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kbuxton23's review against another edition
A childhood favorite that I hadn't read in years.
simplymary's review against another edition
5.0
Perfectly delightful children's story about an inventive little boy who finds an outlet for his creativity in the neighborhood. I'm wondering why this isn't a Caldecott book...the illustrations are superb.
kerrifilippazzo's review against another edition
5.0
Old fashioned. Straightforward storytelling. Black and white illustrations. Perfect.
sarahbrarian's review against another edition
5.0
Another excellent book about kids and wild imaginations. Andrew Henry is an overlooked middle child who loves to build things. A lack of space and understanding at home makes Andrew decide to run away and build his own place. Soon other kids follow, and each gets a new home tailor-made to his or her obsession. One child is a musician, one loves birds, one loves fishing, one loves rabbits, etc, but a common thread is that their hobbies are frowned upon by their families. After a short while the kids are found, there is much rejoicing, and when Andrew Henry goes back home, his family dedicates a space in the basement for his workshop. I'll be a cheeseball and admit that that part always makes me a little teary.
shighley's review against another edition
4.0
Definitely a throw-back book (indeed, it was written years ago, and was recently re-issued) Today's kids may not relate as much to the nice black and white line drawings. I especially liked the end papers. Kids who feel under-appreciated could probably relate, but I hope they "get" the final message that the families consider them important and loved.
optimaggie's review against another edition
5.0
How did I not know about this book? This seems like the kind of book that would grace most children's book shelves and yet I never became aware of it until I was over 40! Luckily my son is only eight, and he thoroughly enjoyed it. The only problem with books like this is that he would love to be able to set out to build things like Andrew Henry and real life can feel frustrating after a book like this. Still, I would happily buy this book for my son's shelf. And I just might.
daisycakesco's review against another edition
3.0
Ignore the stereotypical gender roles (it WAS originally written in 1965) and the fact that a bunch of kids go missing for 4 days and you've got a neat story about a boy who moves to a meadow, builds his own house, and then builds unique houses for all the other boys and girls whose interests' are suppressed by their parents. The illustrations are reminiscent of Robert McClosky - and again, it was written around the same time - very detailed and action-packed.
jessalynn_librarian's review against another edition
4.0
April 2018 - we read this one because a library patron gushed about how much he loved it as a kid, and since we didn't own a copy, he loaned me his own copy to take home and read. It totally lived up to his praise, and I can see how this is the kind of story that sticks in your mind if you read it over and over as a kid. The inventions were fantastic, and Ben and I both loved seeing all the houses he builds in the meadow. Delightful wish fulfillment.
pkadams's review against another edition
5.0
An oldie that has aged well. Loved the story and message! A little dated with the gender themes, but I think celebrating independent thinking and creativity compensates nicely.
jennybeastie's review against another edition
5.0
What a lovely book for the builders, the engineers, and those of us who love tools.