The House That Crack Built

by Clark Taylor, Jan T. Dicks (Illustrator)

With a beat reminiscent of hip hop or rap music, a well known nursery rhyme is brilliantly transformed into a powerful poem about the tragic problem of illegal drugs and its victims. From the harvesting of the coca plants to dealers and gangs to the innocent crack babies born everyday, cocaine's journey is starkly traced from beginning to end. The rhythmic text, which is realistic but not moralizing, will appeal to teenagers and adults. But it is also accessible for even very young children, making this a valuable resource for parents, teachers, librarians, caregivers, and everyone else who is looking for a way to broach this difficult subject. A list of organizations is provided for those seeking help for a loved one or a way out for themselves. A forword by children's advocate Michael Pritchard teaches us that we are all victims of this debilitating drug but reminds us that we also have the ability to change our world.

Genres: Picture Books, Poetry, Childrens, Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Juvenile

40 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1992

Reviews

[Julie Suzanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy crap!
Mind-blowing, brave, disturbing, brilliant. I would never read this to a kid, not ever. I think it belongs in an urban MIDDLE SCHOOL or HIGH SCHOOL library. I gasped and exclaimed out loud, and I'll never forget where I was sitting when I read this.

[Cynthia Egbert · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a harsh subject handled in a way that is controversial because the wording, the poetry, is lilting and comes across as lighthearted (a poem that is a take-off of the poem, This is the House That Jack Built) when the topic is terrifying and destructive. The illustrations are disturbing also and made me shudder. This is presented as a children's picture book and is usually shelved in the easy reader portion of the library but no young child should be reading this one without an adult's supervision. It needs to be discussed together so that a child can understand just what is being portrayed with the production and use of crack cocaine. I can see where there is value in such a work but it needs to be handled properly.

[Charles · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not quite sure what to make of this book. It's written as a children's picture book. The words are in the "See Spot Run" kind of style. Generally, each page repeats the line from the previous page while adding a new line. Then there is a full page illustration on the facing page. While this format and the word choice is perfectly suitable for young children, the story itself is about the devastation that crack cocaine has wreaked in many communities. It seems too mature for the audience of children suggested by the format. Older children might be better targets. The front matter of the book suggests that these older kids are the primary target. The book certainly does make the devastation real.

One reason I read it is that both the author, Clark Taylor, and the illustrator, Jan Thompson Dicks, are from New Orleans originally and grew up together. Overall, it's an interesting and effective work.

[Scott Woods · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fascinating book on its own merits, but also because of the challenges it raises regarding its use. Is it a children's book about crack? Yes. Does it glorify or preach? No. Is it corny? No. Does it shock? On some levels. How would you present the issue of drugs to a child? This book attempts to give that answer and it does so admirably.

I'd be hard pressed to recommend it for school usage, but not because I think it's inappropriate but because most schools would (unfortunately). It delivers a message and it does it without turning off its audience.

I would recommend heavily for family and public libraries. I would recommend it to schools if I thought they wouldn't get uptight about acknowledging that their students already know what crack is.

[Ryan · Rating 3 out of 5]

What the heck did I just read! This book is about the drug cocaine and how it destroys lives and neighborhoods. It is written in the style of The Napping House, where one sentence builds on the next to create the story, and each is repeated when a new sentence is added. There is NO WAY this book would be published today. We would look at this book very differently today, and would find softer more fact driven ways to talk about drug abuse. And oddest of all, this was written by a comedian. It’s all just too weird. I would say this is a book that should be purged from library selves.

['Nathan Burgoine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an astounding book. It's for kids, but it's not what you think - In the same style as "The House that Jack Built," this story starts at a rich mansion of a drug lord, and moves backwards all the way to a baby born addicted... or, to outright copy down the last page of the book:

"And these are the Tears why cry in our sleep,
that fall for the Baby with nothing to eat,
born of the Girl who's killing her brain,
smoking the Crack that numbs the pain,
bought from the Boy feeling the heat,
chased by the Cop working his beat
who battles the Gang, fleet and elite,
that rules the Street of a town in pain
that cries for the Drug known as cocaine,
made from the Plants that people can't eat,
raised by the Farmers who work in the heat
and fear the Soldiers who guard the Man
who lives in the House that crack built."

This is good, strong, non-preachy anti-drug writing for kids.

[JustOneMoreBook.com · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dark and disturbing yet surprisingly digestible, this thought-provoking twist on the classic rhyme is an arresting introduction to drug-induced despair — and a call to choose to act to end it.

You can listen in on our chat about this book on our Just One More Book! Children's Book Podcast.

[Danie P. · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book that mimics "the house that jack built" is constructed to show children how crack gets to the streets and how it affects the innocent. Doesn't explain too much and leaves room for the parent/foster parent to elaborate.

[Michele · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really like this book. Very matter of fact and to the point on a topic that many tend to dance around or pontificate.

[Rachel · Rating 1 out of 5]

Extremely well reviewed when published in the early 1990s, this realistic narrative that riffs off well-known rhythmic patterns like “The House That Jack Built” and “I Know an Old Lady Who Lady Who Swallowed a Fly.” The extremely sensitive and serious topic, shown in art and narrative, about cocaine and drug abuse feels diminished in comparison. Unfortunately, this doesn’t hold up thirty year later and children or young adults encountering this on their own are likely to miss the valuable message. Rather, it’s a confusing mixture of childlike nursery rhyme and devastation, and teens I work with found this title to be humorous and appalling. I just withdrew it from the collection I manage. Not recommended.

