No Room for a Mouse by Kyle Mewburn illustrated by Freya Blackwood

My favourite parts of this book are the cross section illustrations of the huge house and the kindness of Christopher. It is not directly stated but clearly Mrs Fizzletum has become homeless even if the reasons are fanciful and fun:

"I gave my pot plants too much food. ... Now my house is a jungle, and a boa constrictor has swallowed my keys."

Similarly Melody Mistletoe and her family now live at the bus stop. 

"I forgot to turn the taps off in the bath. ... Now our house is an ocean, and there are oysters growing in our beds."

I also love the way everyone contributes to the house and mum finds delightful things such as freshly baked scones but she is so busy that she does not think to ask where they have come from. 

Book seller blurb: Christopher lived with his mum and his best friend, Sneaky, in a house with more rooms than Christopher could count. This charming story about Christopher, his mother and his mouse Sneaky will delight children of all ages. Christopher’s mother is so busy working for the pigeon post that she doesn’t notice when Christopher invites an amazing variety of people to share their enormous house. There’s Mrs Fizzletum, Melody Mistletoe and her family, Maestro Bambonium and his Grand Pandemonium, Ringmaster Fergus and the Sawdust Circus — so many people that there is no room for Sneaky!

This book is a new discovery for me even though it was published in 2007. I have previously talked about Freya Blackwood. Kyle Mewburn lives in New Zealand and is the author of many picture books. She won the Joy Cowley Award (presented by Storylines Children's Literature Foundation of New Zealand) in 2005 and won both the Picture Book Category and the Children's Choice Category with Kiss! Kiss! Yuck! Yuck! at the 2007 New Zealand Post Book Awards for Children and Young Adults. No room for a mouse won a Storylines Notable Book Award in 2008.

When the orchestra move into the house it reminded me of another book by a New Zealand author - Margaret Mahy:

The Pumpkin Man and the Crafty Creeper

You might also be lucky and have a very old book by Bob Graham:

The House on the Canal by Thomas Harding illustrated by Britta Teckentrup

"The girl with the sweet smile hid in the house with her father and mother and sister and four others. The top floors of the annexe were now a hiding place. They had to be silent, otherwise the police and soliders would find them. So still. Not a sound. Each minute was a day. Each day was a year."

The House on the Canal begins in 1580 when the land a marshland:

"With some cows. A few herons. A family of fieldmice. And in the sky above, a flock of seagulls. It was a calm and happy place".

By 1600 workers begin to reclaim the land and create the canals we all associate with Amsterdam. In 1635 the first house is built by a newly arrived stonemason. 

"The stonemason wanted more space. So they added an annex behind the main house with a large attic."

Yes, just in case you haven't worked it out - this is the famous annexe and attic where Anne Frank and seven other people stayed in hiding until their arrest in August 1944. But before we get to that point so many other people lived in this house with large and small families, or they used it for their business including a company that made metal beds and stoves; a small business that made piano rolls; and it was for a while used as a sewing workshop and even a horse stable. 

After the war the only survivor of the Frank family was Anne's father Otto. He worked hard with other members of the community to save the house on Canal Street and at last, in 1960 the house was opened to the public. 

Perhaps you are wondering about the chestnut tree that gives Anne comfort during her long days in hiding. It began to grow in 1853 so that means by 1940 when the family moved into the attic the tree was 87 years old. 

The text in this book will be accessible to children aged 10+ but I would also add this book to a High School library so that students who study history, or architecture or who read The Diary of Anne Frank can discover more about this famous house. This book could also be a fabulous way to show the depth of research completed by an author or an historian. See inside the book here. Read more about the author Thomas Harding. And this book should also be shared with an art class because Britta Teckentrup is an outstanding illustrator. 

