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Too Tall Houses
Good friends learn a small but important lesson
Owl and Rabbit are good friends and live in two small houses next to each other. They are perfectly happy . . . until Rabbit's garden gets in the way of Owl's view. So Owl builds his house a little taller. Only that blocks the sun from Rabbit's vegetables. So Rabbit builds his house taller. And soon it's a house-building frenzy and the two now not-so-good friends have the two tallest houses in the world!
All it takes is a gust of wind to remind them that maybe living smaller and together is a much better way to remain friends.
The creator of Meet Me at the Moon has delivered another wonderful animal fable for today's world.
Owl and Rabbit are good friends and live in two small houses next to each other. They are perfectly happy . . . until Rabbit's garden gets in the way of Owl's view. So Owl builds his house a little taller. Only that blocks the sun from Rabbit's vegetables. So Rabbit builds his house taller. And soon it's a house-building frenzy and the two now not-so-good friends have the two tallest houses in the world!
All it takes is a gust of wind to remind them that maybe living smaller and together is a much better way to remain friends.
The creator of Meet Me at the Moon has delivered another wonderful animal fable for today's world.
40 pages, Hardcover
First published September 27, 2012
9 people are currently reading
360 people want to read
About the author
Gianna Marino
35 books43 followersGianna Marino was born in San Francisco and spent her early years galloping horses through Golden Gate Park. Her explorations expanded after graduating from high school and in order to afford her many journeys, Gianna had several jobs at once: apprenticing a muralist, a jewelry designer, a product designer and driving horse carriages through the park. Gianna explored many corners of the world, from Africa and Asia, to the South Pacific and Europe, to crewing on sailboats in the high seas. At work and school, she became known as “Boomerang”.
Gianna finally landed a full-time freelance gig designing toys for children, but after several years in a corporate box with no windows, she left for good and began writing and illustrating books for children.
Though she still wanders the world, Gianna now lives in Northern California and works full-time writing and illustrating.
Gianna finally landed a full-time freelance gig designing toys for children, but after several years in a corporate box with no windows, she left for good and began writing and illustrating books for children.
Though she still wanders the world, Gianna now lives in Northern California and works full-time writing and illustrating.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 156 reviews
December 12, 2012
I loved this book. Thank you to Goodreads friend Terri Lynn for alerting me to it. I’m not sure I’d have found it otherwise, at least not in the near future.
The illustrations are special. They’re beautiful and interesting, and some are very amusing. I love how they take up entire pages, and how the text/story is placed over the pictures. The expressiveness of Rabbit and Owl are priceless.
The story is wonderful too, and has a moral about getting along with one another and being considerate of one another, and not trying to best one another. The ending is sweet but maybe a bit too quixotic. It worked for me though, and I think it will appeal to most readers. The story is a hoot. It’s so silly and fun. It gets crazier and crazier for a while, it’s a wonderful friendship story, and I think most readers/listeners will really love it. This story makes for a really great read aloud story.
And Rabbit’s vegetables got me feeling very hungry for identical ones.
4 ½ stars
I’m off to check out other books by this author-illustrator!
The illustrations are special. They’re beautiful and interesting, and some are very amusing. I love how they take up entire pages, and how the text/story is placed over the pictures. The expressiveness of Rabbit and Owl are priceless.
The story is wonderful too, and has a moral about getting along with one another and being considerate of one another, and not trying to best one another. The ending is sweet but maybe a bit too quixotic. It worked for me though, and I think it will appeal to most readers. The story is a hoot. It’s so silly and fun. It gets crazier and crazier for a while, it’s a wonderful friendship story, and I think most readers/listeners will really love it. This story makes for a really great read aloud story.
And Rabbit’s vegetables got me feeling very hungry for identical ones.
4 ½ stars
I’m off to check out other books by this author-illustrator!
