Caldecott Medal–winner and #1 New York Times–bestselling author Kevin Henkes explores what it means to be at home in this stunning picture book. Brimming with interactive call-and-response questions, A House is a timeless and irresistible must-have for both very young children and emergent readers—as well as the entire family.
Where is the door to the house? Do you see any clouds? What does the house look like when it is sunny outside? When it is raining? And what will the house turn into when its family returns? A home.
Caldecott Medal–winner Kevin Henkes employs interactive questions, declarative sentences, basic shapes, and a limited color palette in this brilliant and classic picture book. A House introduces young readers to shapes, numbers, the weather, and the parts of a house, with a rhythmic, repetitive text and remarkable illustrations.
A story about home, family, community, and belonging, A House is an excellent choice for emergent readers, for social and emotional development, and for storytime sharing.
REVIEWS
“Simple text invites viewers to consider images of a house . . . Henkes’ familiar stealthy craftsmanship is on display as the story structure creates a rhythm that breaks up into happy surprise and new patterns . . . Viewers will . . . appreciate the blossoming (including literal blossoms) of a house into a home.” —Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books (starred review)
“Eschewing a more traditional story arc in this volume, Henkes creates multiple images of a dwelling—a tiny, boxlike structure with a pink tiled roof, a round window, and a blue chimney—and offers a series of questions about them. . . . The questions suggest how much there is to observe about the very simplest things . . . The limited scope of this world—the house, the single-frame storms, even the simply rendered dog and cat—adds further charm to this bite-size creation that’s rooted in noticing.” —Publishers Weekly
“When does a house become a home? . . . Caldecott and Legacy winner Henkes has put together a charmingly and deceptively simple interactive book that helps young readers identify shapes, delve into the concept of counting, and recognize meteorological phenomena. . . A sweet mindfulness exercise.” —Kirkus Reviews