Making Room

Children's Bookwatch, Dec, 2004

Making Room

Joanne Taylor & Peter Rankin

Tundra Books

PO Box 1030, Plattsburgh, NY 12901

088776651X $15.95 www.tundrabooks.com

Illustrated with museum quality paintings by Peter Rankin, Making Room by Joanne Taylor is the picturebook story of John William Smith who builds a one-room home for himself, clears his fields for crops, marries Annie, and as their children are born discover that the one-room house is simply not big enough to accommodate a growing family. John William must build a cradle for his babies, construct more rooms for elderly parents and ailing friends, build a pantry and kitchen for Annie as she cooks for increasing numbers of people. John William never complains. When he grows old and needs care and assistance for himself, he learns that his unselfishness over all the years is rewarded and love is returned to him three-fold. Based on the true story of John William and Annie Smith of Cape Breton, Nova Scotia in the 1800's, Making Room is especially recommended as it entertainingly shows young readers ages 6 to 9 the virtues of hard work and the rewards of a generous life.