When Mathilda discovers a mysterious Chinese house in her backyard, she enters a new world of imagination and adventure.
Though primarily known for his odd and unusual short stories for adults, Donald Barthelme's children's book, originally published in 1971, has a similar tenor of surreal strangeness and humor. During a fine day in 1887, Mathilda discovers a Chinese house in her backyard instead of the fire engine she'd been craving. Inside, she encounters a knitting pirate, a cat-seller atop a camel covered in kittens, a tumbling elephant, and most importantly, a powerful djinn guide. Illustrated completely with BW clip art set against boldly colored pages, this picture book is one of a kind.
- Genre: Juvenile Fiction, Fiction + Literature Genres
- Subgenre: General, Transportation / General
- Age: 9-12 years
- Publisher: Overlook Pr
- Pages: 32
- Language: English
- Format: hardcover
- Release Date: November 16, 2006
- Date Published: November 16, 2006
- Author: Donald Barthelme