The House Baba Built: An Artist's Childhood in China by Ed Young
Bibliography:
Young, E. (2011). The House Baba built. New York, NY.
Plot Summary:
Ed Young describes his childhood home, which was built by his father in Shanghai, and reflects on his fond memories of playing in the home while guests moved in to seek safety from the war affecting China.
Critical Analysis:
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 realized only as he was creating the book that pays homage to his father and "the house that Baba built" (unpaginated), a phrase that is repeated throughout the story. The way the family spent its free time and Young's first attempts at drawing are described, and it is clear that despite the war and the changes that were occurring in China, the house's rooms were filled with affection and trust. The love of family and the difficulties involved in retrieving long-lost pieces of the past shine through in this wonderful memoir. Pair this one with the memoir of another well-loved children's illustrator, Allen Say's Drawing from Memory.
Review Excerpt:
School Library Journal
Young's father builds a house for his growing family and for others who join them. Against the background of World War II, the author shares childhood memories of changing seasons, raising silkworms, and picnicking by the pool. This oversize book with foldout pages is illustrated with photos, drawings, and collage.
Connections:
Nonfiction/Biography Unit
Author Study of Ed Young with other non-fiction books written by him.
Asian Heritage Month - May
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