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The ABC Book of American Homes
Product Code: 15659 ISBN: 978-1-57091-565-9 Ages: 7 - 10 Availability: In stock. Price: $17.95 Shop A Local Bookstore
"Not every family lives in a house with four straight walls and a roof." Houses in trees, houses on water, houses with wheels! America is a country of diverse people who live in all types of homes&mdashhomes made of wood, metal, glass, even snow! In the desert, on a farm, or by the beach, American houses have only one thing in common--they provide shelter and comfort to those who live in them. No matter the size, shape, or location, they are places to call home. This alphabetical survey spans over three centuries of architecture. Vivid illustrations and simple, informative text introduce young readers to the limitlessness of the American imagination. Readers will not only learn about a variety of houses, from yuurts to pueblos to farmhouses, but about the variety of people who inhabit them. This book is good for your brain because: Alphabet, Language Arts, Informative Non-Fiction, Communities  >font size="2">download the cover image! If you like this book, you'll love these: Reviews Kirkus Reviews - June 1, 2008
Broad spaces, small figures, precise architectural details and clean, straight lines gives Brannen's art in this alphabetical gallery of housing an elegant simplicity that Shoulders's matter-of-fact commentary struggles to emulate: "A is for apartment. All homes in an apartment building share the same roof. Families who live in apartments might have neighbors living beside them, below them and above them…." From Beach House and Cajun Cottage to Mobile Homes and Pueblos, from a Junk House built from recycled materials to the stately White House, the author draws them all together with the closing observation that, whatever a home's nature, "what makes it special are the people you share it with."
Booklist - August 1, 2008
This picture-book presentation looks at 26 American dwelling places, from the familiar (apartment, mobile home, farmhouse) to the regional (igloo, pueblo, Cajun cottage) to the unusual (earth sheltered home, tree house, houseboat). A few entries appear on double-page spreads, but typically a single page is devoted to each type of house, with a paragraph of text accompanied by a nicely delineated and beautifully colored painting. Homes still in use today appear in full color, while those built mainly in the past are shown in gray or sepia tones. In nearly every case, the pictures include people (and often pets) inside or outside the bulding. . . . libraries should consider this book for their collections because of the variety of houses presented, the readibility of the text, and the quality of the illustrations.
Library Media Connection - November 1, 2008
As you read and look at the illustrations in this book, you can't help but wonder what life would be like living in the various homes. The author introduces the readers to some unusual homes like the Junk House and the Straw House. The Junk House doesn't look anything like its name, and the Straw House is much stronger than the Three Little Pigs version. The Sears, Roebuck and Company's Kilbourne mail order home (1921-29) is featured along with log cabins, mobile homes, recreational vehicles, tree houses, and many others. This book would be a great tool to use for discussion regarding the houses we live in and the people we know who live in different types of homes. Young people will enjoy reading this book and looking at the impressive illustrations. They add to the book by making you feel like you are part of the scene. The author ends with "home is where the heart is," and what makes a home special are the people you share it with. What a good thought to leave with the reader.--Sue N. Howard, Library Media Specialist, Georgia Avenue Elementary School, Memphis, Tennessee Through the Looking Glass Children's Book Review - November 2, 2008
People in America live in all kinds of homes. In addition to the more usual houses and apartments, there are also homes that are on water, in trees, and underground. This is an alphabetical journey that looks at the different kinds of homes that can be found around the country.The author begins with “A is for Apartment.” He explains what an apartment is and describes what it is like. Further along in the book we see that that “E is Earth-Sheltered Home.” These underground homes typically have a south wall that is mostly made of glass. Skylights in the ceilings allow the rooms in other parts of the house to get some sunlight during the day. If you have a hankering for a home that is different you might want to emulate one of the three pigs and build your house out of straw. Straw houses are environmentally friendly because they are not made of wood and because they are very energy efficient. This book is not only packed with interesting facts about homes of all kinds, but it is also written in a style that is engaging, touched with humor, and easy to understand. Attractive watercolor illustrations accompany the text, showing all twenty-six of the alphabet homes. Aptos Daily - October 15, 2008
Unlike most "ABC" books, there's plenty of text in this volume where the focus is upon the different types of homes a family of person can live in. This alphabetical survey covers over three centuries of architecture. From a beach house, houseboat and geodesic dome to a mobile home, pueblo, and yurt, the author includes the whole range of domiciles. Just like its population, America's housing is diverse and reflects many different lifestyles and cultures. Here's a clever way of raising your child's consciouness when it comes to how buildings can reflect their inhabitants' customs and beliefs. This could well result in the entire family taking a closer look at what types of architecture can be found here on the Central Coast.
The National Center for the Study of Children's Literature - January 26, 2009
Charlesbridge Publishing is the King of alphabets; they succeed each year in publishing illuminating, informative, and appealing uses of the alphabet for their many books. As much a sampler of American history and abodes, The ABC Book of American Homes covers a lot of architecture, from "Cajun Cottages" to "Mobile Homes," "Recreational Vehicles," and "Yurts." We are indeed a diverse society; Shoulders and Brannen do a fine job of discussing and illustrating this great variety, including The White House.
SLS Children's Book Reviews - August 18, 2009
Each letter of the alphabet is defined by a certain kind of dwelling--with the exception of Z. Most of the letters have single-page spreads, but others have a double-page spread. The alphabet starts with Apartment and ends with the usual Zzzzzz. The text is factual and averages five sentences per letter. The 9.9 x 9.7-inch size of the book makes it great for sharing, and the variety of illustrations are in bright colors, except for dwellings that were popular in the past, such as Kilbourne and Log Cabin that are in black and white or sepia. The illustrations are exceptional and would be of interest to all ages.
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