Building Our House by Jonathan Bean

You know how kids can watch workers on a construction site long periods of time?  Well, Jonathan Bean has written a book that should appeal to these construction site kids.  Loosly based on the recollections of the house built by the author's parents when he was a child, the story takes the reader through building a house step by step through the eyes of the young girl who is going to live there.

It is a house built from scratch, in the middle of a field.  The family, Mom, Dad, big sister/narrator, and little brother, arrives at the field, tools and blueprints in hand.  Then a small trailer pulls in, temporary shelter until the house is finished.  Most of the work is done in the evening when Dad gets home from work, and weekends, so it is going to be a long process even though everyone pitches in, doing what they can.

Begun in fall, soon winter comes, followed by spring.  More work is done on the house.  Soon a cat shows up among the building materials along with summer.  More building and before the end of summer, a frame-raising party is held with friends and family helping, along lots of food and fun:

By winter, the basic house is finished enough to live in, mostly around the warmth of a stove.  Indoor work occupies the winter. and as time passes both Mom and Kitty Cat are pregnant.  In spring it is time for another party - a moving party.

Again, friends and family come by to help the family, Mom, Dad, big sister, little brother, new baby and kitties, offically move into their new home:

Building Our House  is a gentle, straight-forward narrative, with sparse text that nevertheless conveys much.  Not only does it give basic step by step details about how a house is built, it also revels in the idea of family and working together.  Everyone in the family does what they can, and no matter how small the task, it is important.

And just as it revels in family, it also celebrates extended family and friends, working together to help accomplish something and fostering the sense of community that.

I found this to be a really delightful story to read and I think that it will appeal to both boys and girls and that if you are reading this with a child, you may find that the wonderful very detailed watercolor-and-ink illustrations done by the author are sure to spark lots of close examination and conversation.  (So the idea of family/friends doing something together comes full circle).

This book is recommended for readers age 4+
This book was purchased for my personal library