William's House
Thursday, November 13, 2008 at 10:11PM Email Article William's House
It is 1637 and William and his family are leaving England for the New World. William is determined to build a house just like the one he left in England. It will be a house with a gently sloped, thatched roof, surrounded by trees. As the days wear on and the seasons change, William and his wife realize that living in the New World means adopting new ideas. Filled with illustrations rich with historical detail, this is a book for both classroom read-alouds and up-close study.
Larry Day is the illustrator - check out his website.
William's House Reviews
From Booklist:
Ages 5-8. Howard combines social history and a moral on adapting to change in this story of how one early settler's dream of re-creating the house he left behind in England is blasted to bits by the harsh realities of life in the colonies. It's 1637 and William and his family have just arrived in New England. They set about building a thatched roof cottage like the one they left behind. They are pleased with their new home, but as the seasons change their house must change: the hot New England summer calls for a cellar; the drier climate means cedar shingles on the roof; the snowier, colder winter demands a bigger fireplace. The changes are explained in a way youngsters will easily understand: with each climate change, William's wife exclaims, "Something must be done," and the family solves the problem. Day's engaging watercolors show details of house building and of colonial family life, as clever, black-and-white inserts on text pages follow the adventures of William's two sons. A book that is as engaging as it is informative. -Connie Fletcher
From School Library Journal
Grades 2-4. Leaving England in 1637 with his wife, two sons, and a dog, William intends to build a house just like his father's. Good intentions fall aside as the man discovers that the environment in the New World is different and requires new ways of thinking. When summer brings heat, he must dig a cellar to store food or it will rot. The dry autumn forces William to replace the thatch on his roof with shingles that won't catch on fire from chimney sparks. During winter's low temperatures, he finds that he needs a larger fireplace and must pitch the roof at a steeper angle so that it won't collapse under heavy snow. Lessons learned keep the family alive and healthy. Double-page spreads include detailed watercolor paintings on one side and readable text on the other. Each text page also includes a delightful, small pen and ink drawing of the boys (and dog) playing, building a lean-to, fishing, watching wild geese, and enjoying the snow. As the narrative tells of the building and rebuilding of the house, the illustrations relate another complementary story. Careful observations of the accurate paintings lends perspective and and information on daily life and items from clothing and tools to furniture and children's play. This unusual picture book works on several levels, making it worthy for both recreational reading and as an introduction to the period. -Pamela K. Bomboy
Awards: 2002 National Council of Social Studies Notables
William's House - Questions From Readers 1. Where did you get the names William and Elizabeth? I looked for names that were common in the 17th century. There were five men named William on the Mayflower. There was one woman named Elizabeth. Also, my father is named William. My mother is named Libby, so I looked for a 17th century name that was similar. Often Libby is a nickname for Elizabeth (but my mother's real name is Libby!) 2. Why are there two children? I have two children (one boy and one girl) and the illustrator has two children (two boys). Larry Day asked his sons to be models for some of the scenes he painted for the book. 3. Do you have a favorite picture in the book? I love them all, but I especially love the November picture. William is building a new roof, and Elizabeth and the boys are watching. The illustrator put a sailboat in one boy's hand. I love that part because my family had a sailboat for a long time. We spent many weekends sailing to Catalina Island off the coast of California. I didn't know the illustrator was going to include a sailboat - it was a great surprise for me! 4. Did you have a dog when you were growing up? Yes! I was afraid of dogs when I was two years old, so my parents got me a dachshund. We named her Tippy. Later, I kept one of her puppies too. We named him Bambi. It was my job to feed them every night. Ask the author a question - send email to ginger@tetontel.com
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