Let's Build a Clubhouse

by Marilyn Singer, Timothy Bush (Illustrator)

Here is a picture book perfectly suited to tool-crazy youngsters. Marilyn Singer's short, snappy verses invite young readers to participate in the building of a clubhouse, from drawing a plan to brushing paint on the walls. In addition to the poem, there are facts on each spread about each tool and how to use it. Many of the tools will be familiar to children, such as the hammer and the wrench, but this book also introduces some less familiar tools, such as the plane, square and level. This is a unique and fun-filled picture book that will engage even the youngest child who dreams about having a space of their own.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens

32 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2006

About the author

Marilyn Singer was born in the Bronx (New York City) on October 3, 1948 and lived most of her early life in N. Massapequa (Long Island), NY. She attended Queens College, City University of New York, and for her junior year, Reading University, England. She holds a B.A. in English from Queens and an M.A. in Communications from New York University.

In 1974, after teaching English in New York City high schools for several years, she began to write - initially film notes, catalogues, teacher's guides and film strips. Then, one day, when she was sitting in the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, she penned a story featuring talking insect characters she'd made up when she was eight. Encouraged by the responses she got, she wrote more stories and in 1976 her first book, The Dog Who Insisted He Wasn't, was published by E.P.Dutton & Co.

Since then, Marilyn has published over seventy books for children and young adults. Her genres are many and varied, including realistic novels, fantasies, non-fiction, fairy tales, picture books, mysteries and poetry. She likes writing many different kinds of books because it's challenging and it keeps her from getting bored. She has won several Children's Choice and Parents' Choice Awards, as well as the following: the Creature Carnival, Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award Honor Book, 2005; I Believe in Water: Twelve Brushes with Religion, New York Public Library's "Best Books for the Teen Age," 2001; Stay True: Short Stories for Strong Girls, Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults, 2000 (YALSA); On the Same Day in March, Booklist's Top Ten Science Books of 2000; NCSS-CBC Notable Book, 2000; Deal with a Ghost, finalist, YA category, Edgar Award, 1998; It Can't Hurt Forever, Maud Hart Lovelace Award, 1983; The Course of True Love Never Did Run Smooth, ALA Best Book for Young Adults, 1983; Turtle in July, NCTE Notable, N.Y.Times Best Illustrated and Time Magazine Best Children's Books of 1989; Turtle in July was also a Reading Rainbow review book.

Marilyn currently lives in Brooklyn, NY, with her husband Steve; their standard poodle Oggi, a cousin of their beloved and recently departed poodle Easy, seen in the home page photo; a cat named August ; two collared doves named Jubilee and Holiday; and a starling named Darling. Her interests include dog training, reading, hiking, bird-watching, gardening, meditation, playing computer adventure games and going to the movies and the theatre. She's also a major Star Trek fan.

Reviews

[Sarah Limb · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think this book is a little complicated haha. Especially with trying to teach all the terms for the different tools. It interrupts the rhymes which is a little jilting.

[Suzanne Lorraine Kunz Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love how this book walks us through many of the steps to building a clubhouse and many of the tools we'd use along the way. I learned some new things while reading it.

[Zinnada Hodges · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book to my boys. It was a bit over their heads, but still was cute. It teaches about teamwork, math, building, and fun. It's a nice book for the future architect.

[Sylvester (Taking a break in 2023) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3* art
3* story

[Grayson Burke]

This book is about a boy who wants to build a clubhouse will all his friends. The book talks about all the tools they will need to make it and shows what they look like very specifically.