Henry David's House

Gr 2—5—Although Steven Schnur has edited them down to fit the lovely simplicity of a picture book (Charlesbridge, 2002), the words here are all from Henry David Thoreau's Walden. The text chronicles Thoreau building his cabin and sheds light on his lifestyle and philosophy. Peter Fiore's oil and watercolor paintings are expressive, offering unique perspectives—looking down on Henry David in his boat, a close up of the newspaper Thoreau wrapped his dinner in, with the leftover bread and butter from that meal still in the crumpled pages—and visions of Walden Pond in various seasons. Music throughout as well as sound effects such as geese honking, birds chirping, and horses' hooves clomping enhance the telling. Page-turn signals are optional. The focus is on enjoying nature, and the appreciation of the animals, flowers, food, weather, and meditative solitude offered by nature is evident. This lovely introduction to Walden and Thoreau can be paired with a nature unit or writing assignment.—Geri Diorio, The Ridgefield Library, CT