The One Day House by Julia Durango. Illustrated by Bianca Diaz. Charlesbridge, August, 2017. 9781580897099. (Review from finished copy courtesy of publisher.)
Young Wilson is friends with his elderly neighbor, Gigi. He notices that her house has become rather run-down. He promises her that, "One day,..." To each home improvement suggestion that Wilson makes, Gigi's response is the his friendship is all she needs. But, as Wilson shares his hopes and dreams for Gigi's house, his close-knit community listens and comes together to surprise her with the repairs she needs.
This is a warmhearted, lovely story of altruism featuring a diverse cast of characters and a wonderful friendship between Gigi and Wilson. It's a perfect read aloud that gently imparts lessons of kindness without being didactic. An author's note at the end shares the inspiration for the story as well as information about charities that help neighbors and neighborhoods.
The mixed media illustrations have folk art appeal. The palette is vibrant and the art is textured. The art-within-the-art has the appearance of child-drawn art.
The One Day House is a lovely book to share with any young reader.
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