Review
"No ordinary jokesmith, Mr. Hodgins is light and expert."
-- The New York Times
"Anyone thinking of buying a home in the country (and who isn't?) should read this book for its practical lessons in real-estate values...the theme of unforeseen costs is sufficiently familiar to everyone to evoke nods of sympathy and smiles of understanding, especially when Mr. Blandings, in a fitting climax, faced a damage suit for intimating that one of his earlier architects had shown poor taste."
-- The Christian Science Monitor
"Mr. Blandings' skinning by real-estate men, architects, contractors, and plumbers should provide the reader with a lot of sadistic satisfaction, if it isn't too uncomfortably reminiscent."
-- The New Yorker
About the Author
William Steig's work has received countless honors and awards. Called the "King of Cartoons" by
Newsweek, his cartoons in such magazines as the
New Yorker and his books of symbolic drawings have inspired a multitude of cartoonists and artists. His books for children are loved by readers young and old. William Steig received the Caldecott Medal for
Sylvester and the Magic Pebble, the Caldecott Honor Award for
The Amazing Bone, and the Newbery Honor Award for
Abel's Island and
Doctor De Soto. His other books include
Alpha Beta Chowder (written by Jeanne Steig),
Amos & Boris, Brave Irene, CDB!, C D C ?, Dominic, Grown-ups Get To Do All the Driving, Pete's a Pizza, Shrek!, Spinky Sulks, and
Zeke Pippin. William Steig lived in Boston the last twelve years of his life. Before that, he lived with his wife, Jeanne, in rural Kent, Connecticut. Just outside his studio window stood a large rock that looked remarkably like Sylvester. He liked that.
