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The Little House - Beyond the Book Resources

$5.99

I have always loved this book.  The cover makes me smile and the ending makes me happy. It's the middle that causes me to feel anxious and a little sad. However, I believe that it's the strength of the little house that I admire the most. She takes it and takes it, but never gives up, never collapses.

The little house watched the countryside become a city. The way it unfolds is heartbreaking, yet by staying with the story, children will learn that with progress comes change, but if we stay strong, things just might work out in the end. 

Virginia Lee Burton once said,  "The Little House was based on our own little house which we moved from the street into a field of daisies with apple trees growing around".  Burton did not like that others saw this book as a philosophical comment on urban sprawl. She wanted the book to show children the passage of time and how even with time, some things can remain.

This book highlights environmental issues that children will understand through the incredible illustrations. There's also an emphasis on the importance of family. In the end, it's a relative of the original owners that brings the little house back to its original glory.

This is a book that you should revisit each year or so to see what details your child notices. This book offers multiple layers of understanding.

​Themes

  • Family

  • ​Progress

  • Change

  • Problem Solving



    ​Awards

Caldecott Medal -1942

​Teachable Moments 
The Little House offers multiple opportunities for learning that go far beyond what's printed on the page or seen in the illustrations. Here's a small sample:

  • Parts of a Book (Cover, Title, Author, Illustrator, Spine, End Papers...)

  • Emotions - Describe how the house might have been feeling on each page,

  • Illustrations- Why do you think the images of the city are dark?

  • Rich Verbs- lurch, freckled, skipped, patter, ducked, and witness.

  • Order of Events /Plot- Beginning, Middle, and End​

  • Repeated Themes / Objects -  daisies, apple trees, moonlight...

  • "Read" and discuss the end papers of this book. Burton did an amazing job portraying the passage of time.

    Content shown to the left of the cover is for reference only.
    The book you download will contain activities aligned with this specific title.

    Your Download DOES NOT include the referenced picture book, only the resources and ideas.

I have always loved this book.  The cover makes me smile and the ending makes me happy. It's the middle that causes me to feel anxious and a little sad. However, I believe that it's the strength of the little house that I admire the most. She takes it and takes it, but never gives up, never collapses.

The little house watched the countryside become a city. The way it unfolds is heartbreaking, yet by staying with the story, children will learn that with progress comes change, but if we stay strong, things just might work out in the end. 

Virginia Lee Burton once said,  "The Little House was based on our own little house which we moved from the street into a field of daisies with apple trees growing around".  Burton did not like that others saw this book as a philosophical comment on urban sprawl. She wanted the book to show children the passage of time and how even with time, some things can remain.

This book highlights environmental issues that children will understand through the incredible illustrations. There's also an emphasis on the importance of family. In the end, it's a relative of the original owners that brings the little house back to its original glory.

This is a book that you should revisit each year or so to see what details your child notices. This book offers multiple layers of understanding.

​Themes

  • Family

  • ​Progress

  • Change

  • Problem Solving



    ​Awards

Caldecott Medal -1942

​Teachable Moments 
The Little House offers multiple opportunities for learning that go far beyond what's printed on the page or seen in the illustrations. Here's a small sample:

  • Parts of a Book (Cover, Title, Author, Illustrator, Spine, End Papers...)

  • Emotions - Describe how the house might have been feeling on each page,

  • Illustrations- Why do you think the images of the city are dark?

  • Rich Verbs- lurch, freckled, skipped, patter, ducked, and witness.

  • Order of Events /Plot- Beginning, Middle, and End​

  • Repeated Themes / Objects -  daisies, apple trees, moonlight...

  • "Read" and discuss the end papers of this book. Burton did an amazing job portraying the passage of time.

    Content shown to the left of the cover is for reference only.
    The book you download will contain activities aligned with this specific title.

    Your Download DOES NOT include the referenced picture book, only the resources and ideas.

Extend the Learning with Story-Based Play

Adding an element of play is another way to deepen your child’s understanding of concepts within and beyond a story. According to Hall (1991), young children often develop advanced literacy skills when they engage in play related to a familiar story. Many complex literacy skills develop naturally when the story and play intersect, setting the stage for your child to learn to read and write.

It’s easy. Take a great story, gather toys that align with that story, and get out of the way. Your child will do the rest. The goal is to allow the play to evolve naturally. You’ll be surprised by the amount of learning transferred and reinforced through this type of play.

Here’s Why We Love These Specific Products:

  • They have direct connections to the book.

  • They reinforce new vocabulary.

  • They encourage imaginative play

  • They make it easy to re-enact parts of the story.

  • They often take learning beyond the confines of the story.

  • Few require batteries, screens, or electricity.

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