The Little House
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| The Little House | |
 Front cover illustration |
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| Author | Virginia Lee Burton |
|---|---|
| Illustrator | Virginia Lee Burton |
| Cover artist | Virginia Lee Burton |
| Country | United States |
| Genre(s) | Children's picture book |
| Publisher | Houghton Mifflin |
| Publication date | 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 what has become the 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
- ^ a b Books by Virginia Lee Burton. Houghton Mifflin (2006-01-01). Retrieved on 2006-09-16.
- ^ Burton, Virginia Lee (1943-07-01). "Making Picture Books". Horn Book Magazine 19 (4): 228–232.
- ^ The Little House (1952). IMDB.com (2006-01-01). Retrieved on 2006-09-16.
- ^ Goss, Gail (2001-07-01). The Little House Meets Urban Sprawl. American Library Association. Retrieved on 2006-09-16.
- ^ 100 Best Books for Children. TeachersFirst.com (2006-01-01). Retrieved on 2006-11-22.
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| Preceded by Make Way for Ducklings |
Caldecott Medal recipient 1943 |
Succeeded by Many Moons |
