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Kildee House
Newbery Honor Book, 1950
When Jerome Kildee built his little house against the giant redwood, he had fancied himself a philosopher. He was going to be a hermit—a lazy recluse who didn't have to work or think.
Now here he was facing a crisis that needed immediate attention. At least that's what he would call the dozens of raccoons and spotted skunks that were now living in and under his home, coming and going as they saw fit.
When Jerome Kildee built his little house against the giant redwood, he had fancied himself a philosopher. He was going to be a hermit—a lazy recluse who didn't have to work or think.
Now here he was facing a crisis that needed immediate attention. At least that's what he would call the dozens of raccoons and spotted skunks that were now living in and under his home, coming and going as they saw fit.
209 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 1949
About the author
Rutherford G. Montgomery
94 books16 followersRutherford George Montgomery
Also published as Everitt Proctor, Al Avery, Art Elder, A.A. Avery and E.P. Marshall.
Also published as Everitt Proctor, Al Avery, Art Elder, A.A. Avery and E.P. Marshall.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 95 reviews
June 14, 2017
I did not care for most animal stories when I was a child, and the human aspect of this would have been irrelevant to me. Other children might like it more. I do like it now. And it does not feel, omg, almost 7 decades old. I do recommend it.
Now, when I'm on my own, will I relish the peace and quiet? Or will I wish that neighbor children and critters would invade and make my life interesting?
Now, when I'm on my own, will I relish the peace and quiet? Or will I wish that neighbor children and critters would invade and make my life interesting?
April 25, 2017
My, this was odd. I saw this on a list of children's books reviewed in the Atlantic Monthly and I know it's a Newbery honor book. The quick run-down is that an older man retires, or maybe just quits, I'm not sure there's a difference, and builds himself a cute little house nestled up to a giant Redwood. The house is like a character in the book, and it's great. A+ for the house.
The other very strong point, and it makes you get why we're in Newbery league, is the way the woods are described -- it's vivid, it's descriptive, it's active so you don't feel like you are reading a long, dry, description of trees, it paints a picture of the environment, including the woodland creatures. It's in the best of that tradition of children's books capturing the facets of a natural landscape.
Speaking of the woodland creatures, though, there is a lot of death in this book. Now, you may be thinking "a ha, but in the 1940s, kids were not coddled like they are today, and death is part of nature, and hunting is part of nature, and the chain of predators and prey is part of nature, and violence is part of nature, and playing catch with pig bladders is part of children's literature ..." and what I'm saying is that even within that, there is a lot of death in this book. And it doesn't feel especially poignant or like a tribute to the circle of life, it more feels jammed in there.
And the aspect that I liked the least, and I would like to say has aged the poorest, even though it's probably not that different than today, which is wearing me down ... okay, the one sentence plot summary is about this kind and quiet older man living by himself in the woods, and he has two neighbors, a boy and girl, and they do not get along, and the theme is that through knowing this kindly older gentleman, the boy and the girl are going to put aside their squabbles and form a relationship. WELL, what actually happens is that the boy spends the entire book acting like a giant dick and it's on the girl to get over it, which she seems to in the end, although it's hard to tell because there isn't any real moment of learning or growth for the boy, and the part where they become more friendly is right at the end and is based on nothing.
Illustrations are GOLD, btw.
The other very strong point, and it makes you get why we're in Newbery league, is the way the woods are described -- it's vivid, it's descriptive, it's active so you don't feel like you are reading a long, dry, description of trees, it paints a picture of the environment, including the woodland creatures. It's in the best of that tradition of children's books capturing the facets of a natural landscape.
Speaking of the woodland creatures, though, there is a lot of death in this book. Now, you may be thinking "a ha, but in the 1940s, kids were not coddled like they are today, and death is part of nature, and hunting is part of nature, and the chain of predators and prey is part of nature, and violence is part of nature, and playing catch with pig bladders is part of children's literature ..." and what I'm saying is that even within that, there is a lot of death in this book. And it doesn't feel especially poignant or like a tribute to the circle of life, it more feels jammed in there.
And the aspect that I liked the least, and I would like to say has aged the poorest, even though it's probably not that different than today, which is wearing me down ... okay, the one sentence plot summary is about this kind and quiet older man living by himself in the woods, and he has two neighbors, a boy and girl, and they do not get along, and the theme is that through knowing this kindly older gentleman, the boy and the girl are going to put aside their squabbles and form a relationship. WELL, what actually happens is that the boy spends the entire book acting like a giant dick and it's on the girl to get over it, which she seems to in the end, although it's hard to tell because there isn't any real moment of learning or growth for the boy, and the part where they become more friendly is right at the end and is based on nothing.
