Our Building by Joseph Coelho. Illustrated by Richard Johnson.
Frances Lincoln/Quatro
2024
5.0 stars
#NetGalley #OurBuilding
Thanks to Net Galley and Quatro for sending this ARC for review.
An amazing story, that touches the heart, a beautiful depth, told in a fable like style. Joseph Coelho is master of storytelling. The art is incredible. Richard Johnson illustrations are soft, pastel colors. A balance of color, matching the mood of the story adds a nice depth and really holds the eye. This book charmed me and touched my heart. A children's fiction must read.

Our Building, written by Joseph Coleho and Richard Johnson, is the story of a group of children that live in an apartment building. The book starts off with the children describing the building in boring terms, it after they go on a journey, they seem to recognize the blessings that come with where they live.

I enjoyed the themes in this book, the use of imagination, and some of the inclusion of different cultures and communities that was shown. Some of the writing seemed a little choppy to me, like I had trouble finding the flow, but other than that I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to younger elementary aged readers. Thank you to NetGalley and to the author and publisher of this book for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A beautifully presented poem about finding adventure and magic. The illustrations and text combined are magical and I think 🤔 this would work well with younger and older readers.
Will definitely be purchasing a physical copy.

This book is so magical. The colors are used so wisely that they quickly set the mood from sad to joy and from loneliness to community spirit. Illustrated with a hint of magic realism shows us a great and valuable lesson, we can make an effort to see things with other eyes, be kinder and willing to help others, communicate, and be part of the community, bringing life, joy, and sunshine to the building and each others lives. A creative way to approach how it can be to live in a big busy city, in an apartment. Very inclusive.

Beautiful art and design of the pages.

Thank you, Netgalley and publisher for this e-arc.

The artwork is the standout in this book. I just loved how everything started out grey and dull like concrete and then exploded in color as the kids discovered the wonder of their home. The story was cute and sends an important message, however, the illustrations are what sold the book to me.

Ho amato questo libro per bambini che ci ricorda come la natura sia un punto fondamentale per non dimenticare da dove veniamo e dove vogliamo andare ma soprattutto quando ci riempiamo della bellezza della natura riusciamo a portarcela non solo nel cuore ma anche nella nostra vita di tutti i giorni.Ho amato anche i disegni ma anche il cambiamento dei colori dall inizio alla fine della storia

I received an ARC of this children's book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is a wonderful book. The pictures have a beautiful, dream-like appearance. And I loved the text of the book. It's a beautiful book!

It is a beautiful book about children living in a high-rise apartment building, exploring nature, and discovering. They are then able to bring everyone together.

Thank you to Quarto Publishing Group and Net Galley for the eARC

What I like most about this are the beautiful illustrations that are full of detail and look so realistic. I think the story itself it's almost like a poem that has its own rhythm, wich I loved.
The way these two elements are mixed, the poetic rhythm and the beautiful drawings, make it a perfect children's book that portrays how even the most normal things are magical if you know how to appreciate them. Very good lesson to learn and to remember.

*Thanks to NetGalley uk, the publishers and the author for the ARC*

A magical story of finding perspective and staying connected to the land and each other, even when living in the city. This story took some odd twists and turns that felt a little out of left field, but as a whole a really enjoyable. The art is beautiful.

For children and families that live in the city and in apartment buildings this book is extremely relatable and gives the children license to be free with their imagination and see beyond the big, tall, imposing structure. The story takes them on an adventure that teaches them to see the beauty in all things, even those made out of concrete. A positive and uplifting children’s book to have in any library.

This is a really fun and cute read. The illustrations are very whimsical and magical. It reminds me of a combination of Narnia and Stranger Things, but for children, and I think it's so awesome!

I love the inclusivity and seeing different ethnicities; it gave the book so much more depth.

This book looks into getting back to nature and escaping from the concrete jungle. I liked how we saw different ethnicities and different cultures too.
The illustrations are lovely too.

Thanks NetGalley for this ARC.

I received an electronic ARC from Quarto Publishing Group – Frances Lincoln Children's Books through NetGalley.
Readers meet three children who live in a high rise apartment building in a city. They glimpse a tree from their top floor windows and set off to find it. They encounter an interesting tree spirit who gives them a magnificent gift. When looking through this gift, they can see the magic in their own building rather than a simple concrete structure.
The concept is lovely but the story doesn't flow smoothly. Readers will need to make some inferences and jumps to follow the three children's actions.

With the use of the building as a physical space and a metaphor, this book is the tale of community, living together, the similarities in differences, friendship and the places with cultural richness.

Each page is a portal to a magical or realistic scene, and the representation is inclusive. I am sure my child grasped the idea behind the conditions and circumstances of these characters living happily and in peace. A great and subtle lesson.

First off, I loved the description of this book. I also loved the beautiful illustrations they really enhanced the reading experience. The writing was full of description and imagery which lent itself to easy visualization throughout. It is a magical story (which I did not expect) and compares the apartment building that the main characters live in to a tree. The magical tree really appealed to my inner child and the wonder that it evokes. I did have to read the book a couple of times and I think the message is good but younger children will probably miss some of the higher level comparisons and ideas.

Thank you Net Galley, Joseph Coelho and Quarto Publishing Group for the opportunity to preview this picture book. The opinions shared are my own.

An unexpectedly moving story about finding the extraordinary in the mundane, learning to create connections where you thought all was bare. The illustrations are charming and poetic. A lovely read.

This book is beautiful! The art style is stunning, the story is magical, I love everything.

Our Building is a story about the power of imagination, full os children's adventures inside and outside their homes and also, about community. I think it'll definitely appeal to children who like adventure stories.