Little House (Sandpiper Books)

The year is 1942 and America has fallen head over heels in love with a whole new literary form. It's sweeping the nation! It's appearing hither and yon! Yes, in the early 1940s, picture books were suddenly awash in inanimate objects with human characteristics. Whether it was "The Little Red Lighthouse and the Great Grey Bridge", or the Caldecott winning, "The Little House", children were reading about a variety of living breathing pieces of architecture. Virginia Lee Burton was especially good at this kind of book. Her previous venture, "Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel", was a smash hit (remaining so today). So Burton decided to up the stakes a little and write a similar story about a little house. In this book, however, Burton outdoes herself by being able to convey seasons, the passage of time, and the nasty ways cities have of encroaching on country landscapes all within a scant 40 pages.

Long ago a little house was built in the country. The man who built her decided that this house, special as it was, could never be bought and sold. Instead, he planned on leaving it to his children, his children's children, and his children's children's children. Etc. The house was pleased with the arrangement. It watched the seasons go by. It watched the children that played in it grow up and move away. It even watched the changing fashions and modes of transportation. Horse and buggies one day, automobiles the next. This is all well and good until a new asphalt road appears. Suddenly it's a heckuva lot easier for people to reach the area in which the little house lives. Things get faster and suddenly the little house is surrounded by tenement houses. Then there are trolley cars (oh the trolley cars). Next comes elevated trains, and subways, and (worst of all) gigantic skyscrapers on either side of the now seriously dilapidated little house. One day, a descendent of the original owner sees the house and inquires after it. Since it turns out she owns it (I guess... the book's a little shaky on the legal aspects of ownership at this point) the house is summarily picked up by movers and taken to the country she loves so much. Happy house. Happy family. The end.

I wonder what the percentage is of children reading this book and realizing that, in time, the city will probably come to surround the little house yet again. There has probably never been a better book that delineates so clearly the horrors of urban sprawl. On a less hoity-toity level, this is just a darn good book. Burton's illustrations are simple little paintings with tiny human figures. Due to the fact that there are nineteen pictures of the little house that are basically looking at it straight on without any change in perspective or angle, it's mind-boggling that Burton has still managed to make every single illustration unique and interesting. Whether she's filled the page with autumnal colors, or is driving home the horror of the little house's fate through stark black and white images, these pictures are incredibly well done. Kids reading the book will enjoy the different vehicles and tiny human figures that dot each page. Adults will enjoy the craft Burton has taken with her storytelling.

There are a lot of Caldecott award winning books that have aged oh-so badly. "Animals of the Bible" comes to mind as does the gawdawful "Abraham Lincoln" by the Parin d'Aulaires. This book, however, is well worthy of its praise. It may not be a flashy irony-soaked post-modern picture book like the ones being written today (and admittedly, I love a good irony-soaked picture book as much as the next gal) but it holds its ground and deserves to be remembered. Give it half a chance and you'll wind up loving it.

Quite simply, this is one of the most beautifully illustrated childrens books of all time. There are no computer graphics, but the simple illustrations have a definite folksy, Americana feel about them. The pages where Burton depicts the changing seasons are gorgeous, and have lost none of their vivacity. I can't imagine not always having a copy of this book around to show my nephews and nieces, and to read to them. It's a keeper, and I will gladly go through tens of copies just to ensure it's always around.
Kids love the book because of the picture, and the great sequencing. I love the book because it's just well written, and I have memories of having it read to me when I was in kindergarten.
This has always been one of my mother's favorite books, and it's also been one of mine as well. I think this book ages rather well, and it's an interesting look at the growth and development of the country. Some may see this book as being "anti-development", but it's hard not to sympathize with the house as the landscape around her changes and becomes less familiar.
My last thought is that I hope when I do have nephews and nieces that there still will be countrysides like the ones depicted in this book.

This is a little like a child's introduction to the problems of rampant urban development! It certainly was that for me.
It's a sweet, well-organized and beautifully illustrated story of a little house that had a whole metropolis built up around it. She (yes, the house is referred to in the feminine) gets a new life on a new lot in the country when a descendant of the original owner discovers her amidst a smog-choked, noisy city.
One poignant thought: more than fifty years ago, when this story was published, there was still plenty of rural room to just pick up and move to. In this children's story some social historian could find some fine irony about the postwar suburbal exodus. But aside from an unwanted tinge of "we can run away from our problems," the story was able to point out for this young listener the ills of pollution. Still in all, a wonderful book.

This was my favorite book as a child and I wanted to get it for my daughter. The theme of this book is change, both positive and negative. It takes the reader through the changes in seasons by showing the reader "the birth of a city" and what the little house lived through.

I think this book is a great read aloud and has several themes you can discuss with your child or students.

I go pickup library books for my daughter to save time and as a surprise for her. While looking for books I think she'd enjoy I came across this and was so excited! I remembered this book from childhood and was filled with joy and anticipation for finding it and of what my daughter would think.

She absolutely Loved it.

The entertaining, lively story is one to be enjoyed and cherished of a pretty pink house in the country that thought and felt. There is a lot of meaning in the story:

1 Savor each day.

2 Be thankful for what you have.

3 Be responsible and take care of what you own.

4 Cherish your family and plan a legacy you want to leave them (not just leaving money or possessions but a testament of the good character you have and want them to continue in.)

5 Do whatever you do to your best ability and do it the right way the first time.

6 Be careful what you wish for.

7 Be happy with what you have--

and so much more.

The illustrations are some of the best in existence. They tell the story almost without the need for words. There is so much color and detail and many tiny pictures of animals and children and people for interested eyes to find and enjoy.

An exceptional book and Caldecott winner. Soar!

This was my favorite book as a child! I loved reading about the little house -- how it's family grew from young to old and all of the transitions it made as progress sprang up around it. It is definitely a book about happiness truly being where your heart is. I am so glad to see it is still being read generation after generation.

This was my favorite book as a child and I am so happy to find it again!! Now I will enjoy it as I read it to my grandchildren.

Another of those wonderful books for children, and a great insight into reality for adults.This is not a bashing against urban sprawl, but a perspective both of how cities develop and how promises are kept. The key element [in any writing that is meaningful to humanity] is that individual character is foundational in human society. Here it is personified by the house which, amazingly survives the filth of society and remains itself.

Beautiful illustrations. Wonderful story. There is just so much to learn through this book (seasons, construction machines, city living vs. country living, feelings, modernization, etc.) that you will want to read it again and again.

A story of faith and hope simply told by the Little House. I highly recommend it for all ages in this era of unexpected and sometimes harsh realities. As an adult, I still find it an uplifting story and an inspiration.