Illustrations are GOLD, btw.
October 25, 2019
I lost interest and did not finish.
May 16, 2020
While we're going through my childhood favorites - I found this oldie yesterday! It's cover has dissolved & it is now a mere stack of brittle pages semi-held-together by friction, but boise, was it fun. Alas, I did not like it this much this time around - can't put my finger on exactly what, though probably the characters. Donald was awfuller than I recalled, & Emma Lou was, er, evidently written by someone with stereotypical ideas about tomboy girls. but hey! raccoons? skunks? deer & a troop of 7-foot brothers? aw yis. Add to this what is probably my dream house if I live alone. Jerome Kildee knew how to do it.
4/5 stars
4/5 stars
November 15, 2022
UPDATE: I just read this book to my seven-year-old. It is delightful! My daughter enjoyed every word. I don’t know what I was thinking when I wrote my earlier, luke-warm review. My nine-year-old son also recommends the book.
***
Disney made a number of live-action, nature-focused films in the 1950’s. Kildee House (published in the same decade) reminds me of those. It’s warm, low-tension,* and optimistic about human nature; with a lot of focus on the antics of small wild animals. Many modern kids will find it a bit slow, and modern parents may find it a bit dated (although in fairly subtle ways). I can see both why it won a Newberry nod but also why it has sunk into obscurity. Personally, I enjoyed it and found it relaxing. The twelve-year-old me expected all books to be plot-driven and probably wouldn't have shared that opinion.
During the story, a boy and girl who are feuding end up deciding to give in and be friends. I've noticed that several Goodreads reviewers dislike how this is handled. These reviewers seem to feel that the girl is basically expected to just forgive the boy for being a jerk even though he doesn't go through a character transformation, and that this is a display of vintage sexism. I don't think the assessment is fair. SHE is the one who wounds his dog and packs her brother's rifle around for quite a while afterwards, planning to shoot her opponent on sight. It's actually sexist to forgive female acts of violence while instantly condemning (milder) male violence. I think, instead, that what the author is trying to show readers is that the flaws of both kids are shaped by their very different upbringing but that underneath, fundamentally, they are both pretty decent human beings.
It’s interesting that the story is told through the eyes of an old man rather than a child--I can’t think of any recent MG books that do this. Perhaps it’s a reflection of the way that past generations expected kids to want to join the adult world, and to be interested in adult role models.
It's also interesting that even though I can imagine a fairly similar story being published today as a picture book, it would never fly in today's middle grade market. A modern MG book would need to address bigger social/emotional problems. I'm pondering what that tells us about how our perceptions of childhood have changed since the 1950's.
3.5 stars.
*I say “low-tension” because the central plot is pretty low stakes and it’s clear that everything will work out. On the other hand, animals do get killed.
***
Disney made a number of live-action, nature-focused films in the 1950’s. Kildee House (published in the same decade) reminds me of those. It’s warm, low-tension,* and optimistic about human nature; with a lot of focus on the antics of small wild animals. Many modern kids will find it a bit slow, and modern parents may find it a bit dated (although in fairly subtle ways). I can see both why it won a Newberry nod but also why it has sunk into obscurity. Personally, I enjoyed it and found it relaxing. The twelve-year-old me expected all books to be plot-driven and probably wouldn't have shared that opinion.
During the story, a boy and girl who are feuding end up deciding to give in and be friends. I've noticed that several Goodreads reviewers dislike how this is handled. These reviewers seem to feel that the girl is basically expected to just forgive the boy for being a jerk even though he doesn't go through a character transformation, and that this is a display of vintage sexism. I don't think the assessment is fair. SHE is the one who wounds his dog and packs her brother's rifle around for quite a while afterwards, planning to shoot her opponent on sight. It's actually sexist to forgive female acts of violence while instantly condemning (milder) male violence. I think, instead, that what the author is trying to show readers is that the flaws of both kids are shaped by their very different upbringing but that underneath, fundamentally, they are both pretty decent human beings.
It’s interesting that the story is told through the eyes of an old man rather than a child--I can’t think of any recent MG books that do this. Perhaps it’s a reflection of the way that past generations expected kids to want to join the adult world, and to be interested in adult role models.