July 27, 2018
Rabbit and Owl are friends living in two houses on top of a hill. Rabbit likes to grow vegetables while Owl likes to gaze at the forest. As Rabbit's vegetables grow, they block Owl's view of the forest. Owl decides to build his house taller, which blocks the sun from reaching the vegetables. Rabbit decides to build his house taller and plant vegetables on the roof. Both Owl and Rabbit keep constructing taller houses until they have the tallest houses in the world. A great wind blows both houses down so that Rabbit and Owl have nothing. From the mud and twigs they build one house to share with a vegetable garden.
This book is about friendship and competition. It's about not talking to each other and solving the problem. The watercolor pictures are vivid. The eyes of both Rabbit and Owl are expressive. The text follows the pictures. I feel this book would appeal to children 4-6 years old.
This book is about friendship and competition. It's about not talking to each other and solving the problem. The watercolor pictures are vivid. The eyes of both Rabbit and Owl are expressive. The text follows the pictures. I feel this book would appeal to children 4-6 years old.
January 24, 2013
4.5 STARS
A delightful and touching story about the pitfalls of one-upmanship and the beauty of true friendship. I love the illustrations and thought the conclusion was sweet and holds a great message without being annoyingly didactic. Thanks to my friend, Lisa, for bringing this to my attention.
A delightful and touching story about the pitfalls of one-upmanship and the beauty of true friendship. I love the illustrations and thought the conclusion was sweet and holds a great message without being annoyingly didactic. Thanks to my friend, Lisa, for bringing this to my attention.
June 30, 2021
This was a really cute, somewhat funny, book that my 4- and 6-year-old nieces enjoyed. It's about two friends (Owl and Rabbit) who learn that working together is better than competing with one another. The illustrations are lovely and detailed.
November 9, 2012
Too Tall Houses is the story of how the good friendship between Rabbit and Owl is almost completely ruined when it turns into a ridiculous competition. Rabbit and Owl have always lived in harmony: Rabbit liked to garden, Owl liked to look at his lovely view. But when Rabbit's garden grows and grows so that it blocks Owl's view of the forest, instead of talking to Rabbit about it, Owl simply builds a higher house.
And when Owl's new higher house blocks the sun that Rabbit's garden needs to grow, instead of talking to Owl and trying to work a compromise out, Rabbits builds his house higher. And so the two former friends continue to out build each others houses, until, having built the tallest houses in the world, both Rabbit and Owl realize they no longer have the things they want and love: Rabbit can no longer carry water to his garden and Owl can no longer see the forest.
In fact, they are now so high up, all they have is wind blowing their house around until one day a strong enough gust comes along and not only knocks the houses down, but knocks some sense back into Rabbit and Owl. Reconciled, the two friends decide to build one house together because they realized that "Alone they had nothing...but together they had everything they needed."
I have to be honest and say that animals acting like people aren't ususally my favorite kinds of stories, but when it comes to fables, they seem to be just the ticket for getting a message across in a very gentle, indirect, not preachy way. And Too Tall Houses has an important message about friendship, competition and cooperation. As their houses grow higher and higher, Rabbit and Owl grow further and further apart, physcially and emotionally.
I think Too Tall Houses is such a well done picture book. It was written and illustrated by Gianna Marino, whose Meet Me at the Moon has always been a favorite of mine. For illustrating Too Tall Houses, Marino has used a full bleed pencil and gouache method. The colors are rich earthy tones and each illustration has a nice textured feel to it, giving the reader a real sense of nature. As you read, be sure to look at the expressive eye of Rabbit and Owl on each page and how they change over the course of the story. I also like the whimsical detailing in each illustration. I always think illustrations are such a good way to get kids studying and talking about the story being read, making it interactive.
This book is recommended for readers age 3-6
This book was obtained from the publisher
And when Owl's new higher house blocks the sun that Rabbit's garden needs to grow, instead of talking to Owl and trying to work a compromise out, Rabbits builds his house higher. And so the two former friends continue to out build each others houses, until, having built the tallest houses in the world, both Rabbit and Owl realize they no longer have the things they want and love: Rabbit can no longer carry water to his garden and Owl can no longer see the forest.
