The Home that Love Built

When a terrible storm blasts through the forest, it causes chaos, destroying homes and toppling trees. Left with ruins, the animals realise that by working together they can create a new home, built with kindness and love.

Using a cumulative style similar to that of ‘This is the house that Jack Built’, ‘The Home that Love Built’ is a gorgeous book, celebrating teamwork and friendship.

The book is perfect for reading aloud, using alliteration and onomatopoeia to help build the sounds of the storm and then adding to the sense of calm in the aftermath. The illustrations are an absolute joy, full of colour and details to notice like the mother bird trying desperately to shelter her young with her wing or the mice clinging together, stranded on a rock in the water.

As the animals work together to rebuild, the cumulative style of the text really emphasises how each contributes to the whole, perfect for sparking conversations about teamwork and a combined effort can produce results which benefit a whole community rather than just an individual. Even when they think they are safe, the animals must join together to overcome another threat to their safety. No one gives up- the pictures show that everyone, great and small, does their best for the benefit of all.

Even the end papers contribute to the story! At the beginning of the book, dark clouds are forming at the edge of the picture whilst at the end the scene is sunny and bright. My favourite illustration is the final one where all the animals of the forest are gathered together, safe and happy, in their home built by love.

The Home that Love Built

Jessica Meserve

Little Tiger ISBN: 978-1838919870

You can read my review of ‘Our Tree’ here.