Step into unique homes from around the world and discover the many fascinating ways in which people live and have lived. If you lived in the mountains of southern Spain, your bedroom might be carved out of a mountain. If you lived in a village in South Africa, the outside of your house might tell the story of your family. And if you lived in a floating green house in the Netherlands, you could rotate your house to watch both the sunrise and sunset.
With intricate bas-relief collages, Giles Laroche uncovers the reason each home was constructed the way it was, then lets us imagine what it would be like to live in homes so different from our own. Showing the tremendous variety of dwellings worldwide—log cabins, houses on stilts, cave dwellings, boathouses, and yurts—this book addresses why each house is built the way it is. Reasons—such as blending into the landscape, confusing invaders, being able to travel with one's home, using whatever materials are at hand—are as varied as the homes themselves.
Fascinating introduction to house styles from around the world. Intricate collage illustrations fill the page, and the brief text offers information on the house type, building materials, location, date of construction, and a fun fact relating to that particular home style. A really interesting and educational read that may spark an interest in architecture and diverse cultures and geographies.
Oh, I loved this book. As a kid it would have provided endless hours of entertainment. Since I’ve been about 4 years old I’ve been fascinated by houses, and I’d say at ages 9 and 10 this would have been a favorite book of mine.
If this were not a picture book of typical length but a book of a couple hundred pages, I’d have given it 5 stars for sure. I wanted more, much more.
For each type of house, except the last one, this information is given: house type, materials, location, date, and fascinating fact. The illustrations for each type of house are detailed and wonderful and include not only examples of the houses, but pictures of various background settings, scenery, and people, and sometimes animals. I loved the illustrations; they’re really special, I think.
House types covered are dogtrot or possumtrot log house, chalet, pueblo, connected barn, cave dwelling, palafitos stilt, Venetian palace, chateau, Fujian tulou earthen dwelling, half-timbered townhouses, white towns, decorated houses of Ndebele, yurt, Airstream trailer, floating house, and treehouse.
At the end of the book there is a map with numbers that are matched with miniature pictures of the houses.
I did wonder about the outfits of the children who lived in the caves and wonder whether they’re a good representation of how they dress. Otherwise, with the limited knowledge I have, most of what’s depicted in the illustrations seems authentic. Some of the houses shown are revealed to be actual specific houses. I did appreciate how much information was imparted in such a few pages. It’s conveyed well in very few words with illustrations how people live or lived in each of these types of houses.
4 ½ stars, a bit over a half star off because this could have made a fabulous longer book. School aged children and older people too would fully appreciate a much longer book with many more examples and pictures. I’m tempted to give it 5 stars because what it aspired to do it did superbly.
I have to admit, I didn't think this would be terribly interesting when I first picked it up. However, I was pleased to find that I learned a few things and enjoyed the detailed cut paper/collage illustrations. For one thing, the very first type of dwelling shown is a type of log cabin called a dogtrot. Now, I'd never heard of this, nor do I remember ever hearing it described in historical fiction. Yet, according to Laroche, this type of log cabin was very popular in the south and west in the 18th and 19th centuries. I would love to know where he got that fact from, but he provides no bibliography or list of sources consulted. In the picture of the chateau, I learned the difference between a chateau and a castle--they kinda look the same to me, but there are differences. I also never knew exactly what the architectural design of a chalet is--that animals are kept on the ground floor, and the family lives on the top floor, with a floor in between. I liked the idea of the cave dwellings, and wasn't aware that so many people around the world are troglodytes (45 million are cave dwellers--never knew the meaning of troglodyte either!). I've read a lot about China, but had never heard of the round/donut-shaped (or sometimes other shapes) Fujian tulou. Makes me wonder where I've been all this time! And I never knew that those houses with beams showing that one associates with Shakespeare's time are called half-timbered houses. Furthermore, I never knew that the reason the second stories tended to hang out over the first was because you were taxed according to how much land your house took up, and that was a way to get more space for less money. The one type of house that I'm surprised was not included was the igloo. I figured if they included the yurt and the Airstream trailer, he should have included that. I could have done without the treehouse. A map at the end of the book shows where all the types of houses are located. I've got to recommend this book, because if I learned something, surely others will as well.
