Little Houses

PreS-Gr 3–For anyone with memories of spending time with grandparents or other relatives at the beach, smelling salt water, or picking up seashells to bring back home. A young girl with black hair and tan skin shares her stories, pondering what kind of animals are in the sea, with thoughts of sandpipers, pelicans, and egrets evoking a sense of nostalgia that comes across on the page. At the end of the day she carries empty seashells home, wondering who or what once lived inside of them, and in bringing their little homes into her home, also brings them into ours. This book is a perfect pairing of text and visuals that tell the story in tandem. Dronzek’s sweet scenes use ocean-washed colors while the words provide just enough detail to compel readers from page to page. The narration is a childlike and spontaneous experience of the sea, asking readers to slow down and savor their surroundings with all their senses.