Castles, Caves, and Honeycombs

Rounded, almost amoebic, acrylic forms float on white pages containing few words of text. Warm, dark colors dominate the center of the pages. The story is similar in aspect to Mary Ann Hoberman's A House is a House for Me, perhaps a bit less lyrical and more strictly literal. The opening title pages feature two children and their dog. They busy themselves on a nature walk, reading comics in a "house" made of a cardboard box, playing at an anthill, pointing to a bird's nest. Most of the scenes are in and around the children's house. Pine trees are heavily featured in the background of many of the illustrations, and a tree which squirrels scamper upon is clearly the same tree in the children's yard (complete with idyllic swing hanging from its branches.) The "castle" of the story's title is a charming little playhouse for the children. The easy rhymes lend a feel of the bedtime story to this book (the same brother and sister featured earlier are cozily tucked into bed by the end of the story.) This book could also find itself well suited as a discussion opener for any pre-school or kindergarten class discussing concepts of nature and homes. I read these book recently as part of a "Houses and Homes" themed storytime, where it was a big hit.

It's like a lullabye. Sing the words to this book and you'll see and enter into a magical, warm and cozy world that Ashman has created. It's a beautiful book.

This is a lovely book that I have read basically everyday since we bought it. My daughter, who loves animals, is fascinated that animals do not live in houses. To her, animals have real lives and she now likes to talk about the different homes that the animal mommies and daddies make for their animal babies. The soothing text and beautiful illustrations make this a cuddly, cozy picture book. I just love it. I think it's a book you'll find yourself enjoying again and again and again.