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Reviewed by:
  • A House in the Woods
  • Jeannette Hulick
Moore, Inga . A House in the Woods; written and illus. by Inga Moore. Candlewick, 2011. 48p. ISBN 978-0-7636-5277-7 $16.99 R* 5-7 yrs.

Two pigs live near each other in the woods, one in a den and one in a hut—that is, until their homes are inadvertently ruined by the friendly but much larger Bear and Moose, who each try to take up residence in the abodes: "Which left the two Little Pigs with nowhere to live—not to mention Moose and Bear. This was a pickle." Moose has the bright idea to build one big house to shelter all of them, so they call up the Beavers to help: "The Beavers said that they wished to be paid in peanut-butter sandwiches. No one had any objection." The Beaver Builders get the house done quite quickly indeed, and the furry foursome furnish it with items from the junkyard, whip up six plates of sandwiches for the Beavers, and then head to bed after a quiet evening in their new digs. Moore's simple text is sprightly and inviting, with exclamations and asides that make the audience [End Page 216] feel present and included. Her elegant yet cozily rustic illustrations (rendered in autumnal hues of pencil, pastel, and wash) are particularly effective, with delicate shading and crosshatching adding rich but subtle textures. Her woodland critters are both highly expressive and realistically animal, and the curly-tailed Little Pigs and grinning, hard-hatted Beavers are utterly adorable in the very best way. The kind of kids who love to make forts and playhouses in the backyard or living room (and who are too young for The Boxcar Children or The Secret Garden) will find this especially appealing. This would work equally well for bedtime reading or group storytime; either way, youngsters (and their adults) will enjoy spending some time in this pleasant woodsy world.

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