20. The House on the Canal. Thomas Harding. Illustrated by Britta Teckentrup. 2025. 56 pages. [Source: Library] [picture book, picture book for older readers, 4 stars, nonfiction]
First sentence: In the middle of Amsterdam, next to a canal, stands a tall, narrow house. It was built almost four hundred years ago and has served as a home, a warehouse, a stable, and a hiding place.
Premise/plot: The House on the Canal is a picture book for older readers. It is nonfiction picture book that is more abstract in nature which makes it perhaps more fitting for older readers. It is the history of a house--a specific place throughout the centuries. The book roughly spans five and a half centuries. [Though don't trust my math!] It is the place--which in the opening spreads is not even a physical building yet--that is front and center. It all leads up to the time when the house was a hiding place for Anne Frank and her family. The house was rich in history before it became a warehouse and hiding place. This book sheds light on the some of the more permanent things in life.
My thoughts: This book gives the "Here" treatment to the Anne Frank house. Though I wouldn't be surprised if the book was in the works long before the feature film, Here, was released. The text has an almost poetic--definitely artistic--vibe. The illustrations are quite artistic as well. Definitely detailed enough to give study for those interested in art or history.
© 2025 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews
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