In fact, they are now so high up, all they have is wind blowing their house around until one day a strong enough gust comes along and not only knocks the houses down, but knocks some sense back into Rabbit and Owl. Reconciled, the two friends decide to build one house together because they realized that "Alone they had nothing...but together they had everything they needed."
I have to be honest and say that animals acting like people aren't ususally my favorite kinds of stories, but when it comes to fables, they seem to be just the ticket for getting a message across in a very gentle, indirect, not preachy way. And Too Tall Houses has an important message about friendship, competition and cooperation. As their houses grow higher and higher, Rabbit and Owl grow further and further apart, physcially and emotionally.
I think Too Tall Houses is such a well done picture book. It was written and illustrated by Gianna Marino, whose Meet Me at the Moon has always been a favorite of mine. For illustrating Too Tall Houses, Marino has used a full bleed pencil and gouache method. The colors are rich earthy tones and each illustration has a nice textured feel to it, giving the reader a real sense of nature. As you read, be sure to look at the expressive eye of Rabbit and Owl on each page and how they change over the course of the story. I also like the whimsical detailing in each illustration. I always think illustrations are such a good way to get kids studying and talking about the story being read, making it interactive.
This book is recommended for readers age 3-6
This book was obtained from the publisher
March 2, 2017
Children identify with this tale of how a competition for the tallest house threatens Owl and rabbit's friendship. The conflict escalates until they have the two tallest houses in the world, too tall for either to enjoy. The winds high above the earth destroy both houses leaving just enough supplies for them to build one house that they can share. When I first read this book about a year ago, I gave it four stars, but today in my 4 & 5 year old storytime I discovered we could retell the story with a rabbit puppet, an owl puppet, about 16 bean bags, and a parachute. We started with both animals in the parachute and added bean bags each time an animal made it's house taller. we rocked the parachute as the winds caused their houses to sway. We "popped" animals and bean bags into the air at the end-- repeating the final explosion of rabbit, owl, and bean bags about 3 times. Retelling stories with your child using stuffed animals, toys and other props is a great way to nurture narrative skills, the ability to describe events and tell stories. I am uping my rating to five stars and ordering an office copy of this title.
December 20, 2012
Rabbit and Owl are neighbors and both have small houses on top of a hill. Rabbit likes to garden and Owl likes to look out at the forest. When Rabbit's garden gets too tall for Owl to see the trees, he builds an addition. This prompts Rabbit to build an addition as well, and soon they are locked in a mad race to have the tallest house. This ends, as you may expect, in tragedy, and neither house survives. Rabbit and Owl, however, have learned their lesson and use the remnants of their homes to build one small house to share.
Bright and warm illustrations keep the tone of this picture book light, even as the animals' efforts escalate. Their furious and determined expressions will have readers giggling. Kids will likely anticipate the ending (it doesn't come as a huge surprise), but they'll enjoy the journey, and will appreciate that Rabbit and Owl are able to stay friends in spite of their disagreement. (You'll enjoy it, too, if you can suspend your disbelief for a minute and entertain the notion that rabbits (prey) and owls (predators) can be friends.)
Bright and warm illustrations keep the tone of this picture book light, even as the animals' efforts escalate. Their furious and determined expressions will have readers giggling. Kids will likely anticipate the ending (it doesn't come as a huge surprise), but they'll enjoy the journey, and will appreciate that Rabbit and Owl are able to stay friends in spite of their disagreement. (You'll enjoy it, too, if you can suspend your disbelief for a minute and entertain the notion that rabbits (prey) and owls (predators) can be friends.)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 5, 2012
Owl and Rabbit are good friends until one day when one of them becomes discontent with the neighborhood. Focusing on their own needs with little regard for how each one's actions will affect the other, things quickly get out of control. When their world literally falls out from under them, they realize that sometimes sharing resources can lead to endless possiblities. I was fortunate to snag an F&G of this one while at ALA12 thanks to a recommendation from my friend Jillian. Loved both the writing and the illustrations. Will definitely add this one to my library when it comes out in the fall.
