¿Como funciona mi casa? / How Does My Home Work?

Exploring the Everyday

by Chris Butterworth, Lucia Gaggiotti (Illustrator)

How does flipping a switch on the wall make the lights come on? Where does the clean water that flows out of the faucet come from? What is used to keep a home warm? Travel beyond the walls and under the floors of a house to find out more about the electricity, water, and natural gas that make your home work and find out how you can do your part to save energy and preserve these resources. The inner workings of a home are laid out for kids in fun, retro illustrations jam-packed with the technology behind everyday life.

Genres: Picture Books, Nonfiction, Science, Childrens, Technology, Engineering, Stem

27 pages, Paperback

First published October 24, 2017

About the author

CHRIS BUTTERWORTH is the author of more than seventy nonfiction books for children on such diverse subjects as influenza, Antarctic exploration, and Ancient Egypt. "A sea horse looks as magical as a mermaid," she says, "but sea horses really exist. We need to know as much as we can about them, so we can protect them."

Reviews

[Emily May · Rating 4 out of 5]

My curious 4-year-old loves this book. He was really excited to find out exactly how our home "works" with electricity, gas, and water, and this had tons of information and cute illustrations. I was surprised how well it held his attention, given the amount of info they pack in here, but he was engrossed. Also a bonus that it goes into clean energy alternatives.

[Caroline · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a children's book that I read purely for myself, partly for relaxing entertainment and partly for mild education. This is exactly what I got. It is all too easy to gaze at a magnificent cathedral get a sense of wonder, it is quite another thing to gaze upon the organisation of one's own house and get a sense of wonder - but that is what happened. Our houses are incredibly complex, with tentacles reaching out to power stations, sewage plants, gas processing plants, and clean water treatment plants. Above our ceilings and below our floors there is a spaghetti jungle of pipes, wires and connections. It is impressively complex and organised. Of course at some level I knew all of this (I've done my share of botched DIY), but it was great to see it all coming together, and get the bigger picture.

The illustrations are a pleasure - the artist has a lovely style, simple and graphic, and his paintings really augment the written explanations.

The funniest description.....

"Just one bolt of lightning has enough energy to make over fifty thousand cups of hot cholcolate!"

The best thing I learnt......

"(Sewage) sludge is treated so farmers can put it on their soil. It's full of good things that help their crops grow."

Now isn't that a fantastic bit of reycling! Who'da thought?

This book was an excellent read....for ignorant adults like myself, as well as children.

[Sunday · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kid-friendly!!!! Hooray! With simple diagrams, illustrations and straightforward language the author tackles describing to a young audience major sources of energy in our homes - electricity, water, and natural gas. Sometimes books that take on this topic get mired in explanations of how things work, but this one is well written and tightly focused. Butterworth doesn't try to answer every question; instead there is just enough information for students to say, "Oh, wow! I get it!" or "I have a questions about this...maybe I'll do some research."

In a classroom, if you could project the pages in some way, the possibilities for thinking and learning are endless. (Another option is to have several copies for small groups to lean in and look at.) Read the text aloud and then pause to let students absorb. Ask them questions like "What do you notice?" and "How does the diagram help you understand the information in the text better?" and the encourage small groups to talk. I'm sure there will be excitement and animated conversation as children unpack the details on a topic they are sure to be curious about. Then put it in the classroom library for students to grab up.

There is a clear theme of conservation at work in this book--perfect for many units of study. This might also tie into NGSS K and 3-PS2 Motion and Stability. With kindergarten, ask students to think about the role of "push and pull" in the author's description (text and diagrams) of how energy is created and how it moves through our homes. With 3rd grade, ask students to think about the role of "force." Other NGSS connection - K-2 ETS1 Engineering Design.

[Sylvester (Taking a break in 2023) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4* art
4* concept

Lots of information presented in a fun way. Squirt liked following the lines of pipes and electrical wires throughout the house.

[Pink STREAM · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mom, where does toilet water goes? Dad, what happens if we leave the lights on? Grandpa, why we store our foods in the refrigerator? Sister, how our home is cold even in the hot days? These are just a few of a genius kid’s questions. How many can you answer properly? 5,6 or maybe 10 but your young genius has more than 100. Don’t you know what to do? Here is your hero. This book is a rescuer for parents, best friends for geniuses, and a search engine for students. Funny, very detailed, cute illustrations, informative and basic diagrams, and great text of this book will teach you everything you would want to know about your home. Sometimes it will be better than listening to your teacher.
Be careful there can be a fight in the house for this book. Because everyone will love it. By the way, if you want to read books like this one you have to be careful about the sources. Do not waste water, electricity, and gas. Maybe we don’t have any problems today about the sources but it doesn’t mean we will not have in the future.
“Energy is precious, let’s not waste it!”

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

First sentence: You do neat things every day in your home. Flip the switch, and the light goes on. Turn on the faucet, and clean water comes out. Push a button, and the TV comes on. Take a drink from the refrigerator, and it's cool and fresh. These things seem like magic--but they're not. So how do they happen?