Readers will emerge simultaneously awed by the passage of time and personally affected by the stories told. Teckentrup overlays her bright, exquisitely detailed sepia-toned depictions of the house and its environs with a misty haze; the results are hauntingly beautiful. Deeply moving, powerful, and breathtaking. Kirkus Star review

Readers will notice that the Frank family are not the first residents of this house to have experienced religious persecution, or to have been confined to the house for extended periods of times. At other times, the freedom enjoyed by previous residents poignantly contrast with the restrictions faced by the Franks – freedoms which all families want and which can easily be taken for granted. Just Imagine

I first saw a mention of this book over a year ago. I am so happy this book has now arrived here in Australia. It is a book to cherish. In 1974 I visited Anne Frank's House in Amsterdam. I was quite young but the experience affected me deeply. Later, in my school library I read these books to my Grade 6 library groups and we talked about Anne Frank.

Let the Celebrations begin

Rose Blanche

Behind the Bookcase

I am also very keen to read this book from 2019 but sadly it is way too expensive here in Australia:

If you want to read another book that traces the history of a house try to find this one with scrumptious illustrations by Roberto Innocenti:

Thomas Harding and Britta Teckentrup have created two other books about the history of a specific house:

On the outskirts of Berlin, a wooden cottage stands on the shore of a lake. Over the course of a century, this little house played host to a loving Jewish family, a renowned Nazi composer, wartime refugees and a Stasi informant; in that time, a world war came and went, and the Berlin Wall was built a stone's throw from the cottage's back door. With words that read like a haunting fairy tale, and magnificent illustrations by Britta Teckentrup, this is the astonishing true story of the house by the lake.

In the northeast corner of the USA, near the city of Auburn, stands a red brick house. It was built 130 years ago and served as a farmhouse, old people's home, museum and a refuge for enslaved women, men and children. It was the scene of an extraordinary story: the American Revolutionary War, the Underground Railroad, the American Civil War, the fight for women's suffrage, and a safe place for Harriet Tubman, her family, and many others. This is the exciting story of a remarkable house.

One Snowy Night by Nick Butterworth

"One winter's night it was so cold it began to snow. ... He made himself some hot cocoa and got ready for bed. Suddenly, Percy heard a tapping sound. There was somebody at the door."

On the doorstep Percy, the Park Keeper, finds a very cold and miserable squirrel. Naturally Percy invites him to come inside. Just as they settle down, though, there is another knock at the door. 

Very young children respond well to patterns in stories. I am sure you have anticipated both the pattern here and the dilemma as more and more of the park animals arrive to shelter with Percy. 

"The animals pushed and shoved and rolled around the bed, but there was just not enough room for all of them."

Luckily there is one more visitor - the mole emerges from under the floor - but I bet you can't guess how he 'solves' the problem.

One Snowy Night was first published in 1989. My copy from a recent charity book sale is a 2019 reprint. Here are some other books by Nick Butterworth about Percy. I think there are more than 30 altogether including board books, activity books, individual picture books and bind-up versions. In this video Nick Butterworth reads After the Storm:

Where will you stay?

 

I saw this fabulous idea on Instagram today from The Book Wrangler.  It would be easy to adapt this for children in your Australian library - perhaps before the next holiday period such as our end of term one break in April when families are focused on holiday destinations including holiday houses and hotels.

Books in Mike's image, which you can see here, include Anne of Green Gables; Madeline; Winnie the Pooh; The Twits; Greenglass House; The Vanderbeekers; Mercy Watson; and A series of Unfortunate events. I am in awe of the way Mike took the trouble to include an image of the house and not just a book cover. 

Image source: Instagram The Book Wrangler

If you work in a school library you will find a wealth of ideas for displays and library lessons created by Mike Rawls - The Book Wrangler.

Here are the Australian and other favourite books I would include for a display like this. I imagine you could easily copy one image from each book to make the display even better. I extended the idea to also include hotels. 

John Brown and Rose live in a such a delightful cozy cottage. 

You can type each of these titles into my search bar to read more. A few of these are very old but also very special such as View from the 32nd Floor; The naming of Tishkin Silk; and The Sea-breeze hotel. The Best Hiding Place and Farmhouse are quite new. 