Giles Laroche's book on houses around the world appears to be a fine approach at representing the diverse range of cultures there are on our planet. Each page is a glorious double-page spread made in same vein of Jeannie Baker where a collage of materials is used. Each spread contains an overview of the land in which the houses reside but also the materials, date of when they were made, the type of house it is and what it means to those who live there. This is more a solid piece of introductory architecture rather than the whimsical sentence or two that I have seen in many primary geography books. Houses covered include: chalets, adobe houses, cave dwellings, tulous and decorated houses.
Pretty cool non-fiction picture book about homes around the world and throughout history. Good for kids who are interested in architecture or cultures of the world. Older preschoolers to grade 3.
The illustrations are EXQUISITE. Painstakingly handcrafted paper collages detail all the fascinating beauty of houses around the world.
Each double-page spread features one type of dwelling, with text explaining the culture, house type, materials, location, date, and a fascinating fact.
Picture-book illustrator Giles Laroche, who is known for his distinctive cut-paper collage art, made his authorial debut in 2009, with What’s Inside?: Fascinating Structures Around the World. This follow-up, which profiles fifteen different kinds of houses from around the world, is the second title he both authored and illustrated, and is a pleasure to peruse! From the dogtrot log houses of the southern United States, to the palazzos of Venice, there is an incredible diversity of structure displayed here. Laroche introduces each dwelling by discussing what it would be like "if you lived here," going on to offer a description of the house type, to discuss the materials used in construction, and to list the geographic location and date range for each one. A "Fascinating Fact" is also provided in each profile.
If You Lived Here: Houses of the World put me strongly in mind Yoshio Komatsu's Wonderful Houses Around the World, another picture-book which profiles the diverse dwellings of the world. In fact, many of the structures mentioned here - Mongolian yurts, Andalusian cave dwellings, Chinese tulou - also appeared in that earlier book, although Laroche's title includes a greater selection. Informative and engaging, this delightful picture-book offers a snapshot glimpse of how people live around the globe, and also features very appealing cut-paper illustrations. This is the second book I have read that featured Laroche's artwork - the first was Philemon Sturges' Bridges Are to Cross - but I suspect that it will not be my last!
This books shares information about some of the different homes found around the world, in places such as Switzerland, Spain, and South Africa. Every page contains a summary about the homes and facts about the house type, materials used, location, date, as well as fascinating facts.
The illustrations are created in a collage-style, creating an almost-3D world. The images not only captures how the house looks like but also the different activities going on such as a man selling food products, a people standing on a floating house etc.
This is a great book to read to children. Children already have some kind of knowledge about what "home" means to them thus can make some kind of personal connections with the houses mentions in the books. The book also provides an opportunity to compare and contrast how people live around the world as well as share an understanding that not everyone live the same way.
With elaborate, meticulously detailed bas-relief paper collages, If You Lived Here is a fascinating look at different types of dwellings from around the world. While the text is helpful for better understanding the type and location of the dwellings, it's really the illustrations that are the stars here.
The cover illustration of the Greek island dwellings was so striking that it brought back vivid memories of my time in Greece. It is quite apparent from the heart and thoughtfulness that Giles Laroche put into these illustrations that he loves to travel.
Beautiful idea, beautiful execution, lots of fodder for discussion. Perfect book for an e-reader edition with hot links to real sites. ..quibbles with some word choices (Barbarians? livelihood?) and inaccuracy (mispelling of 'sangre de cristo' mountains; there are cave dwellings in other countries not listed; the description of a chateau is not correct). But certainly a great look at the variety and history of domestic architecture!
Having just finished The Lives of Houses, a dry, academic look at the homes of various famous writers from Keats to W. H. Auden, Laroche's book was the perfect palate refresher. Instead of focusing on the inhabitants, Laroche drills down on the structure of houses - and he does it gorgeously, with masterful collages of homes from Mongolia to Africa and beyond. So much to see in these pictures! The spare text highlights a few basic facts: who built them; materials used; and time frame. An excellent non-fiction picture book.
