Little Houses: A Multigenerational Picture Book About Beach Treasures and Wonder for Kids (Ages 4-8) - Hardcover

Henkes, Kevin

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0062965727 ISBN 13: 9780062965721

Publisher: Greenwillow Books, 2022

Synopsis

From award-winning and bestselling author Kevin Henkes and the acclaimed painter Laura Dronzek, Little Houses is an unforgettable masterpiece about nature, family, wonder, and the ocean. The lyrical writing and stunning paintings make this a great choice for family sharing and for story times all year round.

When a young girl visits her grandparents at the beach, she stays in a little house and walks along the shore gathering seashells—which were once little houses of their own. As she wanders the beach, she wonders about the creatures who used to live in each shell, about the hidden treasures of the sea, and about the mysteries of the world.

Kevin Henkes’s text features striking imagery, depth of emotion, and a lovely multigenerational relationship. He deftly captures the feeling of wonder and imagination that is fostered by a trip to the shore. Laura Dronzek’s lush, saturated paintings make this book a true treasure for parents and children, and a must-have for the classroom. 

About this title

About the Authors

Kevin Henkes has been praised both as a writer and as an illustrator and is the recipient of the Children’s Literature Legacy Award for his lasting contribution to literature for children. He received the Caldecott Medal for Kitten’s First Full Moon; Caldecott Honors for Waiting and Owen; Newbery Honors for Olive’s Ocean and The Year of Billy Miller; and Geisel Honors for Waiting and Penny and Her Marble. His other books include Is It Spring?, The World and Everything in It, A House, A Parade of Elephants, Chrysanthemum, and the beloved Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse. Kevin Henkes lives with his family in Madison, Wisconsin.

Laura Dronzek is a painter whose work has been exhibited nationally. Her picture books include Moonlight, by Helen V. Griffith; It Is Night, by Phyllis Rowand; White Is for Blueberry, by George Shannon; Little Houses, by Kevin Henkes; and a quartet of seasonal picture books also by Kevin Henkes. She lives in Madison, Wisconsin.

Reviews

PreS-Gr 3—For anyone with memories of spending time with grandparents or other relatives at the beach, smelling salt water, or picking up seashells to bring back home. A young girl with black hair and tan skin shares her stories, pondering what kind of animals are in the sea, with thoughts of sandpipers, pelicans, and egrets evoking a sense of nostalgia that comes across on the page. At the end of the day she carries empty seashells home, wondering who or what once lived inside of them, and in bringing their little homes into her home, also brings them into ours. This book is a perfect pairing of text and visuals that tell the story in tandem. Dronzek's sweet scenes use ocean-washed colors while the words provide just enough detail to compel readers from page to page. The narration is a childlike and spontaneous experience of the sea, asking readers to slow down and savor their surroundings with all their senses. VERDICT A book to keep in little houses by the sea, or on library shelves, where readers can ask their own questions about their place in the larger world we all live in.—Amanda Austin

Edition details

• Publisher: Greenwillow Books
• Publication date: 2022
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0062965727
• ISBN 13: 9780062965721
• Binding: Hardcover
• Illustrator: Dronzek Laura
• Number of pages: 40