Recommendations:
The Little House is most highly recommended by the Children’s Core Collection[i]. It won the Caldecott award in 1943 and the Lewis Carroll Shelf Award in 1959. The Caldecott Award is awarded annually by the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association, to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children.[ii] In order to win a Caldecott Award, the illustrator must be a US Citizen who illustrated a distinguished American picture book for children published by an American publisher in the United States in English of the preceding year. [iii] The committee that decides who wins consists of fifteen members.[iv] The Lewis Carroll Shelf Award was created by the University Of Wisconsin School Of Education and is meant to “sit on the shelf with Alice in Wonderland.”[v] A committee of five selects the winner from the nominated books selected from editors’ choices.[vi]
Initial Commentary:
The Little House was greatly praised during the year of its production and the year of its Caldecott win. It was and is often compared to Burton’s first major hit picture book, Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel (1939). Many reviews and commentary focused on Burton’s unique illustrations and connections with text flow. One review discusses how war had affected children’s literature and lists this book as one of the ones that “enabled us to look ahead at better times.”[vii] Another commentary connecting this book to WWII was given by Grace Allen Hogarth who stated “I felt then, as I do now, that if The Little House does nothing more than reaffirm the realities, the peace and security of a little child’s world, it is building for a future in which these realities may be unquestioned.”[viii]
Criticism came in 1974 by a man named John Rowe Townsend. He wrote a review stating that although the story is one of the “most affectionate and likable of picture books”, the house itself is “lacking in personality” and a happy ending cannot be permanent since the city will catch up once more. [ix]
Another critique came from the Mary Pollack Sadker and David Miller Sadker who wrote in their “Now Upon a Time: A Contemporary View of Children’s Literature” that “although this Caldecott winner is in many respects an excellent and charming picture book, it does, unfortunately, offer an overly negative and one-dimensional portrayal of city life.” [x]
A whole different analysis on The Little House occurs when Ruth B. Moynihan discusses that the story suggests that the house represents a whole civilization and perhaps also the American Constitution. The world of the past was better while industrialization was evil. Also, there was no compromise between the two, only a type of escape, which was only possible thanks to the class level of the family that could afford to move the house.[xi]
Retrospective commentary:
The Little House came out in 1942 and still continues to be reviewed today. It was number 32 in the Top 100 Picture Books poll by the School Library Journal in 2012.[xii] It is also seen as a “Best Books” in Children's Catalog, Eighteenth Edition, 2001 ; Children's Catalog, Nineteenth Edition, 2006; Educators' Top 100 Children's Books, 2007, NEA Survey; Not Just for Children Anymore!, 2001, Children's Book Council; Notable Children's Books, 1940-1954, ALSC American Library Association; and Recommended Literature: Kindergarten through Grade Twelve, 2002, California Department of Education. [xiii]
Reviewers on Amazon.com gave it 5/5 stars and almost all of them discuss how much they loved the book from their childhood and how effective it is to discuss urban sprawl. Also, just to discuss how amazing the illustrations were. The reviewers who gave it under 3 stars were angry with the shipping/amazon itself not with the story. One teacher reviewed and said she uses this story for many activities including having students look up the history of their houses. [xiv]
Example Reviews:
In 1942, The Christian Science Monitor called The Little House “one of the loveliest most appealing books we know of for the picture book age.”[xv]
In 1944, Annis Duff states how The Little House is a “beautiful book, with a soundness of philosophy in both story and pictures.”[xvi]
In 1947, the Junior Bookshelf says The Little House “shows the movement and vitality, the excellent sense of composition, and a humor that we expect from Miss Burton.”[xvii]
In 1956, James C. MacCampbell says “Miss Burton reached her summit of artistic work [with The Little House]…it is truly an outstanding artistic creation.” He also says, with the book, “the child can learn of permanence and happiness and the quiet of living.”[xviii]
In 1970, Lee Kingman wrote “with The Little House” Virginia Lee Burton’s name was permanently established in children’s literature, and this book is so known and loved around the world.”[xix]
In 1982, Linda Kauffman Peterson states “Both text and illustrations grow dependent upon each other so that to separate them would be to sever equally important facets of the book. It is works such as this that help define the concept of a picture storybook and build the reputation of the Caldecott Medal, rather than those books in which the text or illustrations dominate or overpower the other.”[xx]
In 1983, Donna E Norton wrote “in The Little House, Burton creates a heroine who is both strong and needs love.”[xxi]
Resources:
Bartell, Joyce, “The Lewis Carroll Shelf Award” Elementary English , Vol. 36, No. 3 March, 1959. Web 22 Oct 2013. pp. 159-166. Published by: National Council of Teachers of English. <http://www.jstor.org/stable/41384852>
Bird, Elizabeth, “Top 100 Picture Books: #32: The Little House by Virginia Lee Burton,” School Library Journal, June 1, 2012. Web 22 Oct 2013 <http://blogs.slj.com/afuse8production/2012/06/01/top-100-picture-books-32-the-little-house-by-virginia-lee-burton/>
Burton, Virginia Lee. The Little House. United States of America: Houghton Mifflin, 1942. Children's Core Collection (H.W. Wilson). Web. 24 Oct. 2013.
