The Blue House

by Phoebe Wahl

Overview

In the tradition of Virginia Lee Burton's The Little House comes a heartfelt story about a father and son learning to accept the new while honoring and celebrating the old.

For as long as he can remember, Leo has lived in the blue house with his dad, but lately the neighborhood is changing. People are leaving, houses are being knocked down, and shiny new buildings are going up in their place. When Leo and his dad are forced to leave, they aren't happy about it. They howl and rage and dance out their feelings. When the time comes, they leave the blue house behind—there was never any choice, not really—but little by little, they find a way to keep its memory alive in their new home.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781984893376
Publisher:	Random House Children's Books
Publication date:	08/11/2020
Pages:	40
Product dimensions:	9.31(w) x 9.31(h) x 0.37(d)
Lexile:	AD520L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

PHOEBE WAHL's work focuses on themes of comfort, nostalgia, and intimacy with nature. She grew up unschooled in Washington State and credits her free-spirited childhood in the Northwest for much of her inspiration and work ethic. She works in a variety of mediums, from watercolor and collage to fabric sculpture. Phoebe graduated from Rhode Island School of Design with a BFA in illustration and currently lives in Bellingham, Washington.

Visit her at phoebewahl.com
Follow her on Instagram at @phoebewahl

Editorial Reviews

★ 06/22/2020

“Leo lived with his dad in an old blue house next to a tall fir tree” in a neighborhood that’s being redeveloped. One day Leo’s father comes to fetch him at school; they get ice cream and visit the beach. “I got a letter from the landlord today,” Leo’s dad says. “They’ve sold our house, and it’s going to be torn down.” When Leo gets home, he’s so angry he shuts himself in his room. But he gets hungry eventually, and, after dinner, his dad plays electric guitar, and Leo jumps on the couch: “They danced and stomped and raged, together.” Leo has long brown hair and rosy cheeks, and his father wears a beard and a solemn expression. Wahl (Paper Mice) makes both characters distinctive and sympathetic, and devotes loving attention to every spread. Toys on the floor, berries in the garden, the pattern of the couch fabric—she conjures up all the coziness that Leo and his father don’t want to let go. In their new place, though, Leo sees that it’s their presence that makes things cozy. Wahl portrays a father who’s supportive and honest (“I’m angry, too,” he says), and who helps his son ride a wave of emotions and land safely on the other side. Ages 4–8. Agent: Jennifer Laughran, Andrea Brown Literary. (Aug.)

Publishers Weekly

Winner of The Horn Book's 2021 Robin Smith Picture Book Prize
One of Publishers Weekly's Best Picture Books of 2020
An NPR Best Book of the Year

PRAISE FOR The Blue House:

“Wahl makes both characters distinctive and sympathetic, and devotes loving attention to every spread.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review 
 
“An absolute treasure for anyone who has ever moved.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review
 
“An affecting story about loss and starting over.” —The Horn Book, starred review

“An emotionally resonant picture book.” —Booklist, starred review

“This powerfully relevant, moving portrayal of a loving single-parent family during a period of unexpected change and transition is a must-have.” —School Library Journal, starred review

“The Blue House is an immensely satisfying picture book about a family acclimating to a big change.” —BookPage

“This is a picture book that rewards repeat readings and will doubtlessly stay in readers’ memories.” —The Horn Book

“Refreshing. . . . This is a pragmatic alternative to Virginia Lee Burton’s The Little House, and kids will be glad to see that Leo and his dad negotiate their changing neighborhood. Make sure audiences get a look at opening and closing endpapers to see where Leo’s move took him.” —The Bulletin

From the Publisher

★ 07/01/2020

K-Gr 3—Leo and his father live in an old blue house. It has peeling paint, "leaks and creaks," and the heater breaks on snowy days, but it's their home and they manage by baking pies and dancing to keep themselves warm. Gentrification comes to their neighborhood, and eventually the landlord calls to tell them the house has been sold and will be torn down. Leo and his dad pack and move to a new house, where they find a way to celebrate the memory of their old blue house. Wahl's illustrations render the scenes with loving specificity, while the cover pays homage to Virginia Lee Burton's classic The Little House. The passage of time can be followed in the details, with "For Sale" signs giving way to a "Sold" sign next door on the very first page. While nothing in the text points out that the family isn't wealthy, as soon as readers see the leaky roof and the use of the oven to keep warm, they'll know the story. Hand-lettered text adds to the richness of the detailed illustrations.This powerfully relevant, moving portrayal of a loving single-parent family during a period of unexpected change and transition is a must-have for any collection. VERDICT With loving details that radiate off the page, exquisite pacing, and a child's perspective on the bad thing that is happening, this is recommended to share widely, and with anyone who has ever had to move.—Amanda Foulk, Sacramento P.L.

School Library Journal

★ 2020-05-03
A father and son are forced from their longtime neighborhood.

Leo and his dad love their rented “old blue house” despite its quirks (peeling paint, a mossy roof, leaks and creaks). The house is filled with so many memories that make it theirs. In the winter, the duo make cozy forts and bake pies to warm up when the old heater breaks. They dance to “Spruce Springsteel” on vinyl. As the garden fills with raspberries and tomatoes in the summer, Leo plays in the yard until sundown. But, lately, developers have been building “big, new apartments” nearby. Their landlord informs Leo’s dad that the blue house is next to be torn down. Leo and his dad dance, stomp, and rage together. Will their new home ever feel the same? Wahl’s latest is a moving portrait of a single-parent family’s resilience and love amid redevelopment. The textured, deeply colorful art utilizes collage, and the text appears handwritten, giving the rich spreads the feel of a scrapbook. The detailed illustrations enrich not only the memories, but the characters’ colorful personalities and relationship. The third-person narrative’s tight connection to Leo and his emotions positions the text as Virginia Lee Burton’s The Little House retold for a new generation. Endpapers depict Leo’s neighborhood before and after redevelopment, effectively showing the impact. Both Leo and his dad present white.

An absolute treasure for anyone who has ever moved. (Picture book. 4-8)

Kirkus Reviews