid plans to awry/the unplannable occurs.

Can be read as a standalone, but I feel it's even more enjoyable if you read the other "Julia's House" book. In the same vein you could also throw in Hatke's "Nobody Likes a Goblin" for a fantasy picture book trifecta.

Opens young readers imagination. Gift.