When I read, Red House Tree House Little Bitty Brown Mouse by Jane Godwin and illustrated by Blanca Gómez, I was reminded of how many varied categories picture books fall into. A plethora of needs and uses that a slight-worded book for tiny hands can fulfill.
Red House Tree House is a cheeringly rhyming journey across the world. Brimming with fun, clever, teaching tools along the way. The reader is asked questions on several pages,
“Yellow fruit
Pink fruit
Orange fruit
Green.
Do you know the color of the berries in between?”
This engages the reader with the book both visually through the illustrations, as well as conversationally in the text. We also get to seek and find and search for the little brown mouse on each spread (which I have and always will love doing!).
The rhymes and the vocabulary pulses and builds as we travel across the world using various means of transportation,
“Pink shoes
Blue shoes
Green shoes
Red.
Shoes go on your feet. What goes on your head?”
This is such a witty and fun read aloud and I can just hear children shouting out their answers. Very interactive and engaging.
The illustrations by Gómez are happy and joyful. Simple shapes play off complex patterns in a delightful way.
The colorful end pages are printed with illustrated travel stickers along with a note encouraging an observant reader to match them with their places throughout the book. Yet another way the reader can interact with the book.
As I mentioned earlier, there are many purposes for a picture book: sometimes it’s to teach a life lesson, sometimes it’s to introduce a character with whom a child can relate, it can be mostly informative, or just make the reader laugh.
In the end, when thoughtful illustrations and lilting rhymes engage the reader to turn the page and continue on an exciting journey— it’s destined to be a successful classic that will be read and enjoyed,
again,
and again.
What a delightful book! Everything about it makes me happy. 🙂 Thanks so much for sharing—I hadn’t even heard of this little gem before.
I hope you enjoy it, Tammi!
Wow, the rhymes alone make me want to run to a bookstore and get a copy of my own to share with our littles! But then, the illustrations pull me right in, too! Going on my list. Thanks, Jen!
Thanks, Jill— it’s a fun one to share!
This one is new to me, and it sounds so thoughtfully constructed — AND in rhyme! Thanks for spotlighting it, I’m requesting it now.
Hi Sue, thanks for visiting PBB today. Hope you enjoy the book!
I LOVE this book, Jennifer! Bright and colorful with fun, playful rhymes, and the questions were a surprise. Thoroughly engaging!!
I’m so glad that you like the book, too, Judy. I thought the questions weren’t predictable and were, as you said, a surprise. Thanks so much!
This is so engaging. So much to like with the rhyme and rhythm and finding the little mouse. Thanks for sharing!
Hi Mary, there are a lot of fun things to enjoy in this lovely PB. Thanks so much for visiting and commenting!
This is the first I’ve heard of this book and there is so much to like! Looking forward to reading this one!
Hi Kim, I hope you enjoy it— thanks for stopping by today!
What a charming book! I can’t wait to read this one to my grandchildren! Thank you for sharing it.
Hi Dorothia! It’s a lot of fun to read out loud and to dive deep into the illustrations. Thank you!
Our copy is being processed now and I can’t wait to see it – this will be perfect for our “Wee Read” program!
Hi Janet— wonderful for Wee Read! Thanks for visiting and commenting.
Lovely!!
Thanks for visiting our blog today, Lisa!
Quite charming! I am intrigued by your mention of the endpapers. Adding to my TBR!
Yes the ends are a very clever addition and surprise. Thanks, Cathy, hope you enjoy it!
I can just hear little ones shouting out the answers and asking to hear it “one more time!” Thanks for sharing, Jennifer!
Thank you, Judy, for visiting our blog and commenting! Have a wonderful day!
This looks very sweet!!
Hi Maria! It sure is ?
Really cute! I love the colors and shapes in these illustrations.
Greetings, Michelle. Me, too, and she uses a lot of interesting patterns and textures.
What a charming book. I can’t wait to read the whole thing. Thanks for the heads up.
Hi Rosi, you are very welcome. Enjoy it and thank you for stopping by today!
Oh, man. This looks like a perfect pairing, and just right for little ones. And I LOVE Blanca Gomez’s art. Just reserved it at the library. Thanks, Jennifer!!
You are very welcome, Linda! Enjoy!
What a fun and sweet read aloud book. Thanks so much for sharing it.
Hi Deb— Thank you for visiting our blog today and taking the time to comment!
Isn’t this a delicious little book!
Yum! Thanks, Kathy!
This is the perfect match of text + illustrations. Can’t wait to read and share this darling book.
Simple and fun. What a terrific book.
Hi David, it is indeed! Thanks for visiting us.
This book is so cute I want to pinch its cheeks!
Nice! Thanks, Lenora, for visiting PBB!
What a lovely book, thanks for recommending it.
Sareen, I hope you enjoy the book!
What a delight! I’m finally catching up on PBB after Christmas holidays.
A book that engages the reader on many different levels–isn’t that what we all hope to create?! Sounds like a book deserving closer study. Thanks for the recommendation, Jennifer.