November 17, 2012
This book is so charming. Rabbit and Owl are neighbors. When Rabbit's veggie garden starts blocking Owl's view of the forest, Owl builds a taller house but that blocks the sun on Rabbit's veggie garden so Rabbit builds a taller house and grows veggies on top of it which blocks Owl's view of the sun and , well, you get the idea. The artwork is warm, friendly, and charming. I loved the pictures a lot. Things start to get silly as the two keep building their houses so tall the winds blow them down. The solution the two friends decide on is just right. Share this one with kids for a fun lesson in showing consideration for one's neighbor and just because it is a fun book in itself.
April 22, 2014
I enjoyed the telling and the essence of the story, but despite the fact that it was a fable, somehow it bothered me that the rabbit's house was not underground and the owl's was not in a tree. I am not sure why, but because of that it didn't ring true. I can usually cast all kinds of assumptions aside when reading folktales or modern children's stories like the Berenstain Bears where the Bear family lives in a treehouse but otherwise does all the things human families do. But somehow in this picture book which emphasized the rivalry and selfishness of the two characters, I could not set aside the fact that neither animal would build either of those houses anyway...fwiw.
March 27, 2016
A nice enough book, though for a book that was written by a woman, purchased as a birthday gift by a woman and her daughter, and given to a girl, it's a little amazing that compared to the four women involved in getting this book to my daughter, zero of the characters are female. Maybe Gianna could also write a "Girl's Edition" where at least one, maybe even two, of the characters are not male. I already did, with a Sharpie!
October 11, 2018
This was the favorite of the books I read to Alena today. Fun story with beautiful illustrations, a silly and understandable conflict, and sweet resolution. I am glad I found this author's books. I will definitely read all of them I can find.
December 28, 2012
Sweet, simple, short story about two friends whose pride comes before a (literal) fall.
May 8, 2016
Cute "frenemy" story with a very sweet ending.
August 11, 2020
Friendship and working together. Stinking adorable story.
October 25, 2020
A nice book about contentment.
January 25, 2019
Grades - K-2
Genre - Traditional Literature
Unique Feature - The animals constantly battling against one another to then do something you would not think. Love the message.
Genre - Traditional Literature
Unique Feature - The animals constantly battling against one another to then do something you would not think. Love the message.
October 4, 2013
Book Title: Too Tall Houses
Short Description of the Book: In this book, Rabbit and Owl live in two tall houses on the top of a hill. These two characters begin competing with each other to build a taller house, which ends with both houses being destroyed. The characters realize that alone, they aren’t able to fix their problem. Finally they decide that if they work together, they have enough materials to rebuild one house that they can live in together.
FOCUS: Narrative Features I would Use in a Mini-Lesson:
1-Character- The dialogue and the reactions of the characters in this book help the reader to understand the characters. Both animals are well developed through their speech and reactions to events in the story. This would lead to a good discussion of character traits.
TEACH: CCSS Connection:
4.W.3 Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences.
1.Orient the reader by establishing a situation and introducing a narrator and/or characters; organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally.
**2.Use dialogue and description to develop experiences and events or show the responses of characters to situations.
3.Use a variety of transitional words and phrases to manage the sequence of events.
4.Use concrete words and phrases and sensory details to convey experiences and events precisely.
5.Provide a conclusion that follows from the narrated experiences or events.
Mini Lesson- 1-Brainstorm a list of character traits with students. Talk about all the ways that you can determine the traits of a character. 2- Read the story to students. 3- Have students turn and talk to discuss the traits of the two characters in the story. 4- Discuss what traits we can infer from the dialogue of the characters (ex: stubborn, determined, etc.) Also discuss how readers can determine a character’s response to an event by looking at their dialogue and description. 5- Write into the Day- Encourage students to develop their characters with the use of dialogue and description in their stories. 6-Author’s Chair time!