It's also interesting that even though I can imagine a fairly similar story being published today as a picture book, it would never fly in today's middle grade market. A modern MG book would need to address bigger social/emotional problems. I'm pondering what that tells us about how our perceptions of childhood have changed since the 1950's.
3.5 stars.
*I say “low-tension” because the central plot is pretty low stakes and it’s clear that everything will work out. On the other hand, animals do get killed.
October 26, 2020
Read aloud with my oldest two. We loved it! The story is an interesting combo of animal and human characters, which I loved. The scenery was described really well. The story line was exciting and gave the kids and I some good things to talk about. I loved the reading level, the writing was pretty straightforward but there were some good vocabulary words to keep it challenging.
November 17, 2019
Jerome Kildee retires from his monument sculpting business, builds a small house up against a redwood tree in the middle of the California acres he's purchased, and plans on living the life of of hermit/philosopher. He didn't count on becoming host to several families of racoons and skunks, nor did he foresee befriending young Emma Lou, his neighbor from down the hill, but when he does so, his quiet retirement turns into a bustling life full of new friends, and he decides that he doesn't mind the change in plans at all.
A sweet, cozy little story that makes living in a tiny cabin and cuddling up with a skunk seem not all that crazy, really.
A sweet, cozy little story that makes living in a tiny cabin and cuddling up with a skunk seem not all that crazy, really.
June 13, 2011
I read this book aloud with my daughters. It is a 1950 Newbery Honor Book.
Upon his retirement, Jerome Kildee builds a house under a giant redwood tree in the wilderness surrounded by 100 acres of woods and hillside. Although his intention was to remain reclusive, he opens both his home and his heart to his woodland friends which include raccoons, skunks, mice, rats, and even a deer. His home is between two feuding neighbours: the Eppys and the Cabots. When Jerome befriends Emma Lou Eppy it piques the curiosity of Donald Roger Cabot and both children often come to visit him. As the animals multiply and take over Jerome's little house, Emma Lou and Donald Roger work together to find a solution. Doing so, repairs the rift between the feuding families.
We loved this book! My children love animals, so we really enjoyed reading how Jerome lived his life with raccoons in his wood stove and skunks under his bed!
I have often daydreamed about what life would be like to live in the wilderness away from technology and surrounded by nature. I would think it would be a peaceful existence - a simpler time. As long as I had books to read, I could live without television and the internet!
This is a wonderful book to enjoy with your children!
MY RATING: 4.5 stars!
Upon his retirement, Jerome Kildee builds a house under a giant redwood tree in the wilderness surrounded by 100 acres of woods and hillside. Although his intention was to remain reclusive, he opens both his home and his heart to his woodland friends which include raccoons, skunks, mice, rats, and even a deer. His home is between two feuding neighbours: the Eppys and the Cabots. When Jerome befriends Emma Lou Eppy it piques the curiosity of Donald Roger Cabot and both children often come to visit him. As the animals multiply and take over Jerome's little house, Emma Lou and Donald Roger work together to find a solution. Doing so, repairs the rift between the feuding families.
We loved this book! My children love animals, so we really enjoyed reading how Jerome lived his life with raccoons in his wood stove and skunks under his bed!
I have often daydreamed about what life would be like to live in the wilderness away from technology and surrounded by nature. I would think it would be a peaceful existence - a simpler time. As long as I had books to read, I could live without television and the internet!
This is a wonderful book to enjoy with your children!
MY RATING: 4.5 stars!
January 18, 2021
Nice little slow paced story. Will appeal to nature and animals lovers who enjoy the idea of living in the wild and having a slow pace if life. There is a nice old man and two quarrelling children who he befriends and many animal friends. My children didn't love it but they enjoyed it ok. It is not for action lovers. We learnt a few bits about American history and Geography through the book. Would make a good bedtime story :)
July 19, 2016
Enjoyable easy read about the love of animals despite all the inconveniences they present and peoples changes in attitudes. I really enjoyed reading this and look forward to more from this author.
December 7, 2017
I wish that I'd stumbled across this book when the kids were younger. I have one niece in particular who would have been enchanted by the antics of Jerome's raccoons and squirrels. (Do any of the newer books for young adults have an adult as the main character?)
Here, nature takes center stage, right along with Jerome and Emma Lou. By example, the author shows how to appreciate the natural world without destroying it.
