I knew nothing could happen to us within those walls, in the house Baba built.
In Ed Young's childhood home in Shanghai, all was not as it seem... read full description
In Ed Young's childhood home in Shanghai, all was not as it seem... read full description
reviews
Jan 06, 2012
Abigail
rated it: 
I had the misfortune to lose my father, roughly one month ago, after a protracted illness - a reality that I am still struggling to assimilate - and stories about the role that fathers play, in a child's life, about the houses they build, whether real or figurative, for their families, are especially poignant for me right now. So it is that The House Baba Built, a picture-book memoir about the youth of celebrated children's artist and author Ed Young - whose Lon Po Po was a Caldecott Medal-winne
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(9 people liked it)
Dec 27, 2011
Dolores
rated it:
I'm always intrigued to read about the childhood of authors, because they are often so fascinating. All that creative energy has to come from somewhere, right? Ed Young is no exception. This loving tribute to a childhood lived amidst a war, but somehow cushioned, insulated from it all. In the house his Baba built, he felt safe, and obviously, very loved. It sounds as though it was a house filled with people, laughter and fun. And his father was a clever and giving man, who offered a place for th
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Jan 16, 2012
Judy
rated it: 
This is a memoir of illustrator and author Ed Young's (Lon Po Po- Caldecott winner) family as a young boy living in China in the 1930's when Japan invades its shores and starts a war to control the nation. In this story the boy's father builds a house and moves his young family in. He built the house to stand in a safe place and built the walls to withstand bombs. The story tells how the family lived and the children played. It also eludes to the deteriorating effects of the war as other familie
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Dec 14, 2011
Bethany
rated it:
Ed Young, winner of the 1990 Caldecott Medal for Lon Po Po and recipient of two Caldecot Honors(including one for Seven Blind Mice, which I love!), grew up in China, during World War II. His father, Baba, built a home for his family--five children, his mother, himself--the part of Shanghai safest from the Japanese bombs. I think the interesting part about this book is just how normal it all seems, despite there being a World War taking place in this family's backyard: the children are always h
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Oct 11, 2011
Barbara
rated it:
What a treasure this memory-filled book is! The multimedia illustrations by Ed Young, who himself is an artistic treasure, are filled with images of the artist and his family during their early years in Shanghai. In order to keep the family safe, Ed's engineer father designed and built a house on the edge of the town. So structurally sound was the house [Ed's father built double-tiered walls from bricks and covered the roof with concrete--that it survived World War II, something the illustrator
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Dec 04, 2011
Terri
rated it:
"The House Baba Built: An Artist's Childhood in China" by Ed Young is a visually stunning memoir of Young's childhood growing up in "the house that Baba built" in Shanghai. The mixed medium artwork, as well as the text express warmth, peace, and comfort - though World War II is raging around them. Young's father wanted to build a house in the safest part of the city, but the land was too expensive, so his father made a deal with a wealthy landowner. He would build a large, br
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Nov 13, 2011
Erin
rated it: 
I sort of both loved and disliked this book. The illustrations have an odd color palette that is beautiful and intriguing at the same time as it is unsettling, especially coupled with the odd mix of media and the sense of time and repetition in the images. At the same time, the overall feel of the book is warm, tender, and comfortable, inviting the reader right in to the house in Shanghai. The pattern of the "story" and the simplicity of the words work well together. They seem to c
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Jan 04, 2012
Peg
rated it:
His father's insight into world events, engineering knowledge, and negotiating acumen allowed Young's family to live reasonably comfortably and safely in China during the Depression, occupation, and World War II. Visually gorgeous mixed media combine with Libby Koponen's lyrical text to draw readers into the safe environment created by his parents. Young includes old family photos, sketches of siblings,relatives, and refugees, and diagrams of the house, using the book's large format and fold-ou
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Jan 09, 2012
Krista the Krazy Kataloguer
rated it:
I would like to give this book 4 stars, because I enjoyed the text very much. However, I didn't care for the illustrations, which were of cut and torn paper, drawings, and photos compiled into collages, some of them opening out into 3-page spreads. They just didn't appeal to me. Ed Young talks about growing up in Shanghai in the house his father built, during the 1930s and through World War II. I was surprised to learn that the activities they enjoyed, the movies, the books, and games, were n