EXPECTED OUTCOME: Students will be able to recognize how author’s use dialogue and description to show the responses of characters to situations, and to imply traits of a character. Students will begin to use dialogue and description to develop experiences and events or show the responses of characters to situations.
Short Description of the Book: In this book, Rabbit and Owl live in two tall houses on the top of a hill. These two characters begin competing with each other to build a taller house, which ends with both houses being destroyed. The characters realize that alone, they aren’t able to fix their problem. Finally they decide that if they work together, they have enough materials to rebuild one house that they can live in together.
FOCUS: Narrative Features I would Use in a Mini-Lesson:
1-Character- The dialogue and the reactions of the characters in this book help the reader to understand the characters. Both animals are well developed through their speech and reactions to events in the story. This would lead to a good discussion of character traits.
TEACH: CCSS Connection:
4.W.3 Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences.
1.Orient the reader by establishing a situation and introducing a narrator and/or characters; organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally.
**2.Use dialogue and description to develop experiences and events or show the responses of characters to situations.
3.Use a variety of transitional words and phrases to manage the sequence of events.
4.Use concrete words and phrases and sensory details to convey experiences and events precisely.
5.Provide a conclusion that follows from the narrated experiences or events.
Mini Lesson- 1-Brainstorm a list of character traits with students. Talk about all the ways that you can determine the traits of a character. 2- Read the story to students. 3- Have students turn and talk to discuss the traits of the two characters in the story. 4- Discuss what traits we can infer from the dialogue of the characters (ex: stubborn, determined, etc.) Also discuss how readers can determine a character’s response to an event by looking at their dialogue and description. 5- Write into the Day- Encourage students to develop their characters with the use of dialogue and description in their stories. 6-Author’s Chair time!
EXPECTED OUTCOME: Students will be able to recognize how author’s use dialogue and description to show the responses of characters to situations, and to imply traits of a character. Students will begin to use dialogue and description to develop experiences and events or show the responses of characters to situations.
November 30, 2016
Brief Review:
This book was nominated for the Buckaroo award for the 2016-17 school year by the Wyoming Library Association. I really liked this book the author is using concept fiction in the way that she is portraying some of the realities of friendship to the readers. The book also shows how working together and coming up with solutions is better than everyone having nothing. This book would be good for k-3 grade students.
Content Area:
Social Skills/Writing- I would use this book to show students different ways to deal with conflict and how to solve these type of problems. To do this I would find different situations that have a conflict in them and tell them to the students. I would then ask them to split into groups to brainstorm and write down ways to solve one of the conflicts that is fair for each side. I would then have the students pick the idea that they think is best. In doing this creating the students own conflict in deciding the best idea to share with the class. I would them have each group write on the board the conflict and the resolution they came up with and ask how they came to the conclusion that the resolution they chose was the best. Was it one students idea? Was it a combination of all ideas? How did the group decide on their own conflict?
Comprehension Questions:
Q: Through out the story could you predict what was going to happen to the houses and if so how?
A: While reading the book the Owl and Rabbit were both finding things to build on to their houses, so eventually I knew they were going to get taller with these collected materials. I never perdicted the wind blowing them over.
Q: What did the Owl and Rabbit learn after their houses fell to the ground?
A: Owl and Rabbit learned that the pile of dirt and pile of twigs they had together laying on the ground could be used together to build a house they could both live in.
Student Wonders:
Don't owls live in trees?
A rabbit and owl wouldn't live together would they?
Do rabbits really garden?
This book was nominated for the Buckaroo award for the 2016-17 school year by the Wyoming Library Association. I really liked this book the author is using concept fiction in the way that she is portraying some of the realities of friendship to the readers. The book also shows how working together and coming up with solutions is better than everyone having nothing. This book would be good for k-3 grade students.