The main misconception is that raccoons can be easily picked up. If I hadn't had any close contact with raccoons, I'd be left with the impression that a raccoon is something like a cat when it comes to size and build.
p 22: The Eppy house stood in a redwood grove which is known to the romantic-minded as a temple. The mother tree had surrounded herself with a circle of children. The children were now grown to giant size, and the mother tree had long since vanished. The giants stood in a stately circle around a shady patio like padres guarding a shrine. The green twilight and the silence of a redwood temple never fail to draw the passer-by into its shade, and many a wanderer has built a house inside a grove only to feel the cold displeasure of the padres. ...
Here, nature takes center stage, right along with Jerome and Emma Lou. By example, the author shows how to appreciate the natural world without destroying it.
The main misconception is that raccoons can be easily picked up. If I hadn't had any close contact with raccoons, I'd be left with the impression that a raccoon is something like a cat when it comes to size and build.
p 22: The Eppy house stood in a redwood grove which is known to the romantic-minded as a temple. The mother tree had surrounded herself with a circle of children. The children were now grown to giant size, and the mother tree had long since vanished. The giants stood in a stately circle around a shady patio like padres guarding a shrine. The green twilight and the silence of a redwood temple never fail to draw the passer-by into its shade, and many a wanderer has built a house inside a grove only to feel the cold displeasure of the padres. ...
July 31, 2021
I'm using the summer to read a good number of my kids' favorite books from the past school year. (And, if I'm honest, they tend to be shorter and therefore easy wins for catching up on my Reading Challenge...).
This is a delightful little book that explores the themes of nature, wildlife, and friendship. Jerome Kildee, a gray-haired man and a stonemason by trade, who has never been able to speak and interact with people in a natural way, buys a hundred acres of Pacific coast forest and builds himself a little house up against a giant 200-foot Redwood. He befriends the racoons and skunks who make their home in and around his, and also befriends Emma Lou, a local girl who, like him, loves the animals and nature. Drama ensues when Emma Lou's nemesis, a local boy and his dog, invade the forest.
Ultimately, Jerome finds a way to bridge the gap and allow genuine friendship to form. A really nice story.
This is a delightful little book that explores the themes of nature, wildlife, and friendship. Jerome Kildee, a gray-haired man and a stonemason by trade, who has never been able to speak and interact with people in a natural way, buys a hundred acres of Pacific coast forest and builds himself a little house up against a giant 200-foot Redwood. He befriends the racoons and skunks who make their home in and around his, and also befriends Emma Lou, a local girl who, like him, loves the animals and nature. Drama ensues when Emma Lou's nemesis, a local boy and his dog, invade the forest.
Ultimately, Jerome finds a way to bridge the gap and allow genuine friendship to form. A really nice story.
September 21, 2023
Racoons, Skunks, bush rats, a house with a tree for one wall and a window for another. Jerome built his house in the forest to live like a hermit and walled up his stone carving tools in the fireplace; but when he starts talking to his resident raccoon and then begins to smile at his neighbours, he soon makes friends with a girl who knows a lot about animals and the woods and loves his creature-filled home. Then Jerome also discovers that it is more enjoyable to carve what he likes for his friends than making what others wish to buy. This is a lovely story filled with quirky animals and almost as quirky people among the giant redwoods of America.
March 23, 2021
Jerome thinks he's going to be a hermit in the redwoods until a family of raccoons and a family of skunks move in!
I could picture the environment since I live near the California redwoods. Nature lovers will enjoy this one.
Read with Naomi & Julia at bedtime.
2021 A book that won an award
I could picture the environment since I live near the California redwoods. Nature lovers will enjoy this one.
Read with Naomi & Julia at bedtime.
2021 A book that won an award
February 20, 2023
Read this book (for the second time) with my kids. We all really enjoyed the quirkiness and fun.
January 18, 2010
This was a sweet, fun read aloud for my children and me. We all enjoyed the story of a little old retired man, Jerome, who has built an interesting house against a giant redwood in Northern California. He ends up sharing his house with a family of Raccoons, and a family of Skunks. He retired to become a philosopher, to live a quiet life and not have to do anything. But once he makes friends with Emma Lou, nothing is ever as quiet. First there is the "Feud" Emma Lou is having with Jerome's other neighbor, Donald. Then there is the orphaned baby fawn, Monarch, and the Skunk circus that Emma is training. In a few months, Jerome is facing another crisis as the raccoon and skunk families are expanding to the point of Jerome being crowded out. Will Emma Lou and Donald be able to resolve their enmity and help Jerome find a solution to his housing/animal problems?
