Customer Reviews

A Castle on Viola Street

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What a wonderful story about building a caring community! Andy and his family are able to find a house for their home when the volunteers start fixing up number 146 Viola Street. His dreams become a reality, bit by bit, thanks to a collective effort by this those who volunteer for this organization which "buys empty houses and fixes them up like new" and his family. Use this book to teach your children about the benefits of being a good citizen and seizing the myriad of volunteering opportunities out there! This is a book you won't want to miss.

I am working on a unit study about the ways that governments, organizations, and individuals help meet people's needs or solve various problems. One of the organizations we will study is Habitat for Humanity, so I was delighted to find this book about how Habitat for Humanity (or a similar group) might work in a neighborhood, and the impact it might have on the families that it helps.

The plot is quite straightforward - a child, Andy, lives in a small rented apartment but dreams of owning a home with a garden and a porch. His family learns about an organization that is going to fix up some boarded buildings in the neighborhood, and they volunteer to help. After working on several homes for others, they receive the news that next spring they'll be working on their OWN home.

I do wish this book had included a page or two about ways that young people can help Habitat for Humanity. For example, I belong to a homeschool group that is planning to bring lunch to Habitat for Humanity workers in two weeks. And last spring our family volunteered in a community-wide fundraiser for Habitat as well.

In "Above All Be Kind" by Zoe Weil, Weil makes a very compelling point that "Without action, compassion can lead to despair and deep sorrow, but when we do act upon our empathy, not only do we and our children feel empowered and positive about ourselves, our collective acts become an extraordinary force for good." Intuitively this makes so much sense to me, and hopefully future editions of "A Castle on Viola Street" will include some service ideas.

There's no question about it. This book is yet another example of Diane Disalvo Ryan's great writing and wonderful illustrations, but there's a spirit missing. Sadly, that special something that inspired her to write books like Uncle Willie and the Soup Kitchen and City Green is gone. It is evident to this writer that her heart and soul just isn't in it anymore.

I used to be a fan of this writer/illustrator but, I feel let down and very disappointed by her recent offerings. I won't be reading anymore of Mrs. Ryan's books. The thrill is gone.