Who Lives Here by Julia Donaldson illustrated by Rebecca Cobb

 

It is always fun when someone invites you to visit but what would you do if they only told you the street name and not the exact address.

"The houses in South Street all stood in a row. But which how was Dan's house? I just didn't know."

So, the child ventures along the street, with their parent standing by, investigating each house. Number one - no, Number two - no, Number three - no, Number four - no. Does Dan live at Number Five?

Look at the team who have produced this book - Julia Donaldson master storyteller and wrangler of perfect rhyming texts and Rebecca Cobb who does nostalgic, sweet, detailed illustrations and draws the faces of children with so much emotion. Bonus - this book has lift the flap pages, fold out pages and it is made from sturdy paper so it can survive young hands who will read and re-read this treasure.

Julia Donaldson has created another original and entertaining read in rhyming verse and regular rhythm for reading aloud. It has the element of surprise that children love as they lift the flaps or try to guess what could be hiding there. Kids' Book Review

A gently reassuring jaunt, great for those starting school and making new friends, it suggests Donaldson’s knack for catchy rhymes and deeply resonant themes shows no signs of waning. Long may she reign over bedtime. The Guardian

Do you need a Christmas gift for a young child (aged 3+) - go out and grab this book - it is perfect. Take a look at my recent post about Julia Donaldson. 

Very sadly one of our excellent independent bookstores here in Sydney, Australia is set to close before the end of this year. This means all of their stock is now on sale. I have had Who Lives Here on my book wish list for the last few months. Hardcover picture books have become quite expensive but this one was only AUS$28 less my 20% discount. I now have to decide if I will gift this book or keep in on my own shelves.

My friend from Kinderbookswitheverything has a Pinterest of picture books that features houses and homes. Companion books:

Squeak Street (See the full original series here).

It could also be fun to include this book if you are working on a theme of Happy Birthday stories. You could talk about all the details that need to be included on a party invitation. 

The Birthday Invitation

Knock Knock by Catherine Meatheringham ilustrated by Deb Hudson

 

Knock on some doors around the world.

Who will you meet?

What will you do?

Klopf Klopf I am Lotta in Germany; Tukituki I am Loa from Tonga; Kon Kon I am Yuzuki from Japan, Daqq Daqq I am Karim from Egypt, Toc Toc I am Mateo from Mexico, and Thak Thak I am Sana from India. For your youngest children there is a wild map at the back with each door and 'knock knock' word. The end papers could inspire an art activity. Oh, and when you knock on each door the young child who greets you invites you in to meet their family, share a meal, come to a party, visit their school, or play a game. Teachers should add Knock Knock their list of books to share for Harmony Day. 

With vibrant illustrations and fun knocking sounds, this is a joyous celebration of children, culture and language around the world.

This book gave me a huge smile because it is such a simple and perhaps obvious idea, but I have never seen a book before that explored the simple gesture of knocking on a door and the way this is so different around the world. I do hope the publisher has submitted this for our CBCA (Children's Book Council of Australia) Early Childhood award (2024). Many years ago the CBCA Book Week slogan was Doorways - this book would have been such a perfect way to explore that idea. 

Here is a web page for Catherine Meatheringham - she lives in Canberra. I previously talked about Milly and the Mulberry Tree illustrated by Deb Hudson. 

Catherine talked to The Canberra Times:

"All of my books have onomatopoeia in them, so I love books with sounds that encourage kids to join in with the stories, especially that early childhood market, so that they are part of the story and engaged," she said.

"This one, in particular, I'm really passionate about kids being exposed to different cultures and different lives, but also we have such a multicultural society in Australia and this is a way to showcase that element as well."

Reading Knock Knock, reminded me of another book - Norman Speak - which looks at the way a young boy needs to translate talking to his dog.

And Catherine Meatheringham and Deb Hudson have made a book about this too:

And I need to read this one:

I also thought of this old favourite - a book about knocking on a door, which I read to hundreds of Kindergarten children over the 33 years I worked in a number of school libraries. It would be a fun companion book and it is one of the best ever books to read aloud - with heaps of funny voices and tons of expression. 

