Another Review at MyShelf.Com

My Father's House

by Kathi Appelt
Illustrated by Raul Colon

My Father's House is a poetic look at a Biblical reference: "In my Father's house are many mansions." Appelt interprets those mansions as the many different ecosystems of the world -- the ocean, the tundra, the temperate forest, the prairie, etc. Then she goes beyond the earth to include the solar system and stars as she expresses gratitude for all the parts of her home. The verse is lyrical and filled with life and color.

It's a very thankful and reverent look at the world and all the things in it. The soft richness of Colon's illustrations match perfectly to the soothing tone of the book. The book is a lovely read aloud with a smooth even rhythm. It begins very concrete with action and fun. For instance, when she describes the ocean, Appelt says "Where blue whales snooze in water beds/ And flying fishes play." By the end of the book, however, the abstractions may be a bit confusing to the youngest listener with lines like "Thank you for your many mansions/I'll keep them fast inside my heart." The accompanying illustration of starts and planets dwarfed by a huge woman with a glowing heart between her hands probably doesn't add to the clarity; so if you plan the book as a read aloud for little ones, be prepared for plenty of pauses to explain what the text means. Still, it's a beautiful book and certainly an inspiring one for adults and older readers.

I enjoyed it.

 

The Book

Viking / Penguin
May 2007
Hardbound
0670036692 / 9780670036691
Picture Book for ages 4 - 8
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Excerpt
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The Reviewer

Jan Fields
Reviewed 2007
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© 2006 MyShelf.com