The Little House

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Title The Little House
Front cover
Front cover illustration
Author Virginia Lee Burton
Illustrator Virginia Lee Burton
Cover artist Virginia Lee Burton
Country United States
Genre(s) Children's picture book
Publisher Houghton
Released 1942
Media type Hardback
Pages 40
ISBN ISBN 0-395-18156-9

The Little House is the title of a 1942 book written and illustrated by Virginia Lee Burton.

Contents

[edit] Inspiration

Author Virginia Lee Burton has stated that "The Little House was based on our own little house which we moved from the street into "a field of daisies with apple trees growing around."[1] Burton denied it was a critique of urban sprawl, but instead wished to convey the passage of time to younger readers. Being a very visually driven book, many times Burton changed the amount of text to fit the illustration. "If the page is well drawn and finely designed, the child reader will acquire a sense of good design which will lead to an appreciation of beauty and the development of good taste. Primitive man thought in pictures, not in words, and this visual conception is far more fundamental than its sophisticated translation into verbal modes of thought."[2]

[edit] Story

The plot deals with a city, which expands and expands and expands until it surrounds a former country house. Then, the great-great granddaughter of the builder of the house, now grown up, remembers the house, and moves it into that day's country.

[edit] Adaptations

It was also made into a 1952 movie by Disney.[3] It has also been released as an audio book.[1]

[edit] Critical reception

The book has been noted for its insights on urban sprawl. It won the 1943 Caldecott Medal. [4] It was identified as one of the top 100 best books for children by the National Education Association.[5]

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b Books by Virginia Lee Burton. Houghton Mifflin (2006-01-01). Retrieved on 2006-09-16.
  2. ^ Burton, Virginia Lee (1943-07-01). "Making Picture Books". Horn Book Magazine 19 (4): 228-232. Retrieved on 2006-09-16. 
  3. ^ The Little House (1952). IMDB.com (2006-01-01). Retrieved on 2006-09-16.
  4. ^ Goss, Gail (2001-07-01). The Little House Meets Urban Sprawl. American Library Association. Retrieved on 2006-09-16.
  5. ^ 100 Best Books for Children. TeachersFirst.com (2006-01-01). Retrieved on 2006-11-22.
Preceded by
Make Way for Ducklings
Caldecott Medal recipient
1943
Succeeded by
Many Moons