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A review by readwriterobyn
A House That Once Was by Julie Fogliano
3.0
“A House That Once Was” is a somewhat-melancholy story about two children who explore an abandoned house and imagine who used to live there before it fell into disarray. They use clues from the different rooms - pictures, toys, food - to piece together a little story of the former occupants before heading home themselves.
As a reader, I enjoyed the illustrations more than the poetry, which felt a little more forced than lyrical. The pictures - a charming mixture of art styles, cut-out text, and almost-real photos - were reminiscent of the “I Spy” puzzle books I used to love as a kid. It was a treat finding the images that were hinted at in the story.
In my opinion, it was challenging to read aloud. I think this was due to breaking the stanzas across multiple pages, a meter that wasn’t quite consistent, and the heavy use of pararhymes, which often created a challenging sentence structure.
The story itself is charming with a good buildup as the children weave different lives for the former occupants. Unfortunately, it left me more melancholy than warm. It’s clear that the family who used to live in the house had to leave quickly and that they never returned. I could only hope that the children whose toys remain in the house made it out okay and lived happily ever after.
Is this a good book for kids?
1 - Poetry can be a little tough to read aloud and follow.
2 - The imagery is mysterious, colorful, and fun.
3 - The story promotes exploration and imagination.
As a reader, I enjoyed the illustrations more than the poetry, which felt a little more forced than lyrical. The pictures - a charming mixture of art styles, cut-out text, and almost-real photos - were reminiscent of the “I Spy” puzzle books I used to love as a kid. It was a treat finding the images that were hinted at in the story.
In my opinion, it was challenging to read aloud. I think this was due to breaking the stanzas across multiple pages, a meter that wasn’t quite consistent, and the heavy use of pararhymes, which often created a challenging sentence structure.
The story itself is charming with a good buildup as the children weave different lives for the former occupants. Unfortunately, it left me more melancholy than warm. It’s clear that the family who used to live in the house had to leave quickly and that they never returned. I could only hope that the children whose toys remain in the house made it out okay and lived happily ever after.
Is this a good book for kids?
1 - Poetry can be a little tough to read aloud and follow.
2 - The imagery is mysterious, colorful, and fun.
3 - The story promotes exploration and imagination.