Lot at the End of My Block

by Kevin Lewis, Reg Cartwright (Illustrator)

A cumulative story about the construction of a building begins with an empty lot at the end of the block and ends with a new house and neighbors. By the author of Chugga-Chugga Choo-Choo.

Genres: Picture Books, Construction, Childrens, Trucks

Hardcover

First published April 2, 2001

About the author

Kevin Lewis is the author of many children’s picture books for toddler and early elementary grades including the classics Chugga-Chugga Choo-Choo and My Truck is Stuck (both illustrated by Daniel Kirk), Halloween favorite The Runaway Pumpkin, Lot at the End of My Block, Dinosaur Dinosaur, Tugga-Tugga Tugboat, and Not Inside This House.

Kevin grew up on his grandparents’ farm in Rembert, South Carolina. Around the third grade, he fell in love with books, and by middle school, Kevin was a bit of a reading recluse. Books carried him through high school and Erskine College, where he studied English. A children’s literature course he thought would be an easy three credits ignited his passion for children’s books, a passion that led him to New York City and his first publishing-related job at the legendary bookstore, Books of Wonder.

For over two decades, Kevin has been one of the most highly regarded children’s book editors in the industry. At Scholastic Inc., he worked with Dav Pilkey on the original Captain Underpants. At Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, where he served as an Editorial Director, Kevin worked with a veritable who’s who of authors and illustrators including Laurie Halse Anderson (Fever 1793, Chains), Spike and Tonya Lee (Please Baby Please), Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black (The Spiderwick Chronicles), Derek Anderson and Lauren Thompson (Little Quack), Alex Sanchez (Rainbow Boys), Jim Benton (Franny K. Stein) Angela Johnson, Kadir Nelson, Cynthia Rylant, and Loren Long. As an Executive Editor at Disney Press, Kevin developed and produced the Vampirina Ballerina series and edited books by Matthew Cordell, Barney Saltzberg, and Chris Barton.

In 2018, Kevin became an agent for the Erin Murphy Literary Agency, primarily focusing on writer-illustrators and diverse voices.

These days, Kevin lives in Newburgh, New York in a two hundred year old farmhouse with his husband, Phil and dog named Kat. Most of the time, you’ll find him gardening in the yard, biking around the Hudson Valley, or sitting on the back porch (which often doubles as his office).

Reviews

[Christie Angleton · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love the concept of this cumulative book taking place at a work site. However, how flipping difficult is it to use the word WORKERS as opposed to WORKMEN?! I don't even want to put this in my classroom, as it completely isolates over half of the population of my class - the girls. Get it together, authors, women can work at construction sites too!

[Asher · Rating 2 out of 5]

Exhausting read aloud book.

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story is based on repetion (along the lines of 'I know an old lady who swallowed a fly'.) If you have the breath for it, the book is fun! The kids liked it, and lots of construction vehicles are featured.

[Saunders Awards · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've recently read three new versions of "the house that Jack built," and this was the best of them. It flows well and has a fun onomatopoeia that starts repeating in the middle. There is some subtle racial integration at the end, but there are only men working on the construction.

[Kristie · Rating 4 out of 5]

An add-and-repeat story great for preschoolers.

[Bridget]

This is on the hardcover shelf.

[Mark Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book. I try to read the last pages in one breath. What a fun read!

[Jackson Lowery · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my favorite book when I was about five years old.

[Adelas · Rating 3 out of 5]

My three year old son enjoyed this the first time, but didn't have the patience to sit through all the repetitions after that. He does like finding all the different items on each page.

[Hannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Repeats the same lines over and over adding an extra phrase on each page. Not enjoyable to read aloud.