Caldecott Medal Manual. June 2009. Web 22 Oct 2013 <http://www.ala.org/alsc/sites/ala.org.alsc/files/content/caldecott_manual_9Oct2009.pdf>
Florence, B. S. (1942, Nov 16). “Join our jolly, happy, busy book week parade!” The Christian Science Monitor 16 Nov. 1942: n pag. Proquest. Web 22 Oct. 2013 <http://search.proquest.com/docview/514092917?accountid=14553>
Hartman, Angie, The Little House Reviews, Amazon.com 27 Feb. 2003. Web 22 Oct 2013 <http://www.amazon.com/The-Little-House-Virginia-Burton/product-reviews/0812428080/ref=cm_cr_pr_hist_3?ie=UTF8&filterBy=addThreeStar&showViewpoints=0&sortBy=bySubmissionDateDescending>
“Terms and criteria", American Library Association, November 30, 1999. Web 22 Oct 2013 <http://www.ala.org/alsc/awardsgrants/bookmedia/caldecottmedal/caldecottterms/caldecottterms Document ID: ab073ed9-f88a-cbb4-3d3c-072e8c8c4987>
“The Little House.” Children’s Literature Comprehensive Database. Web 22 Oct 2013 <http://www.clcd.com/index.php/bookdetail/index?page=1&pos=1&isbn=039525938X>
Van, H. B. "Books to Read." Daily Boston Globe [Boston] 22 Apr. 1943: n. pag. Proquest. Web. 22 Oct. 2013. <http://search.proquest.com/docview/817144811?accountid=14553>.
"Virginia Lee Burton (Demetrios)." Children's Literature Review. Ed. Gerard J. Senick and Melissa Reiff Hug. Vol. 11. Detroit: Gale Research, 1986. 32-49. Print. Children's Literature Review.
"Welcome to the Caldecott Medal Home Page!", American Library Association, November 30, 1999. Web 22 Oct. 2013 <http://www.ala.org/alsc/awardsgrants/bookmedia/caldecottmedal/caldecottmedal> Document ID: 350098f6-f11c-5e44-1520-6e7ac9876a5a
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[i] Children’s Core collection, Virginia Lee Burton: The Little House (Houghton Mifflin, 1942)
[ii] ALA, Welcome to the Caldecott Medal Home Page!, (American Library Association, November 30, 1999).
[iii] ALA, Terms and criteria, American Library Association (November 30, 1999).
[iv] Caldecott Medal Manual, (June 2009).
[v] Bartell, Joyce, The Lewis Carroll Shelf Award (National Council of Teachers of English, March, 1959), 159.
[vi] Bartell, 159.
[vii] Van, H. B., Books to read. (Daily Boston Globe, April 22, 1943).
[viii] Children’s Literature Review, Virginia Lee Burton, (Gale Research, 1986), 35.
[ix] CLR, 41
[x] CLR, 43
[xi] CLR, 48
[xii] Bird, Elizabeth, Top 100 Picture Books: #32: The Little House by Virginia Lee Burton, (School library journal, June 1, 2012)
[xiii] Children’s Literature Comprehensive Database, The Little House.
[xiv] Hartman, Angie, The Little House Reviews, (Amazon.com, February 27, 2003).
[xv] Florence, B. S. Join our jolly, happy, busy book week parade! (The Christian Science Monitor, November 16, 1942).
