When Mr. Plumbeans' house is splashed with bright orange paint, he decides a multi-colored house would be a nice change. This favorite story of creativity and individuality is back by popular demand. Full color. Reissue.
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More About the Author
Daniel Pinkwater lives with his wife, the illustrator and novelist Jill Pinkwater, and several dogs and cats in a very old farmhouse in New York's Hudson River Valley.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
49 of 50 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
We first read this book to our son when he was a toddler, now that he's ten, we still use it as a way to encourage his (and our) appreciation of others' choices. Pinkwater is one of the great storytellers and educator its around, and this book deserves as wide an audience as possible. It's that good. As usual, Pinkwater doesn't spend much time on developing a plausible plot: Things just happen, and, because of his dry matter-of-fact tone, you accept it. One day a seagull with a can of bright orange paint "dropped the can (no one knows why) right over Mr. Plumbean's house." The resulting big orange splot upsets the neighbors, who all live in identical brown housed with gray roofs and green shutters. When they ask him to paint his house (to get rid of the orange splot), Plumbean follows the letter--but not the spirit=-of their request. He paints the house red, yellow, green, and purple. He adds more splots, strikes, and "elephants and lions and pretty girls and steam shovels."
The neighbors are aghast. In a recurring motif, the neighbors exclaim that something must be wrong with their neighbor: "Plumbean has gushed his mush, lost his marbles, and slipped his hawser." Mr. Plumbean resists their pressure, explaining in one of many memorable lines from the book: "My house is me and I am it. My house...looks like all my dreams." One by one, over tall glasses of lemonade, Mr. Plumbean casually talks to the other neighbors, one by one, about their own dreams. The following day, each neighbor expresses those dreams through his or her house.
The book isn't so much about nonconformity as about self-expression, or what Maslow called "self-actualization." That everyone eventually paints their house in wild colors is not so much a new form of conformity, but rather the flowering and unafraid celebration of their individuality, and an acceptance of this in others. Very highly recommended; it may be a book you'll treasure for years to come.
The neighbors are aghast. In a recurring motif, the neighbors exclaim that something must be wrong with their neighbor: "Plumbean has gushed his mush, lost his marbles, and slipped his hawser." Mr. Plumbean resists their pressure, explaining in one of many memorable lines from the book: "My house is me and I am it. My house...looks like all my dreams." One by one, over tall glasses of lemonade, Mr. Plumbean casually talks to the other neighbors, one by one, about their own dreams. The following day, each neighbor expresses those dreams through his or her house.
The book isn't so much about nonconformity as about self-expression, or what Maslow called "self-actualization." That everyone eventually paints their house in wild colors is not so much a new form of conformity, but rather the flowering and unafraid celebration of their individuality, and an acceptance of this in others. Very highly recommended; it may be a book you'll treasure for years to come.
14 of 14 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
Let your dreams become your reality! Make waves! Be who you are, not who everyone thinks you are! Share your dreams and bring joy and a sense of freedom to all who come in contact with you! These are the messages of "The Big Orange Splot", Daniel Pinkwater's utterly, delightlful tale. Mr. Plumbean turns the disaster of the "big orange splot" of paint dropped on his roof by a sea gull into an opportunity to break away from the constraints of conformity. You will smile as you read how his daring actions liberate his whole "neat street". Recommended for children and adults who all need reminding that there is still a child in all of us. I LOVE this BOOK!!!!!!
16 of 18 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
The Big Orange Splot is, according to me, the best children's book I have ever read. It shows children (as well as adults) that being yourself is the right thing to be. Creativity is sometimes stifled in this world, and this book shows that it is a wonderful thing to be creative. This book helps the reader to grow as an individual, and to heighten their level of self-esteem.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Extra special book!
I have used this book for years and years. This was my 5th copy. We wore out the last 4! The kids love it and it ties in so wonderfully with Responsive Classroom hopes and... Read more
Published 8 days ago by Anna M. Fleming
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wonderful book for everyone
I love everything about this book. The wonderful message to children about happy accidents and the need to create spaces that make you happy is great. Read more
Published 10 days ago by Gail Brule
5.0 out of 5 stars
Being different is great!
What if by chance you start being different from your neightbords? will you accept criticism and change to keep the path? Read more
Published 28 days ago by M. Lacarra Carey
5.0 out of 5 stars
A personal favorite
This was one of my favorite books growing up so I was very happy to find it in print online. I ended up buying 6 copies to give as birthday and baby shower gifts and quickly went... Read more
Published 2 months ago by Christy Hoffmann
5.0 out of 5 stars
A wonderful childrens book
This book is for kids (and adults that are young at heart) and teaches diversity. This is a must read for your grandkids.
Published 2 months ago by Sharon Dewees
5.0 out of 5 stars
AMERICAN INDIVIDUALISM
American Individualism!!!!! It is great to be an American. We have to be wary of the creep of government socialism that can slowly put every citizen a regulated box. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Billy Ray Powers
5.0 out of 5 stars
Sweet and colorful
My 2 yr old loves this book. It's got a great storyline about learning to accept different things around you.
Published 3 months ago by janine
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great gift for 2+ year olds.
I love this book since was little. Great to teach the vale of individuality and expressing yourself rather than conforming!
Published 3 months ago by VIKING MOM
5.0 out of 5 stars
Pinkwater is an American treasure
Almost everything from DMP's pen is genius; this book is no exception. I teach filmmaking classes at a university, and I usually have beginning students analyze this story as one... Read more
Published 4 months ago by benu
5.0 out of 5 stars
perfect for designers, architects, artists
small in size, about 8 by 8 inches. great story about a guy who decides to break the rules and express himself, and after drinks in the shade of a palm tree, the rest of the... Read more
Published 4 months ago by mom4life
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