William'S House [Library Binding]

Ginger Howard (Author)

Book Description

Arriving in New England in 1637, William is determined to recreate his home in England but realizes that the climate requires modifications to it.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Gr 2-4-Leaving England in 1637 with his wife, two sons, and a dog, William intends to build a house just like his father's. Good intentions fall aside as the man discovers that the environment in the New World is different and requires new ways of thinking. When summer brings heat, he must dig a cellar to store food or it will rot. The dry autumn forces William to replace the thatch on his roof with shingles that won't catch on fire from chimney sparks. During winter's low temperatures, he finds that he needs a larger fireplace and must pitch the roof at a steeper angle so that it won't collapse under heavy snow. Lessons learned keep the family alive and healthy. Double-page spreads include detailed watercolor paintings on one side and readable text on the other. Each text page also includes a delightful, small pen-and-ink drawing of the boys (and dog) playing, building a lean-to, fishing, watching wild geese, and enjoying the snow. As the narrative tells of the building and rebuilding of the house, the illustrations relate another complementary story. Careful observation of the accurate paintings lends perspective and information on daily life and items from clothing and tools to furniture and children's play. This unusual picture book works on several levels, making it worthy for both recreational reading and as an introduction to the period.-Pamela K. Bomboy, Chesterfield County Public Schools, VA

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Ages 5-8. Howard combines social history and a moral on adapting to change in this story of how one early settler's dream of re-creating the house he left behind in England is blasted to bits by the harsh realities of life in the colonies. It's 1637 and William and his family have just arrived in New England. They set about building a thatched-roof cottage like the one they left behind. They are pleased with their new home, but as the seasons change the house must change: the hot New England summer calls for a cellar; the drier climate means cedar shingles on the roof; the snowier, colder winter demands a bigger fireplace. The changes are explained in a way youngsters will easily understand: with each climate change, William's wife exclaims: "Something must be done," and the family solves the problem. Day's engaging watercolors show details of house building and of colonial family life, as clever, black-and-white insets on text pages follow the adventures of William's two sons. A book that is as engaging as it is informative. Connie Fletcher
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Product Details

• Library Binding: 32 pages
• Publisher: Millbrook Press (April 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0761316744
• ISBN-13: 978-0761316749
• Product Dimensions: 11.3 x 8.8 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,780,254 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Smashing!, December 1, 2001

By 

Donna Ziegler (Marlboro, MA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: William'S House (Library Binding)

I loved the book! As an adult, I enjoyed the story. It was a great portrayal of early life in New England and the underlying theme of change was well done. I envision the book as a great story to be read to young children as well as a wonderful book for a school age child to read. What a great holiday gift this will be!