At Home in a Book

By Author / Illustrator

Lauren O'Hara

Genre

Adventure

Age range(s)

Publisher

Puffin

ISBN

9780241665794

Format

Hardback

Published

03-10-2024

Synopsis

Step inside the worlds of classic children's books, look through the contents of Sherlock's deducting bag and pore over the map of Neverland. Illustration star Lauren O'Hara brings the world of nine classic children's books to life - letting you step into iconic houses and explore their stories.

The perfect gift for literary lovers and bookworms-to-be, each book is illustrated with an immersive cutaway illustration; you can look inside each room, see characters and pore over details. Featuring Alice in Wonderland, Anne of Green Gables, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, The Wizard of Oz, Heidi, Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, A Little Princess, Little Women and Peter Pan and Wendy.

Perfect to introduce young readers to childhood classics books, while bringing literary worlds to life for avid bookworms.

Extract from At Home in a Book - Anne of Green Gables

Download Extract

Reviews

Sue

In At Home in a Book, Lauren O'Hara introduces readers to nine classic tales through a combination of illustration and extracts. This is the sort of book which I would have loved as a child - one which can be explored in different ways, lingered over and enjoyed again and again.

Each book is introduced with an extract, followed by a cross section picture of the home central to that story. This is followed by additional information about characters and other details. Perfect for tempting children to explore one (or more) of these classic books, each section offers a taste of the story without spoiling it and allowing readers to have some understanding of the story before diving in.

But this is also a book to inspire the imagination and develop new stories. Gazing into the cottage Heidi shares with her grandfather, exploring below deck on the Jolly Roger or peeking into 221B Baker Street allows readers to engage with the stories in a different way, particularly if they are already familiar with them. They may question Lauren O'Hara's interpretation of some of these homes or nod happily in agreement as her vision matches their own. It might inspire some to try capturing other favourite books in the same way - perhaps Mole End, 32, Windsor Gardens or the Buckets' home.

The book also offers a world of nostalgia for adults looking back at some of their childhood treasures. It would make a wonderful gift for any booklover - old or young - as well as a lovely addition to libraries.

80 pages / Reviewed by Sue Wilsher, teacher