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340th out of 551 books
—
381 voters
Mr. Pine's Purple House
Mr. Pine lived on Vine Street in a little white house. "A white house is fine," said Mr. Pine, "but there are FIFTY white houses all in a line on Vine Street. How can I tell which house is mine?" Mr. Pine had a big problem. But he solved that problem in his own special way. Mr. Pine's Purple House, first published in 1965, was a favorite children's book for many years. Whe...more
Hardcover, 64 pages
Published
October 1st 2005
by Purple House Press
(first published 1965)
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Is this a simple & funny early-reader book about copycats? Or does it foster independent thought, nonconformity - is it profoundly incendiary? I think it's the latter, and I think it's a must-read. I also think it should have been included in the scholarly anthology Tales for Little Rebels: A Collection of Radical Children's Literature.
I wonder if the other Mr. Pine stories have such an important theme. Do you know? I'll work harder, now, to find other works by Kessler.
ETA: found Mr. Pine's...more
I wonder if the other Mr. Pine stories have such an important theme. Do you know? I'll work harder, now, to find other works by Kessler.
ETA: found Mr. Pine's...more
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Mr. Pine has a problem. He can't tell his house from everybody else's.
So he tries one thing, and another, but people keep copying his good ideas! Finally he gets the idea to paint his house purple, and after a few mishaps he does - and starts a trend to paint houses all sorts of strange colors. But only one of them is purple :)
It's a cute story, though a little wordy for a read-aloud.
So he tries one thing, and another, but people keep copying his good ideas! Finally he gets the idea to paint his house purple, and after a few mishaps he does - and starts a trend to paint houses all sorts of strange colors. But only one of them is purple :)
It's a cute story, though a little wordy for a read-aloud.
My childhood favorite, one of Demetrius' favorites... gee, I wonder why?
Purple has always been my favorite color, plus this book has such a great message about individuality. I'm not sure I got the message when I was younger, but the purple paint surely caught my interest and I was bound and determined to have a purple house of my own someday. So far I have settled for a purple couch.
Purple has always been my favorite color, plus this book has such a great message about individuality. I'm not sure I got the message when I was younger, but the purple paint surely caught my interest and I was bound and determined to have a purple house of my own someday. So far I have settled for a purple couch.
Mr. Leonard Kessler is an amazing author & illustrator for children. I loved his, Mr. Pine's Mixed Up Signs as a child & still have the book to this day. Even as an adult, I am collecting all of his books for when I have children one day.
Another early reader classic. I've never met a kid that didn't LOVE reading this book...or an adult that didn't mind having it read and re-read to them. I'm a huge fan of all the Mr. Pine books.
Mr. Pine keeps gettin' his ideas ripped off left and right. That would totally piss me off.
It seems that everyone else that read this book on GoodReads is rating it based on nostalgia. You know they have come up with way better books since 1965.
It seems that everyone else that read this book on GoodReads is rating it based on nostalgia. You know they have come up with way better books since 1965.
Another great book from my childhood. A wonderful story about a man who tries to establish his own unique identity on a street where everything is the same.
This is one of my favorite books from childhood. One man's fight against conformity and look alike houses!
First Book I ever read by myself!
Sep 18, 2008
Charlotte
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
people with children, children's books
This was my favorite book as a child! Purple was my favorite color and of course this book was about purple! My mother gave me the book before she died (even though I wasn't yet a year-old) and I still have it. It is one of my most cherished belongings, but I've already ordered a copy to have on hand for my own one day. I can't wait to read it to my child and use the funny voices I use to use when I would read it aloud to myself! :)
I'm not entirely sure why they love this book so much, but it is true that my children do. Perhaps because it doesn't follow the typical formula of three things happen, then the denouement, then it is over. The denouement is a story in and of itself.
I read this book as a child and still remember its impact on me. This is one of only a few of my childhood books that I still own. A great book about individuality! Perhaps this explains why I'm so... different. =:) I don't have a generic house in a generic neighborhood that I've had to paint purple, but I do have a purple front door on my house!
Jul 14, 2008
Weavre
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
any child
Recommended to Weavre by:
my mother
My childhood favorite, second only to Where the Wild Things Are ... once I branched beyond The Three Bears, anyway!
If you have a child and haven't read this book, scurry now to your nearest public library!
If you have a child and haven't read this book, scurry now to your nearest public library!
Mar 23, 2013
Margaret
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommended to Margaret by:
Memoria Press Junior Kindergarten
I still am not a fan of how much this costs for such a book, but it's on the wishlist. It has good repetition and is interesting and fun. I also thinking looking at these images it might encourage young artists to try.
This children's book should be manditory reading for all the developers out there would like building cookie-cutter houses.
Being different & unique is so much better than being exactly the same as everyone else.
Being different & unique is so much better than being exactly the same as everyone else.
At the tender age of 6 or so, my little nonconformist heart was moved by this book. Mr. Pine is my hero!
This might be the piece of literature most alluded to in conversations with my family!
One of my favorite books as a child, teaches us that different is good.
Sep 25, 2008
Kimberly Faith
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Everyone
Recommended to Kimberly Faith by:
My mom
My hands down favorite children's book!
Ahh, fond memories of childhood.
May 13, 2013
Kate Shea
marked it as for-owen
Apr 03, 2013
Don Gubler
marked it as to-read
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