A House in the Sky [Hardcover]

Caldecott Honor recipient Steve Jenkins shines as the author of this amusing and thorough introduction to animal homes.

Turtles, birds, fish, beavers, and kangaroos are just like people--they need homes, and take up residence in unusual places. A simple main text introduces similarities between human and animal homes while sidebars detail the unique qualities of each animal and its home. Stylized yet realistic watercolor illustrations prove that nonfiction can be accurate and elegant, and readers of all ages will appreciate this layered narrative.A thoughtful picture book about where we live and why we live there. What are houses used for—to shelter, to impress, to protect? The text raises there and other questions, and each spread includes a whimsical watercolor illustration of an animal’s home. Gourley balances muted tones with bright swipes of color to direct readers’ attentions to specific elements of the structure. The examinations of creatures going about daily life are striking. Ants work, adult birds guard babies in the nest, whales bear barnacle colonies on their backs, the tree-kangaroo sleeps, the badger burrows; houses in the sky, houses on land, and houses underwater—each scene is depicted with care and includes more detailed information in a smaller font beneath the main text. Young ones can playfully enjoy Jenkins’s warm prose and Gourley’s delicate art, while older readers can engage in exploratory learning. More robust explanations of the different species at the end of the book make it an excellent STEM offering.VERDICT: Purchase for its jeu d’esprit, its attention to detail, and its respect for the intelligence of its young audience.
—School Library Journal


Twenty animals and their sometimes-unusual ways of sheltering themselves are presented in full-color watercolor illustrations. Though only one creature, the common swift, really makes a home in the sky (alÄ