The Home Builders

Nancy Paulsen Books. llustrated by Simona Mulazzan.

This vibrantly illustrated picture book celebrates a variety of woodland creatures as they make their homes and prepare for their young.

Welcome to a serene woodland where lots of expectant animal parents are in their “nesting” phase — that is, busy preparing safe, cozy homes for their growing families. As they dig, tunnel, gnaw, and gather, they create dens, burrows, lodges, and, of course, nests. Soon the woods are full of new little ones peeping, crawling, romping, and snuggling — and with artwork so gorgeous that it feels like an invitation into the scenery it’s depicting, readers will be eager to join them in their beautiful home.

Read an interview about the book with Blue Willow Bookshop. 

Awards

  • A Dolly Parton Imagination Library Selection 2020-2021
  • Bank Street of Education Best books 2019-2020

Praise

“Simple elegant rhyming words lead readers to learn the names for each animal baby, but not the adult counterpart, suggesting that this picture book is not meant to instruct but rather encourage little ones to immerse themselves in the lush experience. By using the pictures to fill in the missing details, adults and children can explore and interact, creating a conversation prompted each discovery. A recommended purchase for large collections seeking gentle nighttime reads about animals, babies, and habitats.” —School Library Journal