This book invites readers to explore the different types of houses that are lived in throughout the world. Beginning with the phrase, “If you lived here…” the book then describes some unique features of that particular type of home. There are homes that you would have to go outside to get to the kitchen, others where you would not have to go out to even get to the barn, others are built around caves, still others are close to water or surrounded by it. The book then defines the type of house, what materials it is made from, where this type of house is found, the date that this house first appeared, and a fact about them. The tone is kept light and interesting, which will invite young readers to explore this subject in depth.
Laroche’s writing is welcoming and light. He finds the most unique features of a home and describes them in simple and inviting ways. Even the information on the materials and location are kept short and contain only the most interesting details.
The illustrations, done in paper, have a three dimensional effect. The homes are done in exacting detail that includes individual shingles, decorative features, and even the ability to peer closely and see into the windows to the rooms beyond. There is a physical quality to this, creating almost a model effect where you lean in closer to see even more. The illustrations are a delight and truly bring the structures to life.
When I first started reading this book, I wondered who would be the audience for it. The entire book is so appealing that it will have no trouble being enjoyed by young readers interested in architecture, history, or travel. Appropriate for ages 8-10.
Giles Laroche takes readers across continents and time showing them the various homes of the world. Readers are introduced to each of the fifteen homes with the suggestion "if you lived here..." Then the house type, materials, location, date, and a fascinating fact are explained.
I love this book because it shows homes you don't usually see in beautiful paper collage art. I wish I had read this when I was in elementary school. To be honest, I learned a lot reading this book as an adult! One of the houses that stood out to me is a Fujian tulou (earthen dwelling), from Hangkeng village in China.
This non-fiction book would be excellent to show young children other places around the world and to introduce to non-fiction. Something to note is that there aren't labeled pictures, a table of contents, or glossary. Therefore, the book can be shown as an example that not all non-fiction books have a glossary or a table of contents. You could ask your class, "how do you know it's non-fiction?" Also, for reading independently, this book is more at an intermediate elementary level and higher because of the amount of tier II and tier III vocabulary.
This was great and a really fun read! There are many types of homes used all over the world and each one has an interesting perk or fact about it. This book can be read two ways - read the larger font for an overview, or include the smaller font for more facts and details about where a house type can be found in the world and how/when it came to be used.
Ages: 6 - 10
#geography #culture #global
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So many houses in the world! Giles Laroche shares dogtrot log houses and chalets and cave dwellings and chateaus and yurts and other houses with us in this beautiful book.
Laroche tells us what life would be like if we lived in these homes and shares details of the homes that we've always wanted to know. The illustrations are of the detailed cut paper that children loved to explore.
I hope Laroche is now working on a followup book about clothes or pets or transportation of cultures around the world. Delightful.
This book shows different homes and cultures from around the world, using fabulous large illustrations. As well as looking into the way people live it explores; materials used to build the homes, the location and the dates in which they were built. I also thought the last page was good as it put all the locations of the houses on the world map, but I think it would be a good idea to have a large world map with you if discussing the book with the class so places can be pointed out as you go.
This might expand the horizons of the intended audience, but much of the limited (15) examples focus on U.S and Europe, excluding A LOT leaving it lacking in my opinion. Also, why no girls in the tree house??? Hmmmm.
This book uses the listed methods to give readers a very intuitive embodiment of the similarities and differences, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of different types of houses in the world.
Another great nonfiction read aloud. Good for word study--learning the names of homes around the world. Fascinating bas-relief cut-paper collage illustrations.
If You Lived Here: Houses of the World shows reader what different countries and cultures have for homes. They explain why they have these styles and what the differences are. I give this four stars because it would be good for a lesson about how every culture around the world is unique and different. It also allows readers to explore various ways houses can look.
Another one of those rare books using the geography tag. I think of this more of an architecture book. Its got a lot of words for a kid's picture book. It's more of a grade school informative book, presumably a read-yourself for a stronger reader. This is one of those books you'd use as a reference for writing an early school report. I liked it. It was super informative but not overwhelming.