Content Area:
Social Skills/Writing- I would use this book to show students different ways to deal with conflict and how to solve these type of problems. To do this I would find different situations that have a conflict in them and tell them to the students. I would then ask them to split into groups to brainstorm and write down ways to solve one of the conflicts that is fair for each side. I would then have the students pick the idea that they think is best. In doing this creating the students own conflict in deciding the best idea to share with the class. I would them have each group write on the board the conflict and the resolution they came up with and ask how they came to the conclusion that the resolution they chose was the best. Was it one students idea? Was it a combination of all ideas? How did the group decide on their own conflict?
Comprehension Questions:
Q: Through out the story could you predict what was going to happen to the houses and if so how?
A: While reading the book the Owl and Rabbit were both finding things to build on to their houses, so eventually I knew they were going to get taller with these collected materials. I never perdicted the wind blowing them over.
Q: What did the Owl and Rabbit learn after their houses fell to the ground?
A: Owl and Rabbit learned that the pile of dirt and pile of twigs they had together laying on the ground could be used together to build a house they could both live in.
Student Wonders:
Don't owls live in trees?
A rabbit and owl wouldn't live together would they?
Do rabbits really garden?
January 3, 2013
Rabbit and Owl live right next door to one another at the top of a hill in separate small houses. Rabbit likes growing vegetables and Owl likes the view of the forest. They were good friends. Until one day, Rabbit’s vegetables got so tall that they blocked Owl’s view of the forest. Rabbit refused to cut his vegetables down, so Owl built his house taller. Then Owl’s house was blocking the sun from reaching Rabbit’s garden, so Rabbit built a taller house and put his garden on the roof. So started the competition to have the tallest house. And my, do the houses ever get taller and taller!
Marino does a great job of telling a story that has the heart and soul of a classic folktale. The friendship and competition between the two animals carries a subtle lesson that is masked effectively in humor. She doesn’t back away from carrying the tale to its very funny extreme ending. The story is kept simple, allowing the illustrations to carry much of the story forward.
Marino’s illustrations have the colors of fall and warmth. From the orange branches Owl uses to create his home to the terra cotta bricks of Rabbit’s, the colors are bright and autumnal. As the houses grow into the sky, the colors are cooler, emphasizing that they are leaving the comfort of their warm homes and creating homes simply to beat someone else.
This is a funny, warm and memorable read that will get your audience laughing. Perfect for reading aloud any time of year. Appropriate for ages 4-6.
Marino does a great job of telling a story that has the heart and soul of a classic folktale. The friendship and competition between the two animals carries a subtle lesson that is masked effectively in humor. She doesn’t back away from carrying the tale to its very funny extreme ending. The story is kept simple, allowing the illustrations to carry much of the story forward.
Marino’s illustrations have the colors of fall and warmth. From the orange branches Owl uses to create his home to the terra cotta bricks of Rabbit’s, the colors are bright and autumnal. As the houses grow into the sky, the colors are cooler, emphasizing that they are leaving the comfort of their warm homes and creating homes simply to beat someone else.
This is a funny, warm and memorable read that will get your audience laughing. Perfect for reading aloud any time of year. Appropriate for ages 4-6.
December 2, 2012
"Too Tall Houses" by Gianna Marino features a rabbit and an owl who coexist and live happily side by side until something happens to inject a bit of competition into their relationship.
Rabbit's garden grows so tall that it blocks Owl's view of the forest. Owl builds his house a bit taller but it blocks the sun from shining on Rabbit's vegetables. Rabbit builds his house still taller and plants a garden on top. The water from the rooftop garden falls on Owl and he grows angry.
With each animal competing to have the tallest house, the structures grow out of sight (of the ground, that is) with the animals getting angrier and angrier. Their houses grow to be the tallest houses in the world. But having the tallest houses in the world is not very practical. Rabbit can't carry the water up the ladder and Owl can't see the forest.
Finally, the wind resolves the problem by blowing down both houses. They realize that "alone they have nothing." But they also realize that together, they can live happily in one small house.
And isn't that a great message to send to young readers everywhere (and even not-so-young readers)? Big and beautiful doesn't really matter when you are alone, but with a friend even a tiny home is a happy one.
