The Big Adventures of Tiny House by Susan Schaefer Bernardo

The Big Adventures of Tiny House

Susan Schaefer Bernardo, Author

Courtenay Fletcher, Illustrator

Inner Flower Child Books, Fiction, Apr. 25, 2017

Suitable for Ages: 4-8

Themes: Tiny Houses, Salvaged, Recycled, Travel, Home, Community

Opening: Once there was a farmhouse in a field of hay, / but while it lay sleeping, the acres gave way / to a bustling city whose bright, shiny towers / edged out the farmhouse, the fields and flowers.

Synopsis: An old farmhouse finds its once peaceful setting surrounded by a big city. People pitch in and dismantle the house, salvage the windows and doors, and build a Tiny House on wheels. It has a tiny front porch, a kitchen with cabinets, a loft for sleeping and a nook for reading. When Tiny is hooked up to Big Truck they can travel where ever they want. Tiny heads west to see the world and discover if he’s a real home.

They drive past farmlands, visit the big silver arch in St. Louis, join a parade in New Orleans, camp near the Grand Canyon, drive through the desert and wind through the Rocky Mountains. Traveling can be fun, but Tiny becomes lonely.  They meet friends like Shiny (an Airstream) and Buster (a converted school bus) who invite Tiny to the Tiny House Jamboree. Back on the road Tiny discovers Harmony, a village of tiny houses, and learns a very important lessons about the meaning of home.

Illustrations Courtesy of Courtenay Fletcher

Why I like this book:

Susan Schaefer Bernardo and Courtenay Fletcher have outdone themselves with The Big Adventures of Tiny House, which captures the spirit and heart of the tiny house movement in America. Tiny homes and communities offer an alternative for those seeking a simpler and less costly lifestyle change, friendship and community. And yes, there is a big annual jamboree.

There is a lot energy and playfulness in Bernardo’s rhyming text. “If you’re looking for adventure, just follow me / to the axle-hoppin’, wheel-stompin’ Tiny House Jamboree. / We’ll raise the roof with our ruckus! All our kin will be coming! / There’ll be ringing and singing and dancing and drumming!” The story has a rhythm to it and is fun to read out loud along with the “Beep! Beep! Honk! Honk!” The pacing is perfect and the storytelling is clever. The ending is satisfying and carries a very important message for children about the meaning of “home.”

There is a richness and charm in Fletcher’s bold and colorful illustrations that make this a beautiful book to read. If you look real closely at all the illustrations, kids will discover eyes peering out the windows as Tiny rolls along the road, celebrates the jamboree or is content in his new community. The author and illustrator team up to once again produce another winning book for children.

Resources: Have kids draw or design their own tiny house. What would they put inside the their house? How big would they make it? The Tiny House website also has a template of a tiny house that kids can construct and coloring pages.

Susan Schafer Bernardo and Courtney Fletcher have collaborated on Sun Kisses and Moon Hugs and  The Rhino Who Swallowed a Storm, which was read aloud by First Lady Michelle Obama and sent to the International Space Station as part of Storytime in Space!  They hope that Tiny Makes his dream come true and finds his ways to Mars.

Every Friday, authors and KidLit bloggers share a favorite picture book. To see a complete listing of all the Perfect Picture Books with resources, please visit author Susanna Leonard Hill’s Perfect Picture Books.

*I was provided with a copy of  The Big Adventures of Tiny House in exchange for a fair and honest review.