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Nov 16, 2011
Phoebe
rated it:
A visually arresting account of Ed Young's early years in pre World War 2 Shanghai, living in a sturdy house built by his father on the edge of town. A fascinating photo towards the end of the book shows the house as it was in Young's childhood, and as it still stands today. Fold outs and cut paper art overlaid with family photos and soft crayon sketches make each page interesting to study. The book feels like an homage to the artist's beloved father, who exemplified safety and security in ti
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Oct 29, 2011
Abby
rated it:
This is Ed Young's picture book memoir about growing up in Shanghai in the 1930s and 1940s. The huge house his father build provided a home for several families during World War II. The collages, drawings, and paintings are distinguished and a first-person account is always a thing to treasure. However, I don't know that children will be able to relate to the vignette-style text as well as they might be able to relate to, say, Allen Say's recently released picture book memoir of his childhood in
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Jan 01, 2012
Jennifer
rated it:
-cover: intricate gate design encourages exploration -takes awhile to notice boy and dog at bottom
-map and phot endpapers fit story
-beautiful, textured papers throughout
-crows, finally explained at end, give a good foreshadowing of the dark desperation of the time
-love the delicate detail of the faces of the children
-layout of house when first shown is interesting-torn paper people add interest
-silhoette children are a curious choice-to allow identification?
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-map and phot endpapers fit story
-beautiful, textured papers throughout
-crows, finally explained at end, give a good foreshadowing of the dark desperation of the time
-love the delicate detail of the faces of the children
-layout of house when first shown is interesting-torn paper people add interest
-silhoette children are a curious choice-to allow identification?
More...
Dec 12, 2011
Heidi
rated it:
Ed Young is a standard among Children's books, so I was very excited to read this Picture Book bio he wrote of his childhood. It took me a few pages to get used to the illustrations and layout, but I loved it. It really did well in portraying reminiscing. And the text/stories were relayed just as one would talk about their past/childhood. And the feeling I got from the book overall, it made me not only wish to be more a part of the house Baba built, but to record and talk more of the home(s) my
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Dec 26, 2011
Lisa
rated it:
Outstanding!
This is a stellar true story, a biography of sorts, by one of the sons of Baba. During the Great Depression and then WWII, Baba kept his family safe. He was smart and clever and principled, and skilled. He built a house for his family, and was eventually joined by extended family and a refugee family from Germany. This was in Shanghai. Somehow, Baba managed to not only protect his family from bombs and invaders but from fear as well.
The multimedia illustratio More...
This is a stellar true story, a biography of sorts, by one of the sons of Baba. During the Great Depression and then WWII, Baba kept his family safe. He was smart and clever and principled, and skilled. He built a house for his family, and was eventually joined by extended family and a refugee family from Germany. This was in Shanghai. Somehow, Baba managed to not only protect his family from bombs and invaders but from fear as well.
The multimedia illustratio More...
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(4 people liked it)
Dec 28, 2011
Patricia
rated it:
Ed Young is another artist/author that I idolize. I had the honor of meeting & introducing him at a BYU symposium a few years ago. Although he is now 80 years old, he is still keeps producing amazing illustrations using new artistic media & stories about the life & folklore of China. This new title is about his childhood & how his father kept his family safe in a home he designed & built in Shanghai during the war with Japan & later WWII. He also took in other family members & a refugee German f
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Nov 05, 2011
Chris
rated it:
I'm not that familiar with Ed Young's work, but this is a beautiful memoir. In a way, it's similar to the recent memoir by Allen Say, but rather than focus on his path to becoming an artist, Young's memoir tells of his childhood in China during WWII. The illustrations are fascinating blends of drawings, photos, collage, and other kinds of art I can't name. The cover doesn't suit the book at all, and because of it, I put off reading this book for too long. Do be fooled by the cover; dive into
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Feb 07, 2012
Jean
rated it:
Although this book is cataloged as a Juvenile Biography, it can easily interest middle-schoolers.
Author, Ed Young, tells the story of his life, as a child, during the depression and WW11. Young's father, Baba, is a brilliant man who builds a house to keep his family and others safe during the turbulent times.
