Module 2: The Little House

Book Summary: The book is about a little house that was built out in the country and then the country became the city.  The house was left untouched as everything around it changed, and eventually the house got to return to the country where it belongs.

APA Reference of Book: Burton, V. L. (1942). The little house. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin co.

Impressions: This book gave me the chills and I had a hard time reading it the first time I read it.  I really felt bad for the little house and all the things that were changing around it and how people have forgotten all about it.  “More houses and bigger houses…  apartment houses…  schools…  stores…  and garages spread over the land and crowded around the Little House.  No one wanted to live in her and take care of her anymore”.  This made me so sad.  I think that the kids will also feel bad for the little house, and this book would be a great book to use when talking about others and how we don’t always realize how our actions distress others.  Overall, I think this book is an easy read and has many great points in it.  “There said the great-great-granddaughter, that’s just the place.  Yes it is, said the Little House to herself”.

Professional Review:  A pretty little house is nestled in the countryside. As the seasons change and the years go by, the little house finds itself in the city, surrounded by elevated trains and skyscrapers. Salvation comes when the great-great-granddaughter of the original owner moves the home back to the country, where it belongs. Burton’s 1943 Caldecott Medal Award winner is capably read by Hammond in clear tones and a steady pace. Background sounds, including chirping birds, crickets, and honking horns, complement the changing setting, while country-style music changes tempo as life around the little house reaches a hectic pace. Page-turn cues are optional; a door knock signals a page turn. This delightful read-along package includes a paperbound book and a bonus track featuring Burton’s Maybelle the Cable Car. 

Sawyer, L. (2008). The Little House. (Book Review). Booklist, 104(9/10), 106.

Library Uses: Have the kids talk about something that they have seen change over time and tell whether they like the changes or wish that it would go back to the way it was before.