Picture Book of the Day: 

If I Built a House, written and illustrated by Chris Van Dusen

 

Some books work wonders in storytime and this creative delight, a follow-up to the author's award-winning If I Built a Car is one of them.  Van Dusen's young budding architect tells his mother about the kind of house in which he would like to live.  Using glorious retro style illustrations, the author then goes room by room as the boy enthusiastically describes the cool things you would find in his dream home.  Van Dusen taps into the kinds of things a kid would find cool:  a room that lets you defy gravity!  a room offering a ball pit!  rooms with gadgets galore that make life easier...and fun!  When I read this to children they respond with glee, shouting out that they too would love to reside in  a house like this.  Why this book hasn't received more attention just boggles my mind.