[S. Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The House That Crack Built is an excellent children's meant to help young readers get a better understanding of an environment that is overwhelming for most adults, let alone children. As long as our society is going to remain as flawed as it is (see: forever), society's youth is going to need children's literature that address real world issues that directly affect them. How useful is The Giving Tree to a child from the inner city? The House That Crack Built handles the exploration of adult themes like corruption, addiction, and violence with a lyrical sensitivity, and concludes with contact information for various organizations dedicated to helping those in need.

[Jessie Polson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a non-fiction which tells a story about “The House that Crack built.” This story talks about Crack, as in Cocaine, which is definitely why it was in the Juvenile section. I would definitely recommend this book in upper middle school to high school classes, for this book does discuss drugs. Overall, I do think this book is informational for students who are young adults and are learning about the negative effects drugs have. This book shows how protective people were over drugs, and how Crack altogether, is a very dangerous drug.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm wavering between 3 and 4 stars. I think this is an excellent book on the topic of the affects of drugs and how they affect communities and individuals. However, it is marketed as a juvenile book, and shelved as such. I feel like it barely scratches on the surface and the average child would need guidance to read between the lines, so to speak. I also feel that the topic is too heavy for a child to read alone without a trusted adult's guidance.

[Jaime Grande · Rating 5 out of 5]

I came upon this book as I was scanning the shelves of my library. It is well written and it's set to rhyme and rhythm. This may not be for all audiences respectfully, but I think it highlights a devastating social problem in our communities (drug use). More importantly, it brings to light the fact that we have choices and it is up to us to guide our children towards the right ones.

[Stephanie Carter · Rating 4 out of 5]

A spin on the nursery rhyme, "The House that Jack Built." Obviously it doesn't have the happiest of themes, but it portrays in a simple yet powerful way how awful cocaine is and how it destroys people and families and lives. It looks like a children's book, but I would not recommend reading it to children.

[Meagan Twitchell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Never thought I would ever read a children's book on the topic of crack, but it is a well-crafted picture book.

[Parker Ryu · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first time I read this was in a secondhand bookstore and my physical reaction in that bookstore prompted me to buy the book, without a second thought.

[Kylaslittlelibrary · Rating 4 out of 5]

A picture book written for more mature audiences about the ill effects of cocaine.

[Geo Hendrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice idea, Reaources in the back of the book.

[Lorena · Rating 2 out of 5]

I loved the idea for this book, but the rhyming wasn't clever, and that's a deal-breaker for me.

[Savanna · Rating 1 out of 5]

Summary: The House That Crack Built is about Crack Cocaine. This book talks about the man who owns the Crack fields, the laborers who work in those fields, the policemen who try to stop the drug trafficking, and the people addicted to the drug. In the end we are left with a picture of a crying baby who, because his mother is addicted to Crack Cocaine, is hungry with nothing to eat.

I didn't like this book because of the audience it targeted. I think that it is well written and is even catchy. This book even gives a good moral lesson; however this book is written for young children and I don't think that I would want my five year old reading this book.

WARNING: This book is highly controversial because: it is about drugs, it doesn’t have a “good” happy ending, and it is written in such a way that a young child might pick it up.

[Christiane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Crack built a really nice house. :( I somehow missed this book when it came out in 1992. Cummulative verse (like in the original nursery rhyme) traces cocaine's journey from growth ("These are the farmers that work in the heat and fear the soldiers who guard the Man...") to distribution ("This is the Boy feeling the heat, chased by the Cop working his beat") to destruction ("And this is the Baby with nothing to eat, born of the Girl who's killing her brain, smoking the Crack that numbs the pain..."). Yes, it's moralizing and about as subtle as an After School Special, but the simple text and illustrations (perfect for young kids!) has stuck with me.

[Roshini Jeevan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a book about the effects of illegal drugs (cocaine) on victims. It was set in a poem. All the endings words rhymed and the story was repetitive, but kept building up. I don't personally think this is a good book to show children until they are of appropriate age, maybe around 16. Children younger than that don't really need to be exposed to that kind of illegal substances, even if it does portray the negative affects. It's kind of a disheartening story and I think that children over 16 should read it, to understand what can happen if illegal drugs are used and how it can ruin not only their lives, but the lives of everyone around them.

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clark Taylor's "The House That Crack Built" was innovating! i gave the reader every point of view we could possibly need and showed the seriousness of the day to day choices we make. The illustrations Jan Thompson Dick accompanied with Taylor's Words was the icing on the cake. they were eerie and help the reader understand this isn't your ordinary book. This book is to server a serious purpose, and does it well. i hope this book changes people perspectives and help open their minds to what the world is really full of and how we can help it.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had heard of this book for awhile, but I never thought of picking it up. Well I’m in a writing group at my school and one of the girls checked this out from the library and was reading it to us, and I must say I enjoyed it very very much! I do like the message of the book thought it can get a little sketchy at times, but I think it’s well worth the read and I think it is a great book and I think it was great of the author to risk writing a children’s books on this subject.

[Terrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book should be read by students twelve and older. It shows the harmful affects of the drug, i.e. how one can become addicted and the effects the drug could have on babies. The story builds on itself in the same way that The House that Jack Built.

[Shelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very poignant story. I was almost in tears by the end. Definitely not a story to read to little kids. Maybe upper elementary and higher, especially when talking about the problems with drugs.

[Lindsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

A look at the cocaine business and its effects on the community.

I really liked the repetitive text on a mature topic in this book. I think older ELLs may really enjoy this as a read aloud.

On the downside, the illustrations are a bit lame. They could definitely be better.

[Bpeterson3 · Rating 3 out of 5]

A pretty disturbing book, based on the rhyming style "The little old lady that ate a fly", I would imagine it geared toward intermediate-aged students to show the destructive nature of drugs and drug culture.

[Josiah]

Does one thing lead to another?

One thing does lead to another because it is a sequential book. It shows how it goes from the house that was bought from crack money all the way down to the baby that has no food because the mother uses crack.