Read the whole review at: Too Tall Houses
Rabbit's garden grows so tall that it blocks Owl's view of the forest. Owl builds his house a bit taller but it blocks the sun from shining on Rabbit's vegetables. Rabbit builds his house still taller and plants a garden on top. The water from the rooftop garden falls on Owl and he grows angry.
With each animal competing to have the tallest house, the structures grow out of sight (of the ground, that is) with the animals getting angrier and angrier. Their houses grow to be the tallest houses in the world. But having the tallest houses in the world is not very practical. Rabbit can't carry the water up the ladder and Owl can't see the forest.
Finally, the wind resolves the problem by blowing down both houses. They realize that "alone they have nothing." But they also realize that together, they can live happily in one small house.
And isn't that a great message to send to young readers everywhere (and even not-so-young readers)? Big and beautiful doesn't really matter when you are alone, but with a friend even a tiny home is a happy one.
Read the whole review at: Too Tall Houses
October 31, 2017
This will definitely be a book that I share to my students in the near future, if not sooner with my practicum students. This book is a wonderful story that tells of two friends who have to learn an important lesson in order to save their friendship. This book is a reassuring book to me, and I think it would be reassuring to elementary aged students with all that is going on in the world currently. It is a good reminder that sometimes, when you only think about yourself, you loose the things that are most important, and sometimes the things that are most important are not actually things at all, but people. This story is also a great reminder for students to help out their friends and remember that friends are more important than materialistic items. I think that I could incorporate many different lessons with this book as a foundation, whether it be for social or comprehension aspects.
July 29, 2013
Rabbit and owl are neighbors and friends, but rabbit loves the sun on his garden and owl loves the moonlight view of the faraway land. When owl complains to rabbit that he can't see through the overgrown plants, rabbit is unsympathetic. Owl's solution is to build his house taller. That will not do for rabbit who builds his house taller too. And they keep at it, stealing the sky until they lose everything they thought they cared about.
My first read through with my 4 yr old was less than stellar. I wasn't used to such an obvious social message. When I read Yertle the Turtle or The Lorax, I expect my conscience to wake up a bit. The second time through sealed the deal. I love this book. The illustrations are beyond cute. The message is a great one, listen, care, compromise.
My first read through with my 4 yr old was less than stellar. I wasn't used to such an obvious social message. When I read Yertle the Turtle or The Lorax, I expect my conscience to wake up a bit. The second time through sealed the deal. I love this book. The illustrations are beyond cute. The message is a great one, listen, care, compromise.
November 6, 2013
This is a story of friendship. Rabbit and Owl enjoy being neighbors and cohabitating in their individual lives. However, when one unintentionally steps on the other’s toes, trouble insues. Owl is mad that he can’t see the forest, so he builds his house taller. Rabbit is mad that sunlight isn’t reaching his garden, so he builds his house taller. Soon, their houses are so tall that they get blown down by the wind and neither has anything anymore. So, they both decide to use the resources they have left to build a house to live in together, and they live happily ever after. The story is short and the pictures are large and lovely. It could be a great read aloud book full of dialogic reading!
December 15, 2013
Nice big book, with pictures large enough to see by the whole class in a shared reading. Plus, the animal partnership of an owl and rabbit is always nice, for me at least (not a bunny for obvious reasons, heh heh).
Nothing especially scary, surprising, or unusual about the story, but it's very useful for the preK, K-2nd graders as they get caught up in competition a lot. The lesson learned is very clear: that it is better to be friends and not compete. I also liked the secondary message of taking (using, building) only what you need.
It reads and looks like an old folk tale where there is a moral at the end. The illustrations are fun when the two houses get taller and start coming apart. Of course the kids like this part!
Nothing especially scary, surprising, or unusual about the story, but it's very useful for the preK, K-2nd graders as they get caught up in competition a lot. The lesson learned is very clear: that it is better to be friends and not compete. I also liked the secondary message of taking (using, building) only what you need.
It reads and looks like an old folk tale where there is a moral at the end. The illustrations are fun when the two houses get taller and start coming apart. Of course the kids like this part!
