About this item
Highlights
- An essential read for aspiring young architects and construction enthusiasts from the author of the award-winning book Earth-Shattering Events.The Mellon family have outgrown their flat.
- 4 Years
- 11.1" x 8.74" Hardcover
- 40 Pages
- Juvenile Fiction, Art
Description
Book Synopsis
An essential read for aspiring young architects and construction enthusiasts from the author of the award-winning book Earth-Shattering Events.The Mellon family have outgrown their flat. It's time to move, but none of the houses they look at are quite right, so they decide to build their own house. Masha is an architect. She designs a house that accommodates the Mellons' needs, their budget, and most importantly the environment. It is an eco-house.
The Mellons Build a House is a hugely enjoyable picturebook that takes the reader step by step through the design and construction of a house. Heat pumps, solar panels, insulation and rainwater harvesting are all explained, and brought to life in Nik Neves's warm, inclusive illustrations.
Review Quotes
"This may be one of the MOST forward thinking eco-friendly titles I've ever seen." - Elizabeth Bird / Fuse 8 / School Library Journal
"Reading this book, you get to see the entire process from design to meeting with contractors to pouring the cement. It's very eco-conscious, including everything from a rooftop garden to reserving rainwater to solar panels, and more. You even get to see how blueprints work!" - Fuse 8 / School Library Journal
"Kids learn many building terms, from heat pumps to solar panels, as they absorb the lessons of designing a home and the many options and considerations involved. Adults will find The Mellons Build a House a fine example of introducing ecological thinking and decision-making to the very young, who normally don't receive such messages this early in their lives." - Midwest Book Review
"A great breakdown of an environmentally friendly design that keeps the family's needs in mind. Informative for children and adults alike. This book can spark conversations about conservation and ecology." - Youth Services Book Review
"The illustrations and neat title initially attracted me to this book and when I read it, I knew I had to share it with the world. I read lots and lots of books. Most are just okay, but then sometimes I find a really unique one like this and I have to share. This book is a must have for architecture and construction enthusiasts." - Books Grow Minds
"There follows one of the most cleverly architected (sorry!) books that expertly runs a storyline parallel to details around designing and building an eco-home. This would be such a fantastic book for children of any age. And in terms of circling back to this month's themes, progress is evident on all levels: the house is built; the environment is considered; the family move forward with their lives and the building industry is a career open to all." - The Literacy Tree, UK
About the Author
Robin Jacobs is children's television and book writer. She is the author of Don't Hug the Pug and Earth-Shattering Events. She is an active environmentalist and has recently completed an eco-build of her own outside of Bristol.Nik Neves is a prize-winning Brazilian artist and illustrator living and working in Berlin. He has worked with clients including Moet, Printemps, Vogue, Facebook, Brooklyn Industries, National Geographic and Lonely Planet. He is the creative director of Inutil magazine, based in Portugal.