THE LITTLE CROOKED HOUSE

The prolific Australian writer tells the tale of the crooked man, house, cat and mouse with—pun intended—a bit of a twist. In this terrific, imaginative read-aloud, Wild retains some elements of the familiar yarn. However, things quickly change when external forces make the area in which they live untenable. In Baba Yaga style, the crooked house heaves up on its four legs and begins running. The family is content to live in a desert, but eventually longs for water and goes to live by the banks of a river, which is also problematic. Ultimately the crooked house brings its inhabitants to the perfect spot. Alliterative phrasing (the “whoo whoo” of the wind and the “swish swoosh” of the river) and rhythmic refrains will surely encourage child listeners to join in. Bentley’s watercolor illustrations suit the quirky tale, representing the constant forward motion of the house and the story, which will make a popular storytime choice. As the crooked man, cat and house would say: “Yippee-yi-yay!” (Picture book. 3-7)