[xvi] CLR, 36
[xvii] CLR, 47
[xviii] CLR, 38
[xix] CLR, 40
[xx] CLR, 49
[xxi] CLR, 44
The Little House is most highly recommended by the Children’s Core Collection[i]. It won the Caldecott award in 1943 and the Lewis Carroll Shelf Award in 1959. The Caldecott Award is awarded annually by the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association, to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children.[ii] In order to win a Caldecott Award, the illustrator must be a US Citizen who illustrated a distinguished American picture book for children published by an American publisher in the United States in English of the preceding year. [iii] The committee that decides who wins consists of fifteen members.[iv] The Lewis Carroll Shelf Award was created by the University Of Wisconsin School Of Education and is meant to “sit on the shelf with Alice in Wonderland.”[v] A committee of five selects the winner from the nominated books selected from editors’ choices.[vi]
Initial Commentary:
The Little House was greatly praised during the year of its production and the year of its Caldecott win. It was and is often compared to Burton’s first major hit picture book, Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel (1939). Many reviews and commentary focused on Burton’s unique illustrations and connections with text flow. One review discusses how war had affected children’s literature and lists this book as one of the ones that “enabled us to look ahead at better times.”[vii] Another commentary connecting this book to WWII was given by Grace Allen Hogarth who stated “I felt then, as I do now, that if The Little House does nothing more than reaffirm the realities, the peace and security of a little child’s world, it is building for a future in which these realities may be unquestioned.”[viii]
Criticism came in 1974 by a man named John Rowe Townsend. He wrote a review stating that although the story is one of the “most affectionate and likable of picture books”, the house itself is “lacking in personality” and a happy ending cannot be permanent since the city will catch up once more. [ix]
Another critique came from the Mary Pollack Sadker and David Miller Sadker who wrote in their “Now Upon a Time: A Contemporary View of Children’s Literature” that “although this Caldecott winner is in many respects an excellent and charming picture book, it does, unfortunately, offer an overly negative and one-dimensional portrayal of city life.” [x]
A whole different analysis on The Little House occurs when Ruth B. Moynihan discusses that the story suggests that the house represents a whole civilization and perhaps also the American Constitution. The world of the past was better while industrialization was evil. Also, there was no compromise between the two, only a type of escape, which was only possible thanks to the class level of the family that could afford to move the house.[xi]
Retrospective commentary:
The Little House came out in 1942 and still continues to be reviewed today. It was number 32 in the Top 100 Picture Books poll by the School Library Journal in 2012.[xii] It is also seen as a “Best Books” in Children's Catalog, Eighteenth Edition, 2001 ; Children's Catalog, Nineteenth Edition, 2006; Educators' Top 100 Children's Books, 2007, NEA Survey; Not Just for Children Anymore!, 2001, Children's Book Council; Notable Children's Books, 1940-1954, ALSC American Library Association; and Recommended Literature: Kindergarten through Grade Twelve, 2002, California Department of Education. [xiii]
Reviewers on Amazon.com gave it 5/5 stars and almost all of them discuss how much they loved the book from their childhood and how effective it is to discuss urban sprawl. Also, just to discuss how amazing the illustrations were. The reviewers who gave it under 3 stars were angry with the shipping/amazon itself not with the story. One teacher reviewed and said she uses this story for many activities including having students look up the history of their houses. [xiv]
Example Reviews:
In 1942, The Christian Science Monitor called The Little House “one of the loveliest most appealing books we know of for the picture book age.”[xv]
In 1944, Annis Duff states how The Little House is a “beautiful book, with a soundness of philosophy in both story and pictures.”[xvi]
In 1947, the Junior Bookshelf says The Little House “shows the movement and vitality, the excellent sense of composition, and a humor that we expect from Miss Burton.”[xvii]
In 1956, James C. MacCampbell says “Miss Burton reached her summit of artistic work [with The Little House]…it is truly an outstanding artistic creation.” He also says, with the book, “the child can learn of permanence and happiness and the quiet of living.”[xviii]
In 1970, Lee Kingman wrote “with The Little House” Virginia Lee Burton’s name was permanently established in children’s literature, and this book is so known and loved around the world.”[xix]
In 1982, Linda Kauffman Peterson states “Both text and illustrations grow dependent upon each other so that to separate them would be to sever equally important facets of the book. It is works such as this that help define the concept of a picture storybook and build the reputation of the Caldecott Medal, rather than those books in which the text or illustrations dominate or overpower the other.”[xx]
In 1983, Donna E Norton wrote “in The Little House, Burton creates a heroine who is both strong and needs love.”[xxi]
Resources:
Bartell, Joyce, “The Lewis Carroll Shelf Award” Elementary English , Vol. 36, No. 3 March, 1959. Web 22 Oct 2013. pp. 159-166. Published by: National Council of Teachers of English. <http://www.jstor.org/stable/41384852>
Bird, Elizabeth, “Top 100 Picture Books: #32: The Little House by Virginia Lee Burton,” School Library Journal, June 1, 2012. Web 22 Oct 2013 <http://blogs.slj.com/afuse8production/2012/06/01/top-100-picture-books-32-the-little-house-by-virginia-lee-burton/>
Burton, Virginia Lee. The Little House. United States of America: Houghton Mifflin, 1942. Children's Core Collection (H.W. Wilson). Web. 24 Oct. 2013.
