tita_noir's review
4.0
The Peterson Family goes on vacation and the house decides to go as well. But the various parts of the house squabble over where to go (or even whether they should go). After nixing the idea of just visiting other houses in the neighborhood ("Dudes" said the roof "There's no way I'm spending my vacation with the stuccoed up houses in this neighborhood."), they agree to Sunporch's suggestion to go to the Sea, Well all except the basement who refuses to "rise to the occasion.
The strength of this book is the story. The idea of the squabbling parts of the house trying to decide on where to go is great. And the distinct personality and voices of the parts is cute. The book is filled with sly puns ("I feel like I got the flue" mumbled the chimney and "Oh the pane! The pane!" cried the windows) and clever bon mots (at the first sight of the sea the Chimney utters with reverence "Holy Smoke.")
I don't think the art measured up to the pure whimsy of the story. If it had, it would have been a five star for me.
The strength of this book is the story. The idea of the squabbling parts of the house trying to decide on where to go is great. And the distinct personality and voices of the parts is cute. The book is filled with sly puns ("I feel like I got the flue" mumbled the chimney and "Oh the pane! The pane!" cried the windows) and clever bon mots (at the first sight of the sea the Chimney utters with reverence "Holy Smoke.")
I don't think the art measured up to the pure whimsy of the story. If it had, it would have been a five star for me.
rogenecarter's review
5.0
An absolutely adorable book for younger readers. I actually personally also thought that houses, body organs, and clothes would take trips whilst one was away, asleep, or showering so it's lovely to see part of that demented childhood fascination come to life. The illustrations are superb and the text is wonderfully whimsical.
chewdigestbooks's review
5.0
Like The Secret Life of Pets, I've often wondered what our houses think when we bail on them for a day or a vacation. No, I'm not crazy, I just have weird thoughts when it's 3 AM and I haven't slept for a couple days.
Cute, beautiful and vivid illustrations.
Cute, beautiful and vivid illustrations.
xterminal's review
3.0
Jacqueline Davies, The House Takes a Vacation Marshall Cavendish, 2007)
I love the idea of this book—when the family goes on vacation, the house decides to do the same—and Jacqueline Davies' writing in that regard is all well and good. It's a cute story, with more than enough puns for sharper young-gradeschoolers to pick up on. But pick this one up from the library first to make sure you, or your kids, don't find Lee White's illustrations to be disconcerting. Okay, not disconcerting, outright creepy. You may be able to tell just by looking at the front cover, but the effect didn't have its way with me until I'd gotten about three-quarters of the way through. ** 1/2
I love the idea of this book—when the family goes on vacation, the house decides to do the same—and Jacqueline Davies' writing in that regard is all well and good. It's a cute story, with more than enough puns for sharper young-gradeschoolers to pick up on. But pick this one up from the library first to make sure you, or your kids, don't find Lee White's illustrations to be disconcerting. Okay, not disconcerting, outright creepy. You may be able to tell just by looking at the front cover, but the effect didn't have its way with me until I'd gotten about three-quarters of the way through. ** 1/2
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