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October 20, 2014This story is about two neighbors, a rabbit and an owl, who have trouble living near each other as they have different interests. Their dispute over sight lines and sunlight dispersion leads to a succession of building that leaves them with the two tallest houses in the world with very unmanageable heights. At the peak of their construction both houses collapse and the two friends must pool their resources to build a new house that fulfills both of their needs.This story would be good to use in an elementary classroom as it teaches compromise and conflict resolution. The illustrations added to the enjoyability of the story and also added a bit of humor as the houses became more and more outlandish. Overall i found this book to be funny and could see myself using it in my classroom.
June 12, 2017
Rabbit and Owl live side by side on a hill. Rabbit likes to garden and Owl likes to look at the forest. All too soon, Rabbit irritates Owl and Owl angers Rabbit. They need to build taller houses to get away from each other!
What a fantastic tale about friendship. Friends get along and they fight, but they always make up. The words are simple and the pictures wonderfully action packed. The underlying theme of working together and being together is very touching.
2013 Storytime Theme: Tall
2017 Storytime Theme: Build a Better World - Houses & Homes
Additional themes: construction, neighbors, friendship, fights, rabbits, owls
Reviewed from a library copy.
What a fantastic tale about friendship. Friends get along and they fight, but they always make up. The words are simple and the pictures wonderfully action packed. The underlying theme of working together and being together is very touching.
2013 Storytime Theme: Tall
2017 Storytime Theme: Build a Better World - Houses & Homes
Additional themes: construction, neighbors, friendship, fights, rabbits, owls
Reviewed from a library copy.
Read
October 6, 2014Marino, G. (2012) Too tall houses. Viking.
Publisher's Weekly Starred Review
Choice Book
Two neighbors live in harmony until one day they have an argument. This begins a large competition between the two to see who can have the tallest house. They become too wrapped up in the competition to realize the danger they have put themselves in. When all is said and done they work together to build a home together that is just the right size. This book is a wonderful way to show students that competition is not always a good thing and that they should not overlook an opportunity to work together as a team.
Publisher's Weekly Starred Review
Choice Book
Two neighbors live in harmony until one day they have an argument. This begins a large competition between the two to see who can have the tallest house. They become too wrapped up in the competition to realize the danger they have put themselves in. When all is said and done they work together to build a home together that is just the right size. This book is a wonderful way to show students that competition is not always a good thing and that they should not overlook an opportunity to work together as a team.
March 15, 2015
Good friends learn a small but important lesson
Owl and Rabbit are good friends and live in two small houses next to each other. They are perfectly happy . . . until Rabbit's garden gets in the way of Owl's view. So Owl builds his house a little taller. Only that blocks the sun from Rabbit's vegetables. So Rabbit builds his house taller. And soon it's a house-building frenzy and the two now not-so-good friends have the two tallest houses in the world!
All it takes is a gust of wind to remind them that maybe living smaller and together is a much better way to remain friends.
Very cute illustrations!
Owl and Rabbit are good friends and live in two small houses next to each other. They are perfectly happy . . . until Rabbit's garden gets in the way of Owl's view. So Owl builds his house a little taller. Only that blocks the sun from Rabbit's vegetables. So Rabbit builds his house taller. And soon it's a house-building frenzy and the two now not-so-good friends have the two tallest houses in the world!
All it takes is a gust of wind to remind them that maybe living smaller and together is a much better way to remain friends.
Very cute illustrations!
October 2, 2012
Rabbit and Owl live side by side in two little houses; Rabbit grows vegetables and Owl looks at the forest. Then the houses start getting in the way and they keep building them taller and taller until they have the two tallest houses in the world. But houses that high can't last and they fall to the ground. Rabbit and Owl figure out how to live together.
I love the illustrations of the houses as they get taller and taller. This is a great story about cooperation and getting along and working together. Great story!
I love the illustrations of the houses as they get taller and taller. This is a great story about cooperation and getting along and working together. Great story!
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