The old house is lonely because it has been empty for so long, but it gets a new lease on life when the right family comes along, in this story about the deep connection between family and homestead, Full color. Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.

A woefully neglected clapboard house is at the center of this straightforward story from the creators of Ms. Bitsy Bat's Kindergarten. Cole's visual personifications of the aged home include drooping eyes (two upstairs windows with tattered curtains) and a down-turned mouth (the sagging front stoop). Birds, a squirrel, a tall oak tree and wildflowers in the yard try to cheer up the unhappy old house, to no avail (I'm so empty inside, it sobs). When a young family appears and contemplates purchasing it, the house's friends urge it to Stand tall!, Get a grip on yourself and Twinkle your windows! Through his use of color and light in particular the family, bright in clothing and outlook, shine against the house's oppressive dourness, which is emphasized by its muddy brown walls Cole effectively conveys the changing tenor of the tale. Readers should readily pick up on the numerous themes Edwards balances: finding value below the surface and the importance of both friendship and self-esteem. Ages 3-up. (Oct.) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. From: Reed Elsevier Inc. Copyright Reed Business Information

PreS-Gr 2 A ramshackle old house droops sadly as it waits for new owners to make it their own. Perspective buyers look at it but see only its flaws, and the old house is convinced that no one will choose it. Despite cheering from the birds that nest in its gutters, the wildflowers that grow in its yard, and the squirrel that hides its nuts there, the dwelling remains forlorn. When a young family begins to show interest, the house shifts its perspective from worrying about itself to worrying about providing for its possible inhabitants. All ends well as the family moves into their new home, fixes it up, and fills it with laughter. Edwards's colloquial text is accessible for young readers to tackle on their own and would make a lively read-aloud. Cole's energetic cartoon-style artwork gives oodles of personality to this house waiting to shine. His use of varied perspectives keeps the otherwise static building both vibrant and interesting. More than a story of an abandoned abode, this tale will resonate with all children who have felt left out at one time or another. Joan Kindig, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. From: Reed Elsevier Inc. Copyright Reed Business Information

An abandoned, rundown house feels lonely despite the birds, wildflowers, squirrel, and oak tree that try to cheer it up. A family that stops by to see the place gives up any idea of rehabbing it because the house looks so forlorn and decrepit. Urged by its friends to stand up straight and stop feeling sorry for itself, the house finally shows its potential and attracts the family back to fix it up and move in. The spruced-up house becomes a happy home. The text reads aloud well, but the main draw to this book will be Cole's appealing, colorful artwork. Not since Virginia Lee Burton's classic The Little House (1942) has a picture-book domicile expressed its emotions so vividly. From the droop of the bedraggled shutters that frame the eyelike upper windows to the downward slope of the mouthlike porch, this house makes its feelings clear for even prereaders to recognize. Although adults may find the story a bit predictable, that won't diminish children's pleasure in its happy ending. Phelan, Carolyn. From: Syndetics Solutions, Inc. Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.