Out of the Wild Night by Blue Balliett

"These old houses were built to survive, and their materials actually last longer and adapt better than most modern materials. An old wooden house expands and shrinks, it understands how to be 

moist and then dry without damage, it breathes."

"As long as the settled landscape of an old house remains, we spirits, those of us whose lives were anchored in its walls and floors, who were born, gave birth, and died inside them, can stay. 

As can our dreams."

Beautiful old homes are being knocked down all over Nantucket. This has stirred up the ghosts. The developer is like a vulture waiting for older residents die or move out of the homes. He promises to keep all the heritage features but in truth he just knocks everything down and throws away all the beautiful timbers and fixtures. A group of young children, who are islanders, are dismayed to see all this destruction and one of the ghosts - Mary Chase, who has been dead over 100 years has woken up. She can see what is happening now in the 21st Century. She is frustrated, though, because no one on the island can hear her. The children can however see other ghosts of people and children from long ago. The children have always played at the graveyard and so they are familiar with the names of children from long ago. The island ghosts begin to take action by sabotaging the building works and frightening the workers and officials. But can these beautiful old homes be saved in time and will this help the ghosts to settle back into their graves?

Here are some real Nantucket homes:

It did take me nearly a week to read this book and it won't feature as my favourite by Blue Balliett but the premise and relationships between the children and several of the adults held my attention. Best of all the ending was a huge shock. By coincidence, while I was reading this book, I watched as a sweet little mid-century modern home was demolished just around the corner from my house so some parts of this story were extra poignant.

"Sorry house. I should have asked. I'm Phoebe Folger Antoine (Phee). I live inside the home in your picture, and my family always has. Can I take this and keep it safe? I promise I'll hang it right up.' The door blows back open, and a yellow-handled screwdriver rolls across the floor, stopping in front of the group. The kids stand quietly for a moment, looking at it. 'I think that's a yes ... and may be the house wants us to replace the old front door before we go."

Publisher blurb: Ghosts are alive on the island of Nantucket. You can hear them in the wind, and in the creaks of the old homes. They want to be remembered. And, even more, they want to protect what was once theirs. The ghosts seem to have chosen a few local kids to be their messengers -- and to help save the island. But in this mystery, the line between those who haunt and those who are haunted is a thin one -- and the past and the present must come to terms with one another in order to secure the future.

About 14,000 people live on the island of Nantucket. It is off the coast of Massachusetts. It is a very popular destination with tourists and the population grows to 40,000 in the Summer. In the early days the main industry was whaling. 

Blue Balliett says: I first came to Nantucket as a summer worker at age 18 and fell under the spell of this magical island. I married my husband Bill on Nantucket a few years later, and we’ve lived and worked here, off and on, for many decades. Two of our three kids were born here. I’ve heard many, many ‘real’ ghost stories… and finally, after writing six mysteries set in the Chicago area and published by Scholastic Press, got brave and wild enough to write Out of the Wild Night… It’s my love poem to this extraordinary, unique island and its year-round community, its oldest houses, and their ghosts.

Modern themes and old-fashioned values in a ghostly Nantucket wonder, with a twist. Kirkus Star review

Ms. Balliett kept me captivated, guessing…and second guessing, in this Middle-Grade, ghost-story mystery. Easily evident is her admiration and adoration of Nantucket and I enjoyed learning about the island and its people. Buried Under Books

When you finish this book, you will want to go back and reread chapter 3 (or listen to the audio sample below). You will also want to grab some wonders or donuts to celebrate solving this mystery. This book was published in 2018 and the paperback is still available.

Listen to an audio sample here. 

I have read and loved other books by Blue Balliett so when I spied this book (hardcover with a dust jacket) at a recent charity book sale for just $3 I grabbed it with both hands.

