Book Review #81

 Farmhouse

Author: Sophie Blackall
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2022
ISBN:‎ 978-0316528948
Reading Level: 4 to 8 years

Main Character: The main "character" in the book is the Farmhouse.

Plot: The Farmhouse is home to a large family. Time takes its toll on the house, the family grows up and leaves, and it becomes unlivable. Then, Sophie Blackall tells its story.

"A love letter to the joys of country living and family life as well as the importance of treasuring the past and all its stories."

~ School Library Journal

Settings: “Over a hill, at the end of a road, by a glittering stream that twists and turns stands a farmhouse.” ~ Sophie Blackall

Genre/Theme/Style: Children's 1900s American Historical Fiction, Multi-generational Family Life, and Children's Farm Life.

I Gave This Book 5 Roars! 🦁🦁🦁🦁🦁

Why 5 Roars? I absolutely loved this book! It is not another sad cliché about a house that nurtures a family and then becomes old and forgotten. Sophie Blackall did something very creative in collecting things from the farmhouse to allow it to tell its own story. The illustrations are such an important part of this piece of work.

In all honesty, I thought it was just another pretty, children's book until I began to read it. Then, I became fascinated with how it was created. Do not let the simple appearance of this book fool you. It is actually something special. You really do have to see this book for yourself!

"Genuinely captivating...A meditation on the creative process...Multifaceted and arresting...Irresistible."~ Booklist

Critical Analysis: This is a unique compilation of art that happens to tell a story. A story that resonates with children and adults. It really does make you want to run off and live on a farmhouse.  Maybe not one with twelve children, but certainly one with multi-generational family members that help give one a sense of family life at its very best. 

Connections: Sophie Blackall Introduces Farmhouse