The Ramble Shamble Children
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- $7.99
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- $7.99
Publisher Description
New picture book by a two-time Newbery Honor-winning author!
The delightful story of an unconventional family of kids who learn the ups and downs of working together.
Merra, Locky, Roozle, Finn, and little Jory love their ramble shamble house. It's a lot of work taking care of the garden, the chickens, and themselves, but they all pitch in to make it easier--even Jory, who looks after the mud puddles. When they come across a picture of a "proper" house in a book, they start wondering if their own home is good enough. So they get to work "propering up" the garden, the chickens, and even the mud puddles. But the results aren't exactly what they expected, and when their now-proper household's youngest member goes missing, they realize that their ramble shamble home might be just right for their family, after all.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
"Down the mountain, across the creek, past the last curve in the road," five children with varying skin tones live together in a "ramble shamble" house where there's always plenty of work to do. Reading a book they find in the attic, they discover a picture that gives them pause: "Oh, that's what a proper house looks like," says Merra, the oldest, musing at its white porch and neat yard. Together, they decide to "proper up" their home. Finn builds a pink Victorian chicken coop. Locky and Roozle, who care for the vegetable garden, erect a scarecrow and plant roses. Merra gets rid of the puddle where the baby, Jory, previously "looked after the mud." But the improvements bring their own trouble, culminating in the discovery that Jory is missing (though it doesn't take long to find him). Sweet-tempered writing by Soontornvat (All Thirteen) and affectionate spreads by Caldecott Honoree Castillo (Our Friend Hedgehog) make it clear that the ramble shamble house, with no parents in sight, is perfect the way it is. Looking after the garden and the chickens is hard work, but the children are free to make their own decisions, and to change their minds, too. The underlying Pippi Longstocking–style setting—children living and thriving together—could easily sustain further episodes. Ages 3–7. Author's agent: Elena Giovinazzo, Pippin Properties. Author's agent: Paul Rodeen, Rodeen Literary.