The Calder Game; Hold Fast

Companion book:

Magrit

Farmhouse by Sophie Blackall

 

This book is a lyrical love letter to the past and to an old house that saw children grow and change until the house itself grew too old to stay standing. While this broken old house could not be rescued by Sophie Blackall, I love that she was able to retrieve so many fragments from the history of the house and then painstakingly incorporate them into her delicate collage illustrations. 

Her voice is so authentic recounting the lives of the family with twelve children who lived long ago in this house. There is a beautiful sense of completion when we meet the final and youngest child, now an old lady, who takes her last look around the house before leaving it to nature and tempest. While it is sad, it is also good to see the raw and messy state of the house fifty years after the last family left. From the artist page illustration where we see Sophie Blackall with her materials there is a feeling that even though the house is now gone its spirit will live on. 

The author note at the back of the book is essential reading and heartbreaking with those words “a roaring excavator would come and extend its long neck and open its wide jaws, bite through the beams, push over the walls, crunch up the parlor organ … “. I love the way Sophie scattered seeds on the land after the house was gone. 

The design of Farmhouse is scrumptious – the embossed cover, the wrap around image on the dust jacket, the view of the inside of the house, a little like a dollhouse, found under the dust jacket, the front-end papers with all the patterns and textures and objects from the house, and the photos at the back of those twenty-one dresses looking like ghosts from the house and along with the old organ. I wish I had a button that was once a shell in the sea - that is the perfect refrain. 

This book is sure to delight readers of all ages. The story telling is rich and nostalgic. There is a very strong sense of time and place. The illustrations can be revisited over and over again and each time the discovery of new details will delight children and adults alike. I also love the pace of the illustrations. We move from pages with so much detail and then turn to a quieter page such as the barn milking scene and the apple tree. To my eye those pages and the one where we see the surrounding farmland feel like places where a reader can take a "visual" breath - these are quieter pages.  

The rhythm and meter of the narrative is perfect. It undulates and weaves in and out of the family's little life in a playful and surprising way, drawing the reader in to 'eavesdrop' on the life of the family before sending the reader out to explore details gently dropped into the tale such as the button that was once a shell. It made me reach for my own grandmother's button jar to see if I had a shell button like this. IF I had been able to read this book with a group of children my button (like this one below) would have been my starting point. 

Image Source Etsy

It has taken me a while to talk about this book because I had to wait until after the CBCA (Children's Book Council of Australia) announced their award winners for 2023 - this waiting is part of being a judge. Farmhouse was shortlisted for the picture book award. The judge's comments were partly written by me, so they do overlap with my comments here. 

Here are some review comments:

A lovely, tender reimagining of people in a long-past time and place. Kirkus Star review

Maybe that’s the thing about this book I like so much. Picture books about old houses or old cars or other old structures view natural decomposition as something to be fought and fixed. Farmhouse respectfully disagrees. The tragedy at work here is that the stories that took place in this house might not get told again. They might fade in the memories of the people who knew them. So rather than refurbish and restore the house, Sophie refurbishes and restores the family and their lives in book form. And maybe there will be a child that reads this book and begins to wonder about old photographs in their own homes. Maybe they’ll ask for stories about their own ancestors and, if they’re lucky, maybe they’ll hear some they never heard before. We can’t help but wonder about the people who came before us. Isn’t it nice when someone like Sophie Blackall is able to give them a little gift, in appreciation for coming before? A lovely, moving, thoughtful book, full of children, life and death, and the turning of the years. Fuse 8 Betsy Bird SLJ

I loved watching Sophie Blackall share her process and art creations for this book on Instagram. Here is one moment.  Sophie Blackall talks to the Horn Book magazine. IBBY President Dr Robyn Sheahan-Bright has prepared some outstanding teachers notes. Here is another interview with Sophie by Parnassus Books in Nashville. 

There are hundreds of decisions to be made on every page of a picture book. In this book, in this family, there are twelve children, and they all have chores and I want it to be historically accurate, but I also want to give the characters depth and not lock them into gender roles.

The perfect comparison text is The Little House.

The Little House

I also suggest looking for these:

The Hidden House (and) House Held up by trees

A House that once was