The Yellow House

The Yellow House. Blake Morrison. Illustrated by Helen Craig. 1987/2011. Candlewick Press. 32 pages.

Every day we passed the yellow house on our way to the park, Mom and me and my little sister, Jenny. The house was on its own. It looked old, sad, and rather scary. 

I'll try to keep this one short. After all, why waste time with a book I'm not eager to recommend?! This picture book was just odd to me. I haven't decided if the intent is just to be odd, or if the intent is to be odd and CREEPY. Is it a seemingly simple book about a young girl with an active imagination? Or is the "little boy that beckons to her" meant to be creepy? I found him VERY creepy. But that could just be me.

So. There's this abandoned house that the heroine passes often. She feels a little sad--if sad is the right word?--that no one lives there. That the house doesn't have a family, a family with little children. One day the little girl passes the house and stops. She "notices" a little boy in the yard. He wants her to play with him. And they have an over-the-top, completely unbelievable adventure together. But. Of course she never sees him again because no one lives there, the place is abandoned and will likely always be abandoned.

Anyway, the book is weird. I suppose it could just be unusual or quirky or peculiar. I didn't like it. But you may like it more than I did. Are you a fan of this one? If you like it--love it--I'd love to hear why. I would appreciate seeing it through someone else's eyes!

Text: 2 out of 5
Illustrations: 2 out of 5
Total: 4 out of 10

© 2011 Becky Laney of Young Readers