Tale of Two Houses

by Melody Carlson

Two men build two very different houses in this rhyming story based on Jesus' parable about building a house on the rock

36 pages, Hardcover

First published March 30, 1998

About the author

Melody Carlson is the award-winning author of over two hundred books, several of them Christmas novellas from Revell, including her much-loved and bestselling book, The Christmas Bus.

She also writes many teen books, including the Diary of a Teenage Girl series, the TrueColors series, and the Carter House Girls series.

Melody was nominated for a Romantic Times Career Achievement Award in the inspirational market for her books, including the Notes from a Spinning Planet series and Finding Alice, which is in production as a Lifetime Television movie. She and her husband serve on the Young Life adult committee in central Oregon.

Reviews

[Sylvester (Taking a break in 2023) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3* art
3* story/poem

The old story illustrating the wisdom of taking the time to do things right. It's interesting what books capture Squirt's attention. For some reason the most impatient kid I've ever met likes a book about doing things carefully and properly, taking the time to think things through.

[Natasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

A modern re-telling of the two men who built their houses on the sand and the rock. The illustrations were a bit too cartoonish and busy, but I like the rhyming style it was written in. Because it's based on a parable, it doesn't actually mention God, so you have to explain the parable at the end anyway. Final page has Luke 6:47-49. *read by Grampa

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun adaptation of the parable of the two houses. I'm not sure it makes it easier for the children to understand about building a foundation on God's truth- a pretty abstract concept- but it does introduce it well.

[Marianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absolutely loved the rhymes.