Premise/plot: How Does My Home Work? is a nonfiction picture book for young readers. Essentially, it answers three questions: "Where does electricity come from?", "Where does water come from?", and "Where does natural gas come from?". The text is straightforward and walks readers through complex concepts step by step.

My thoughts: I would definitely recommend this one for curious readers of all ages. Parents might find it helpful in answering some of their little ones' never-ending questions. Other books in the series include How Did That Get In My Lunchbox? and Where Did My Clothes Come From?

The illustrations have a quirky vintage/retro vibe.

Text: 5 out of 5
Illustrations: 3 out of 5
Total: 8 out of 10

[Mrs. Melaugh · Rating 5 out of 5]

For anyone who ever wondered where the electricity and water we use in our houses come from, this book provides the answers. A cross section of a home reveals the pipes and wiring that carry water and electricity. Then the process by which the water, electricity, and natural gas reach our homes is revealed in bright, clear diagrams using easily understood text, illustrations, and arrows. Though there is a somewhat retro look overall, the setting is clearly modern, mentioning TVs, computers, and mobile phones. The family is a blended one in which Dad and two of the children are African America, while mom and a third child are white-skinned. Two pages of energy saving tips, notes from author and illustrator, and an index complete this well thought out and beautifully executed introduction to everyday technology.

[CHARISSA MITCHELL · Rating 4 out of 5]

Summary: This book explains how our homes work in terms of the flow of electricity, water, and natural gas. Towards the beginning, it shows a very helpful cut out of a house with all of its electricity, cold water, hot water, dirty water, and natural gas routes. Then, it proceeds to give details about the processes of electricity, water, and then natural gas. First, it explains how electricity is made and flows. It is made in power stations, but they burn natural gas or coal to heat water in order to start the process of making electricity and this buts smoke with bad chemicals in the air, and there are better, more healthy ways to produce electricity like wind turbines, fast-moving water, and solar panels. Then the electricity comes through wires into our homes.

Second, the book describes how water is filtered and cleaned from the rivers and streams, goes into the home and is used for various things like toilets and faucets, and then how dirty water is cleaned and put back in the rivers and oceans.

Third, the explain where natural gas comes from and how it goes from nature to homes. Although most natural gas wells are on land, some natural gas is trapped in rocks that are underground and in the sea and special wells get it out. Natural gas is stored in underground tanks and piped into homes.

Finally, the book concludes with some energy saving tips.

My Thoughts: I really, really liked this book as it gave very helpful information that is relevant to almost everyone, it had very well done, fun, and informative illustrations. I am a college student, and I learned a lot of things I did not know. The only thing that through me off was how they started discussing how to save energy and, except for mentioning better ways of getting electricity, they had not said very many things to lead the reader to realize that energy really needs to be saved. However, it was a very good book overall, and more explanation might have taken away from its short and fun style.

Connection to Teaching: 1) One, I would use this book to teach physical science of water and electricity and natural gas. 2) Two, I would use it to teach the importance of taking care of our environment with the information and energy saving tips.

[Ashley Thompson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book begins by asking questions about your home. There are many things we do each day like watching TV, turning on bedroom lights, and drinking clean water from the sink. The book mentions many different things around the house and then begins to explain how they all work. Everything needs to have energy in order for it to work. Energy can come from electricity. Lightning produces electricity, but the kind of electricity we use in our homes come from things like turbines and solar panels. Water can be collected in reservoirs. Then it goes through a sanitation process to be clean enough to drink. The book also talks about how our toilets flush and how our faucets work. Last but not least they talk about natural gas and where it comes from. The book ends by giving suggestions on ways to save energy like turning off the lights when you leave a room.

I really liked this book. The illustrations kept my attention while I was taking in a lot of information. The book could be for a wide range of ages from younger elementary up to Jr. High students.

This book could be used to introduce topics in science class. The book goes over a variety of topics. The main topics are water, electricity and natural gas. It focuses on how we use the machines in our home.

[Christian Lucas · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was very short and very interesting to read about. This is a book about how your home works. Under the informational book genre, this book helps teacher children about how their home works. It teaches them about how we power factories and boil water and how the world basically functions. I think the main take away children could take away from this book though, is that a lot of this stuff doesn't work without electricity. This book was a WOW book to me because although I know most of the stuff there was some things in the book that I forgot about.
My authors writing craft was kind of all over the place. It was pretty straight forward text, lots of illustrations to keep the reader engaged. This book is free of bias due to the discussion of how everyone's life revolves around these things. Everyone's home works the same, there isn't any certain race or religion pointed out in this book. Overall great informational book for anyone trying to figure out how their home works. This book contribute socially through teaching people about electricity and power and this could bring up topic of discussions in family households.

[Hannah-Grace Freeman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This non-fiction picture book teaches kids about how our homes work! Through detailed illustrations and kid-friendly descriptions, this book teaches children about what goes on behind the scenes of a home. Topics such as pipes, electricity, light switches, water, gas, and even energy conservation, are discussed in this book!

I loved this book, and it was the first time I had ever seen a book like this! I had never seen a children's book illustrate what happens through these processes, and I was fascinated. The pictures and flow charts really made the book come to life, and this book would be super beneficial for kids who are really into this kind of thing.

