Title: Julia’s House for Lost Creatures
Author/ Illustrator: Ben Hatke
Age Group: 2-6
Synopsis: Julia’s house has decided to settle by the sea but it’s too quiet for her so Julia invites other creatures to stay with her. But then things begin to get a bit out of hand.
The Lowdown:
As previously mentioned this week, we’re big fans of Ben Hatke. I love his illustration style and his unique story lines, that always deliver a fresh sort twist while wholly embracing creativity. So when my sister sent a double feature to Bug for his birthday last year I was stoked. Bug wasn’t quite sure what he received but eight months later, Julia’s House for Lost Creatures and Nobody Likes a Goblin are read at least every other week (that’s how often they’re reshelved, otherwise we’d be reading them every night).
The main character, Julia, enters dramatically with her house on the back of a tortoise (or at least I think it’s a tortoise, it might be a turtle). She enjoys the new locale but it’s too quiet. So, she decides to remedy the situation by making a sign inviting lost creatures to make her house their home. She doesn’t have to wait long. But what starts as a trickle ends as a flood and her house is soon overrun with all sorts of creatures: trolls, dragons, mermaids, goblins, dwarves, fairies, and a random patchwork cat creature. It’s not working; what began as hope for more company becomes a huge chore. However, instead of throwing in the towel, Julia gets to work. After a stint in her workshop she emerges with a chore chart. With the dragons in charge of tea and toast, mermaids washing dishes, and ghosts dusting, the house begins to run itself. The only problem is all the previous issues caused a bit of damage. Julia’s not one to sit around though. She needs help with these tasks. So, of course, she makes a sign.
Hatke sticks with his signature style here that has a very graphic novel feel. The characters aren’t cartoon nor cutesy but they are much less harsh than they could be if drawn in a more realistic style (or however realistic mythological creatures could be). They end with a soft, yet genuine feel to them. The trolls have tusks, underbites, and moss. The goblins are snouted, beaked, furry, and/or feathered. Some creatures are slimy or slithering or posses any number of normally off-putting qualities and yet Hatke makes them all accessible. Julia amidst it all is so tenacious and determined that you can’t help but like her. She strives for an ideal and won’t accept anything as ridiculous as not achieving it. Plus, I’m completely in-love with her workshop, in which the impossible becomes achievable and she sports not just saws but sewing machines and paints. Ideal!
This book has such a great combination of elements. It encourages helping others, creative problem solving, and perseverance. That combined with the wonderful illustrations, so typical of Hatke’s work, make it even greater. It’s also a fabulous introductory book to the sort of creatures that appear regularly in fantasy media, as it presents the beings without making them too cute or too frightening. Really a tremendously well balanced story, that is sure to be a favorite in our house for years to come.
Story Tips:
- Discuss what your little one might think is a good solution to Julia’s problems before going on to the next page. It’s amazing the solutions that kids are able to devise on their own, even at early ages.
I need more!
Check out my review on Nobody Likes a Goblin for more about Ben Hatke.
Add to my library:
Julia’s House for Lost Creatures