What's unique about the book is that, Young utilizes multi-media such as photos, sketches drawn by those who lived in the house, and artwork which makes the story co More...
Author, Ed Young, tells the story of his life, as a child, during the depression and WW11. Young's father, Baba, is a brilliant man who builds a house to keep his family and others safe during the turbulent times.
What's unique about the book is that, Young utilizes multi-media such as photos, sketches drawn by those who lived in the house, and artwork which makes the story co More...
Dec 09, 2011
Tasha
rated it:
Illustrator Ed Young grew up in Shanghai during World War II. His father managed to get them a house that was safe because he built it himself. He made a deal with the landowner that he would build a house and after 20 years, the landowner would get it free and clear. But in those 20 years, Ed Young’s family lived there. It was a huge home with a swimming pool, space to roller skate on the roof, staircases to slide down, and lots of other places to play. This is the story of growing up in t
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Nov 29, 2011
Wendy
rated it:
I read this book not long after reading Drawing from Memory - two fascinating memoirs set around Asia during and after WWII. This book is less about Young's artistic influences as what his family did to survive WWII, but the layouts are quite interesting. I also must confess a weakness for this book since my mother also lived in Shanghai during the war, and it gave me a springboard for talking to her about her experiences.
Nov 25, 2011
Deanna
rated it:
A touching and beautifully created memoir of Caldecott Homor artist/illustrator Ed Young. This book recalls the years he spent living in Shanghai during WWII. The artwork is amazing and the story interesting. Background info would be needed if used in a classroom setting.
Engaging enough to keep me pouring over it and examining the visually arresting work for a good long time.
Engaging enough to keep me pouring over it and examining the visually arresting work for a good long time.
Oct 28, 2011
Lindsey
rated it:
I loved this book. The complexity of the illustrations, the layers, the photographs, the floor plans of Baba's house, and life with family with the backdrop of a major war. It was really well done. It isn't the type of books that gives you all the answers, but it definitely makes the reader wonder...and wonder some more. Loved it!
Oct 24, 2011
Library
rated it:
This episodic journey into Ed Young's childhood memories will probably have more appeal to older kids familiar with his picture books or adults. The mixed media of the page design is fascinating in itself. Great to pair with Allen Say's DRAWING FROM MEMORY, another view into the development of a children's literature author/illustrator.
Dec 23, 2011
Becky
rated it:
Incredible visual memoir by the talented artist Ed Young -- a tribute to his father, Baba, and the house he built in Shanghai where the extended family lived during World War 2. Amazingly, the children were growing and playing with very little knowledge or fear about what was happening in the world at large.
Jan 26, 2012
Sandy
rated it:
For its intended audience (upper elementary and beyond) this book works on every level. The large format, mixed media and styles, fold out pages, and blend of narrative with labeled images, timelines, maps, and architecture create the kind of PB that will draw older readers back again and again.
Jan 31, 2012
Rory
rated it:
There have been what's felt like a lot of autobiography picture books published by venerable writer/illustrators--especially those born in non-North American countries--lately. Sis, Sendak, Feiffer, Say. This is the best, though, so lush and detailed and enchanting and beautiful.
Jan 21, 2012
Robin
rated it:
This book will be devoured by Ed Young fans who want some insight into his life. I can imagine this working really well as part of an author study. It's beautifully put-together and should be read by anyone who has ever read one of his wonderful children's books.
Sep 04, 2011
GraceAnne
rated it:
The art is wonderful, inventive, brilliant. The story could easily be used by a middle grader for history, biography, or art study. Or all three. It is definitely one of those picture books that needs an older audience and it will draw them in.
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Jan 20, 2012
Linda
rated it:
Originally came to my attention because it was on a recommended chilren's book list (I have always admired Ed Young's books) and because I had visited the Jewish refugee museum in Shanghai in November, 2011 and I wanted to know more.
Dec 31, 2011
Christina
rated it:
gorgeous! Ed Young's childhood in China, in a house that was added onto as more relatives or friends came seeking refuge from WWII. Lovely collage and mixed media illustrations and a great tale of generosity and family.
Dec 14, 2011
Tracy
rated it:
I liked this book, it was very different from Allen Say's biography/memoir. I especially liked the author used photo's from his family to illustrate who people were and what they looked like.
