  | Ramble shamble children Author: Soontornvat, Christina | |
| Price: $23.08 | ||
Summary:
Five siblings worry that their shabby old house isn't 'proper' enough, but come to see that it's perfect just the way it is.
| Illustrator: | Castillo, Lauren |
| Accelerated Reader Information: Interest Level: LG Reading Level: 3.10 Points: .5 Quiz: 515336 |
Reviews:
Kirkus Reviews (01/15/21)
School Library Journal (+) (05/01/21)
Booklist (01/01/21)
The Hornbook (+) (00/05/21)
Full Text Reviews:
Booklist - 01/01/2021 In a fairy-tale-like setting amid remote mountains and trees, five children who live in a rundown house learn to appreciate what they have. The story focuses on the daily lives of the children, who are engrossed in the hard work of sustaining a home and garden. There’s also an infant, Jory, who loves playing in the mud. One day, they come across a book with pictures of a fancier home and suddenly feel pressure to keep up. They spruce up the place, adding rosebushes, building a fancy henhouse, and raking over patches of mud. But they soon discover the emptiness of the upgrades. Far from improving the place, they’ve driven out the very soul of it: Jory is gone, in search of new, muddy pastures. After recovering the baby, the children wisely return to their more carefree ways. The spectacle of young children living independently from adults will fire up young readers’ imaginations, and the illustrations, with bold colors and sunshine-filled landscapes, will only fuel that fire. - Copyright 2021 Booklist.
School Library Journal - 05/01/2021 K-Gr 2—No need to "proper up" anything about this winning title. Soontornvat and Castillo have produced a charming tale of "ramble shamble" delightfulness. Five children of various skin tones live in a wonderfully worn-down home that suits them just perfectly "down the mountain, across the creek, past the last curve in the road." They each have their roles to play in making their family work, including the youngest, Jory, who is brilliantly in charge of the mud. When they get the notion from a book that their house isn't "proper" enough, the kids go on a renovation and cleaning spree. What they discover in the end is that their home suited them just perfectly before and that a little bit of mud is more than OK! Castillo's illustrations, done with ink drawings digitally combined with Gelli monoprints, radiate light, warmth, and coziness. The story elements are perfectly balanced and the sense of community and family makes this a very satisfying book to share. VERDICT Children love the idea of living on their own independent of adults and this book celebrates that desire with a masterful blend of illustration and story.—John Scott, Friends Sch. of Baltimore - Copyright 2021 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.
