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Mar 09, 2021 | ISBN 9780399176326 | 3-7 years Pre-Order
Mar 09, 2021 | ISBN 9780399545825 | 3-7 years Pre-Order
Also available from:
Available from:
Mar 09, 2021 | ISBN 9780399176326 | 3-7 years
Mar 09, 2021 | ISBN 9780399545825 | 3-7 years
The delightful story of an unconventional family of kids who learn the ups and downs of working together.Merra, Locky, Roozle, Finn, and little Jory love their ramble shamble house. It’s a lot of work taking care of the garden, the chickens, and themselves, but they all pitch in to make it easier–even Jory, who looks after the mud puddles. When they come across a picture of a “proper” house in a book, they start wondering if their own home is good enough. So they get to work “propering up” the garden, the chickens, and even the mud puddles. But the results aren’t exactly what they expected, and when their now-proper household’s youngest member goes missing, they realize that their ramble shamble home might be just right for their family, after all.
* “Sweet-tempered writing by Soontornvat and affectionate spreads by Caldecott Honoree Castillo make it clear that the ramble shamble house, with no parents in sight, is perfect the way it is. Looking after the garden and the chickens is hard work, but the children are free to make their own decisions, and to change their minds, too. The underlying Pippi Longstocking–style setting—children living and thriving together—could easily sustain further episodes.”—Publishers Weekly, starred review “Charmingly illustrated in Castillo’s signature style. . . . Soontornvat’s complete lack of exposition, with no explanation of how five diverse children came to live this way, lends the story a classic, old-time–y feel that allows readers to focus on more important things: what it means to contribute to the well-being of others, what makes a family, and what love looks like. Hint: It doesn’t look like diamond chandeliers. Readers will surely want to join this sweet family.”—Kirkus Reviews“A fairy-tale-like setting amid remote mountains and trees. . . . 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.”—Booklist
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