This was fun people/animal story. Many books are only about people, or only about animals, but this was a little of both. So Fun!
This was fun people/animal story. Many books are only about people, or only about animals, but this was a little of both. So Fun!
February 19, 2022
My Mom read this to me when I was in first grade and I LOVED it and definitely spent the rest of my childhood wanting to live in a cabin in the woods with a bunch of forest animals. 😄 I just finished reading it to Beatrice and Charlie for school and it was just as much fun watching them enjoy the antics of Jerome’s visitors (though this time around I understood why he needed to relocate the 25 raccoons living in his house 😅). A sweet story about friendship and reconciliation between the human characters too. :)
March 14, 2022
Third time to read this one and it is still a great 5-star book! They boys loved it!
February 25, 2022
I don't know how I've gone my whole life without hearing of this book before! Such a fun, comfortable read with my kids. It tells the story of Jerome Kildee, a reclusive elderly man who retires onto a 100-acre plot of California mountain and builds his unique house against an ancient redwood. He begins feeding and housing stray skunks and raccoons, and the semi-domesticated animals become a bonding element between Jerome and his adolescent neighbors, two feuding kids from each side of the mountain. When the animals start to overrun Jerome's home, the three work together to solve the problem.
This is not an action-packed or thrilling story--it's slow, in classic style, spending paragraphs describing the woodland and the behavior of the animals. Despite that, my kids (5 & 8) were attentive through it all, often laughing at the antics of Jerome's "pets." There are definitely elements of this story that are unique to the 1940s mountain lifestyle, and wouldn't appear in children's literature today: the kids go almost entirely without parental supervision, they carry rifles and roam freely, and they spend nearly all their free time with a single male neighbor who their parents don't know. Since it's a realistic nature tale, the predator-prey relationship plays out several times throughout the book. My kids aren't sensitive to that, but its something to be aware of before beginning.
This is not an action-packed or thrilling story--it's slow, in classic style, spending paragraphs describing the woodland and the behavior of the animals. Despite that, my kids (5 & 8) were attentive through it all, often laughing at the antics of Jerome's "pets." There are definitely elements of this story that are unique to the 1940s mountain lifestyle, and wouldn't appear in children's literature today: the kids go almost entirely without parental supervision, they carry rifles and roam freely, and they spend nearly all their free time with a single male neighbor who their parents don't know. Since it's a realistic nature tale, the predator-prey relationship plays out several times throughout the book. My kids aren't sensitive to that, but its something to be aware of before beginning.
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March 8, 2023I can't recall if I ever read this particular title by Rutherford Montgomery--if so, it's been decades. I do want to read when I can find a copy. Those who enjoyed KILDEE HOUSE might try some of his other books available for free on Internet Archieve. His McGONNIGLE's LAKE also feature elderly "retired" man--this time a gold prospector--who returns to town that was his childhood home with a wagon of unusual pets he's rescued. IN HAPPY HOLLOW is a fantasy about talking animals, follows the quest of a spotted skunk out to "see the world" who enters an animal talent show--might Elmer's name be an allusion to popular singer/dancer of the time Elvis? Mongomery wrote for a range of ages, some of his books more humorous, others more straight adventure. I also enjoyed his slow pace GHOST TOWN ADVENTURE, set on quiet mountain I'd like to go for vacation. BTW Mongomery also used his knowledge of nature to write some animal films made by Walt Disney. P.S. Other books readers of the above might try also on Internet Archive, about kids rambling in wild places with unusual pets include those by Elizabeth Crosgrove Ladd written about the same time period. Easier to find in libraries are still in print titles by one of my favorite authors, Newbery winner Elizabeth Enright. More recent amusing animal fantasy NUTS TO YOU by Lynn Rae Perkins, another Newbery winner who also writes for wide age range: her AS EASY AS FALLING OFF THE FACE OF THE EARTH is hilarious!
January 30, 2020
3.5-4 stats. Jerome Kildee has always been a man of few words. When he has the opportunity he purchases 100 acres of woodland on a mountain and sets up housekeeping in the "wilderness". He builds a small against the side of a redwood, outfits it with a store sized picture window and a magnificent fireplace and chimney, and moves in alone and prepared to be a hermit. But he isn't alone. Almost immediately he has house guests: mice, packrats, spotted skunks, and raccoons. And when the neighbor girl smiles at him, he smiles back and she becomes his first human friend. The story is a simple one of Jerome living with the various animals and discovering that he has something to offer to them and his neighbors. The violence in this book is akin to what is depicted on nature shows and a bit more when Emma Lou chases a dog off one of the raccoons; the dog belongs to another neighbor with whom she has an enduring feud. I read his for my 2020 Reading Challenge (52 in 2020 "character who is a senior") and my Newbery Challenge.
