Library Mouse: Home Sweet Home

by Daniel Kirk

Overview

In Library Mouse: Home Sweet Home, Sam and Sarah learn all about architecture in a picture book adventure by author/illustrator Daniel Kirk.

When Sam the library mouse and his friend Sarah wake to find the library being packed up to prepare for a major renovation, they realize they won’t have a home during the construction. So off they go in search of a new place to live.

Sam knows research is key, so he finds books about architectural styles to get ideas for building a temporary home from objects found around the library. They build and live in a variety of houses: a castle, an igloo, a yurt, a modern house, and even a geodesic dome. But none feels like home to Sam. Finally, though, the renovation of the library is complete, and they can move back to their true home, the library!

The book includes photos of the real house styles discussed in the text and a relevant glossary of architectural terms.

“This is a fine use of light fantasy to teach a little lesson about building structures, and it will be especially useful to those preparing children for the disruptions that come with home renovations.” —Booklist

Library Mouse series:
Library Mouse
Library Mouse: A Friend’s Tale
Library Mouse: A World to Explore
Library Mouse: A Museum Adventure
Library Mouse: Home Sweet Home

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781419705441
Publisher:	Abrams Books for Young Readers
Publication date:	09/03/2013
Series:	Library Mouse Series , #5
Pages:	40
Product dimensions:	8.70(w) x 10.70(h) x 0.50(d)
Lexile:	AD670L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Daniel Kirk has written and illustrated a number of popular and bestselling books for children, including Library Mouse, which Booklist praised as a “show-stopper.” He is also the author and illustrator of Library Mouse: A Friend’s Tale and the novels ElfRealm: The Low Road and Elf Realm: The High Road. He lives in Glen Ridge, New Jersey, with his family.

Editorial Reviews

K-Gr 2—When faced with a real-life problem, Sam knows just what to do. After the mouse reads a note indicating that a "renovation" in his library is afoot, he uses a dictionary to define the new word and then locates architecture resources to help him design temporary quarters in the attic. Sam's cerebral style contrasts with that of his more adventurous friend Sarah. While Sam gravitates toward classical Roman buildings and grand castles, Sarah favors yurts, igloos, and geodesic domes. Seeking a perfect home, the two pals produce many miniature structures. In the end, Sam resides most comfortably under a book, which Sarah presents to him as an example of an A-frame house. Predictably, with the library renovations completed, the children's room re-opens with the mouse projects prominently displayed on the shelf tops, making for a warm, welcoming, and creative environment. Kirk's gouache cartoon illustrations are charming. The back matter includes information on houses around the world, photos, and a glossary. Newcomers and fans of the previous titles will welcome this tale, and librarians will put it to good use in their research lessons.—Gloria Koster, West School, New Canaan, CT

School Library Journal

Sam the mouse and his friend Sarah are back in a new, fifth adventure, and this time, it's centered on the renovations to their library home. Needing temporary residences, they move to the attic to build them. Of course, they need architecture books to determine which type suits them. Sam, the storyteller and dreamer, builds his with formal columns, while Sarah, the explorer, makes a yurt. But neither seems cozy enough for a home, so they keep trying, building a castle, an igloo, a bungalow and more. Finally, Sarah comes up with the perfect solution: She uses an atlas to form an A-frame they can share. When the renovation is completed and the students return to the library, they find each of Sam's and Sarah's houses sitting on the shelves with a sign that says: "Home and where to find it." (It's too bad there's no map or labels depicted in the illustration to help young library customers with the "where to find it" part.) Kirk's familiar gouache illustrations maintain a mouse perspective filled with library details. This clever presentation of world housing types has three pages of backmatter that describe each style and its location. Not only is the story amusing, but the information will be useful in classrooms. The familiar characters make this architectural adventure feel downright homey. (Picture book. 5-9)

Kirkus Reviews