Tag Archives: Dwellings

MG – The International House of Dereliction

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Davies, Jacqueline. The International House of Dereliction. Clarion, 2023.  978-0-063-25807-5. 230 p. $16.99. Grades 3-6.

Alice and her parents, Professor Cannoli (her mother) and George Potchnik (her father) are facing their eleventh move in Alice’s ten years. Housing is part of Professor Cannoli’s compensation at the college she works for, but the problem is that George and Alice are quite good at fixing things. They fix each house the family moves into so well that the college sells the house for a big profit, then moves them into a new wreck. Professor Cannoli, arguing that Alice is of an age in which being rooted in one home is critical, devises a plan to get the college to let them stay in their new house forever. Rather than fix up their new home, the Cannoli-Potchnick family must accept their new home’s shortcomings without fixing a thing until the college grants it to them as permanent housing. Once moved in, Alice, who is unschooled, feels drawn to the condemned mansion next door, and quickly gets the “Potchnik itch” to begin repairs. As she secretly fixes the house, she discovers that it seems to be alive… and protective of the ghosts who occupy it. The ghosts on their end, believe that Alice has received the “blessing of the house” because SHE can actually see and hear them. As Alice works on her restoration, she gains the trust of The House and unravels clues about the ghosts’ past that will help them move on from the home to become “Settled.” All of this happens as demolition day approaches for the old mansion.

THOUGHTS: This is an absolute gem of a book, with many different layers for middle grade readers to enjoy. Jacqueline Davis successfully creates a unique world of ghosts in which they are classified as Past Dues, Settled Ones, Wanderers, or Captives, depending on their circumstances.  Each ghost appears to Alice in a variety of different forms and with different characteristics (twinkling shards of glass, raindrops, angry squiggles, etc.) that reflect their mood and past. Alice, her parents, and the professors at the college are quirky with unique personalities developed to the author’s descriptions, vocabulary, and writing style for each. This is not a ghost story to scare or thrill, but one to engross middle grade readers in a world of family, the passage of time, character, and storytelling. Highly recommended for all libraries looking for a great story or to expand their readers’ perception of “ghosts.” 

Mystery
Fantasy (Supernatural)

Elem. – Farmhouse

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Blackall, Sophie. Farmhouse. Little, Brown, and Company, 2022. 978-0-316-52894-8. 32 p. $18.99. Grades K-3. 

This book, which is written in one long sentence, tells the story of a farmhouse and the family who makes the house a home. The house, occupied by 12 children and their parents, is part of a 19th century dairy farm, and each spread details the day-to-day lives of the family members. They perform chores, play, squabble, read, cook, make mischief, share secrets, and dream of the future all together under one roof. Eventually, the children grow up and move away, and the house falls into a state of disrepair. It sits empty, except for its many new animal inhabitants, until the author herself purchases the property and salvages what she can from the old structure. Using the books, maps, sheet music, clothing, keys, and buttons she finds inside as inspiration, Blackall created this book, weaving together a tribute to the house and the family who lived in it so many years ago. This book’s stunning illustrations were created using a variety of mixed media, including Chinese ink, watercolor, gouache, and colored pencil. Blackall also incorporated additional materials she salvaged from the farmhouse, including wallpaper, newspaper clippings, clothing, string, curtains, and handkerchiefs.

THOUGHTS: This book is so visually impressive that each repeated reading will uncover previously unnoticed details. Each spread bursts with the personalities of the family members, and readers will enjoy flipping back and forth between pages, noting how the family and the farmhouse change over time. It’s a tribute not only to one family and one farmhouse, but to the way time passes and things change. Physical items are left behind, but so too are their stories, waiting to be rediscovered by new generations.

Picture Book          Anne Bozievich, Southern York County SD

Elem. – The Chicken House

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Cronin, Doreen. The Chicken House. Illustrated by Stephen Gilpin. Simon Spotlight, 2021. 978-1-534-48706-2. Unpaged. $17.99. Grades K-3.

In this early reader adventure, The Chicken Squad is back for another adventure. Sugar, Dirt, Sweetie, and Poppy live in the triangle chicken house with their mother. Dirt likes to read by the window, Sweetie likes to draw on the walls, Poppy likes to rest in a big shoe, and mother Moosh likes when everyone is home. Home is a bit crowded though. J.J. lives in a doghouse that has a bathtub; a big, soft bed; and a table for massages. Sugar invites her siblings to the more spacious dog house, and each enjoys having a little elbow room. But Moosh misses her chicks, and J.J. notices his dog house isn’t like it used to be. Will everyone find a way to be comfortable and feel at home? This text has longer sentences with simple chapters and high-interest vocabulary words. 

THOUGHTS: A fun twist on Goldilocks and the Three Bears, this chicken adventure will garner laughs of emerging readers.

Early Reader          Maryalice Bond, South Middleton SD