December 9, 2018
While Montgomery could have benefitted from an editor's help with the handful of glitches in the beginning that make the reader wonder what the heck he's suddenly talking about (and more than a few comma omissions), this 1949 Newbery book is absolutely charming.
Take an introverted retiree who builds a unique little home against a giant Redwood tree, add in some fun woodland critters, a rambunctious young gal and her male nemesis, and you have yourself a heartwarming little tale. This would be great for reading aloud to a grade school classroom or to your children or grandkids, and is entertaining for adults when you're in the mood for a light read.
Take an introverted retiree who builds a unique little home against a giant Redwood tree, add in some fun woodland critters, a rambunctious young gal and her male nemesis, and you have yourself a heartwarming little tale. This would be great for reading aloud to a grade school classroom or to your children or grandkids, and is entertaining for adults when you're in the mood for a light read.
March 11, 2021
A slow but satisfying story about a man who shares his home with wild animals. It does not set out to be an exciting read, but its steady pace brings humor, cuteness, and some terribly sad moments. It also touches lightly on the topic of feuding--not in a way my kids understood, but still enough to have a decent thematic slant toward reconciliation. That being said, I would have liked it if that theme were even more prominent; it felt somewhat tacked on. My kids LOVED any description of the raccoons' or skunks' antics; they would probably give it four stars because the sad moments were very sad for them, but they ate up the animal content.
July 14, 2021
3.5 stars At first I was confused by the simple and idyllic story, but I think the 1949 publication date probably explains that. This is the book's major detractor for me, however, when I imagined reading this book to my 5 year old daughter, I saw it in a whole new light. A retired man living in the woods with seemingly unlimited money and patience for living with wild animals and the mild dramas of prepubescent backwater children is oddly enjoyable. I look forward to reading this to my daughter when she is 6-7 years old.
July 19, 2021
My kids would probably never choose a book with animals and people interacting peacefully but they didn’t mind hearing it aloud. The raccoons and skunks were always in to something and the people devised ways to live peacefully with them but the real trouble lies in how quickly those animals reproduce and the problems that occur when they are fed by humans. The kids find a solution and the book ends. I would recommend this book to kids in the lower grades who enjoy using their imagination to create stories and/or play with animals.
November 28, 2020
A man escapes life in urban California by moving to the Redwood Forest and making his home in a tree. A family of wild skunks and raccoons join him as well as feuding teenage neighbors. The story likely. takes place in the late 1940s.
Could be incorporated into a study of skunks and raccoons as well as discussions on naturalists or how to resolve feuds/disagreements (SEL). Classroom library for grades 3rd through 6th.
Could be incorporated into a study of skunks and raccoons as well as discussions on naturalists or how to resolve feuds/disagreements (SEL). Classroom library for grades 3rd through 6th.
June 1, 2023
The story is interesting and unusual, with a message about getting along and having a purpose. It includes getting along with skunks. The story also holds your interest because of the way it is structured and well-paced. Many good things.
One criticism would be the tedious basicness of the sentences. It is supposed to be easier to read, but a little more variety could have been achieved, eliminating that continual monotony. Still, it works.
One criticism would be the tedious basicness of the sentences. It is supposed to be easier to read, but a little more variety could have been achieved, eliminating that continual monotony. Still, it works.
October 22, 2018
My first experience with this book was through an elementary school literature textbook--one of the chapters was an assignment. Reading the whole novel was enchanting--and the idea of skunks as pets was so novel for one who had only previously seen them as unusually stinky roadkill. Now I think skunks are cute, so I can honestly say this book has been life-changing ;)
July 26, 2022
Cute story about a man who retires to the mountains, looking to be alone and away from the demands of work. He builds a house in the woods, but soon has the company of some neighbor children and a family each of raccoons and skunks. The relationship between wildlife and people is carefully explored.
November 13, 2017
This book was so much fun! We weren’t sure about it at the beginning, but we ended up loving the story about Mr Kildee and his animal friends. The ending was very abrupt, though. We would have liked to see that developed a little more.
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