Children’s Librarian, Judy Zimmer, recommends Farmhouse by Sophie Blackall.
Caldecott medalist Sophie Blackall’s picture book Farmhouse brought me back to my childhood. It brought back memories of my grandparents’ farm and the house I grew up in, built at the very end of the 1800s and filled with a boisterous, large family.
The story and the illustrations in Farmhouse were pieced together from bits and pieces and memories of a family of twelve children who were born and raised in a falling-down farmhouse. Playful rhymes describe the daily life of the family and the illustrations allow a peek into their lives as if you’re looking inside a dollhouse.
This story reminds us to share our stories with our children and grandchildren so that the stories stay alive long after our children grow up.
The family’s and the author’s stories merge when she addresses the reader directly telling them how she found the house and created the picture book. Photos of the house and the salvaged materials and more details are revealed on the back pages of the book.
This story reminds us to share our stories with our children and grandchildren so that the stories stay alive long after our children grow up.