I would use this book in an elementary classroom. It would be perfect for a science unit about electricity or energy, as it really emphasizes the importance of energy conservation. The back of the book even includes ways that we as readers can help conserve energy! This book would be great, and would allow for numerous fun activities!!

[Asher Henderson · Rating 3 out of 5]

How Does My Home Work? is a book that explains to readers how all the individual things work in their house. This explains how electricity pulses through wires and into lights, and other things like that.

This book was just okay. I like the concept, but it is very wordy and can feel a little boring. The drawings are also very busy and can be a lot to try and focus on. My favorite part of this book is that it has a table of contents at the end for finding answers to specific questions regarding specific parts of the home.

I think this would be a good book to have available for students for when they have a question about how things work. This would be good for a teacher to use when teaching about electricity or plumbing or construction. I personally don't know if I'd do a lesson on this book, but if I did it would most likely be on lights and electricity.

[Kendra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was so surprised on how much I liked this book. I loved how it was in such simple terms for my five year old to understand. I love that they made the pictures exciting for the younger kids to follow along but also keep their attention. Cassie really liked this book so much and is really wanting to read other books in the series. The illustrations are bright and colorful so it's easy to keep little eyes on them. The wording is perfect and flow very well that there is no one to miss read a sentence. I loved how they kept the different resources separate and focused on each one. I highly recommend checking this non-fiction out.

[Joey Trizzino · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book shows kids, in a simplistic way, how things in their own homes work. Things like how flipping a switch on the wall will make their lights turn on, where the clean water comes from when they turn a faucet or shower on, how their house is kept warm. Explaining things such as electricity, water and gas and how they power their house gives kids knowledge on these specific utilities. The book also shows young readers how they can save energy and preserve resources in their own homes to help out the environment.

[Arminzerella · Rating 4 out of 5]

This picture book introduces a young audience to the marvels and magic of how water, electricity and natural gas reach their homes, what happens when taps are turned and switches are switched, and how energy is generated/distributed, water is collected and cleaned, and natural gas is harvested. Will make kids think about where these resources come from! Includes lots of diagrams to show the flow of each resource and a section on things you can do to save energy.

[Maren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a perfect book for the child that is perpetually asking "How?" and "Why?" Even as an adult I was fascinated by the very accessible explanations about where water comes from, how electricity is made, etc. My 6-year-old and I enjoyed learning from this book together. Can't wait to read the other books by this author about where our clothes and food comes from.

[Jes · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a great primer to get kids thinking about how household machines and systems work in the larger scale of things. I also appreciate how it emphasizes clean energy and the importance of keeping our water sources clean. The pictures are great, the examples are simple, the explanations aren't too heavy. Great book!

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent book! Have you ever wondered how the electricity, plumbing or heat works in your home? How does it get from its source to you? And what happens to the waste water when it leaves your home? Well, wonder no more! This book has all the answers, stated clearly and illustrated nicely for you. Adults and kids alike will learn from this book.

[CassattintheHat · Rating 5 out of 5]

This kids book covers how the power, sewage, and faucet water make it into our homes and back out again. It discusses different types of energy sources, and that some are more environmentally friendly than others.
I got this and How A House Is Built (1990) by Gail Gibbons together for a gift.

The illustrations show girls and boys and adults, and POC are represented among them.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book for kids who have a lot of questions about why and how this or that around your home. Also any kid who loves electricity and plumbing, haha. The illustrations are clear and appealing while the descriptions are easy for kids to understand. I even learned some things from this book!

[Sue Poduska · Rating 4 out of 5]

This would be great in a classroom for kids to explore the world around them or as a sidelight to a safety or conservation unit. Kids can identify how many things depend on electricity, water, or natural gas.

[Neeli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Educational tool aimed at 8 to 10 years perhaps? Great illustrations and explanations about how our earth's precious resources are used to ensure a comfortable home life. The energy saving tips from kids at the end of the book was just perfect. Well done!

[Jenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the fresh illustrations in this book, and my son was fascinated with how things work, especially how water is cleaned to come in and out of houses. This reminded me of old-school Richard Scarry books, but modern and crisp. Great picture book for young or early school-age children.

[Ruth Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not homework, but how does your home work?
This book shows many things that work, almost like magic, in our homes.
Electricity, gas, and water are shown as they are in nature, how they are harnessed, and how they get to our homes.
Great visuals and explanations.

[Sarah Brooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome nonfiction book about energy and water use and sources. Ideas and concepts broken down in a simple and informational way. Lots of new science (physics, engineering) concepts and vocabulary.

Great for grades 3rd+

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great nonfiction picture book. for younger readers that explains how light, heat and water get to our houses. Detailed illustrations make this best for one on one or small group work.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very nice. The basics of how water affects a home, electricity, and energy.

[Desiree · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really liked this book's illustration, page design & overall construction, plus extra points for showing lots of different types of homes & families. Informative & good info about living green.

[Mandy Robek · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed the visuals and how it made me think about things in my own home.

[Read with Rose and Bear · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved and reread often!