Caldecott Medal Manual. June 2009. Web 22 Oct 2013 <http://www.ala.org/alsc/sites/ala.org.alsc/files/content/caldecott_manual_9Oct2009.pdf>
Florence, B. S. (1942, Nov 16). “Join our jolly, happy, busy book week parade!” The Christian Science Monitor 16 Nov. 1942: n pag. Proquest. Web 22 Oct. 2013 <http://search.proquest.com/docview/514092917?accountid=14553>
Hartman, Angie, The Little House Reviews, Amazon.com 27 Feb. 2003. Web 22 Oct 2013 <http://www.amazon.com/The-Little-House-Virginia-Burton/product-reviews/0812428080/ref=cm_cr_pr_hist_3?ie=UTF8&filterBy=addThreeStar&showViewpoints=0&sortBy=bySubmissionDateDescending>
“Terms and criteria", American Library Association, November 30, 1999. Web 22 Oct 2013 <http://www.ala.org/alsc/awardsgrants/bookmedia/caldecottmedal/caldecottterms/caldecottterms Document ID: ab073ed9-f88a-cbb4-3d3c-072e8c8c4987>
“The Little House.” Children’s Literature Comprehensive Database. Web 22 Oct 2013 <http://www.clcd.com/index.php/bookdetail/index?page=1&pos=1&isbn=039525938X>
Van, H. B. "Books to Read." Daily Boston Globe [Boston] 22 Apr. 1943: n. pag. Proquest. Web. 22 Oct. 2013. <http://search.proquest.com/docview/817144811?accountid=14553>.
"Virginia Lee Burton (Demetrios)." Children's Literature Review. Ed. Gerard J. Senick and Melissa Reiff Hug. Vol. 11. Detroit: Gale Research, 1986. 32-49. Print. Children's Literature Review.
"Welcome to the Caldecott Medal Home Page!", American Library Association, November 30, 1999. Web 22 Oct. 2013 <http://www.ala.org/alsc/awardsgrants/bookmedia/caldecottmedal/caldecottmedal> Document ID: 350098f6-f11c-5e44-1520-6e7ac9876a5a
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[i] Children’s Core collection, Virginia Lee Burton: The Little House (Houghton Mifflin, 1942)
[ii] ALA, Welcome to the Caldecott Medal Home Page!, (American Library Association, November 30, 1999).
[iii] ALA, Terms and criteria, American Library Association (November 30, 1999).
[iv] Caldecott Medal Manual, (June 2009).
[v] Bartell, Joyce, The Lewis Carroll Shelf Award (National Council of Teachers of English, March, 1959), 159.
[vi] Bartell, 159.
[vii] Van, H. B., Books to read. (Daily Boston Globe, April 22, 1943).
[viii] Children’s Literature Review, Virginia Lee Burton, (Gale Research, 1986), 35.
[ix] CLR, 41
[x] CLR, 43
[xi] CLR, 48
[xii] Bird, Elizabeth, Top 100 Picture Books: #32: The Little House by Virginia Lee Burton, (School library journal, June 1, 2012)
[xiii] Children’s Literature Comprehensive Database, The Little House.
[xiv] Hartman, Angie, The Little House Reviews, (Amazon.com, February 27, 2003).
[xv] Florence, B. S. Join our jolly, happy, busy book week parade! (The Christian Science Monitor, November 16, 1942).
[xvi] CLR, 36
[xvii] CLR, 47
[xviii] CLR, 38
[xix] CLR, 40
[xx] CLR, 49
[xxi] CLR, 44