I loved how it showed all the differences in the houses in detail! This book would be great when studying differences in culture, location, etc. Genre: Informational Grade Level: 1-5
If You Lived Here, Houses of the World is a nonfiction picture book that allows the audience to learn about different types of houses from around the world. Some of the housing styles featured within the book include Venetian palaces from Italy, tulous of China, yurts of Mongolia, and the pueblos of New Mexico, to name only a few of the widely diverse locations and housing styles that are included. This book allows the reader to go on an enjoyable, fascinating adventure and take a peek into the housing of many cultures around the world, without even having to leave their own home.
This book not only allows children to examine the housing varieties of worldwide cultures, but also enables them to consider other important cultural elements that are revealed through the story. For example, If You Lived Here discusses the materials that were commonly used to build each of the houses, which can help to give the reader some background knowledge about the area in which the culture resided. The illustrations also depict individuals participating in recreational activities or completing chores, thereby giving the reader a greater overall understanding of particular cultures.
If You Lived Here is a nonfiction picture book. This is evident by the factually accurate, unbiased information that is presented within the book. Great care was taken to organize the information in a structured manner that is repeated for each housing style included and features a brief paragraph that actively involves the reader, along with information about the house type, the materials used, the location, the date, and a fascinating fact about the homes. The illustrations featured within the book are composed of cut-paper collages using the bas-relief technique and are full of vivid, striking colors, all of which help the audience envision what it would be like to live in these houses.
If You Lived Here would be a great book to use for social studies lessons because it involves topics such as, geography, history, and anthropology, which are all important elements of social studies. For an activity using this book I could have students select two of the houses featured within the story and then compose a short essay that discusses several similarities and differences between those two homes. They would then select (from their two choices), which house they would prefer to live in and explain why they made that choice.
Another activity that could be completed after reading this book would be for students to research a culture that wasn’t featured within the book. Students could then make their own short, nonfiction picture book featuring information about the culture they selected, including information about the homes they lived in among other topics. Students could present their books to the class and we could then map out the location of each culture on a large world map hanging in the classroom.
Summary: “If You Lived Here: Houses of the World” takes the reader all over the world through a display of interesting homes. The book highlights the ways that people live in these homes as well as how such homes were constructed. The book is written in a way that asks the reader to consider and imagine what it would be like to live in such a home.
Review: This book is a fabulous way to expose children to the different ways in which people live around the world. The illustrations are large and detailed, and the information offered for each location is fascinating. The various types of homes depending on the area are truly eye-opening, it is fun to compare the different ways in which people live throughout the world.
Other Books you might pair with/ connect to: To connect to learning about how people live in different areas of the world, I could introduce the book “A Ticket Around the World” by Natalia Diaz. In this book, a young boy travels around the globe to visit his friends that live in different countries. As he visits each friend, the reader learns about each country’s culture, language, food, geography, wildlife and more. This book follows a similar idea to “If You Lived Here: Houses of the World” in the way that it lets readers imagine that they are traveling as well.
“Delicious quote” from the book, way to use it as a mentor text for writing, OR social justice issue raised: Students can choose a dwelling from the book and can describe the differences between the dwelling and the home in which they live. They can compare and contrast the two in writing.
Nice illustrations. Mildly interesting additional info. But an AMERICAN BOOK. So: a traditional US house, a foreign house, another American (native) house, another foreign one, back to the US, and let's throw in a backyard treehouse (play space) rather than, say, underground houses in opal mines of outback AUS, or even a terraced house in London built on the foundations of a Georgian and medieval and Roman house before it, or even maybe a Scandinavian offering, like a Finnish or Laaplander hut, or even a brutalist Soviet-era block of houses from behind the former Iron Curtain... As is so typical of AMERICAN children's books, AMERICA makes up at least a third (or more!) of the world's interesting content (!!!!). I used to think it was propaganda, but now I just think it's reflective of their education system. Honestly a let-down - was expecting something reflective of the world as it is (NOTHING from the Indian subcontinent?!) not as an American views the world. I am happy he included the Chinese tulou roundhouses, though. They are amazing. Dog-trot log cabins are not, no matter how many former US Presidents lived in one. (Why does that matter? No other country spends that much time on studying the banalities of former presidents' lives, do they? Okay, North Korea, but that's by force).