BETI AND THE LITTLE ROUND HOUSE

Sweet, precocious Beti and her baby brother, Jac, live in a little woodland house built by their parents, Mam and Tad.

Made up of four sections that span the year, the book opens in spring with Beti celebrating her birthday. Tad gives her a goat (“So you can have milk every day!”). Beti’s initially irritated by Goat’s rambunctious baby but eventually comes to appreciate her gifts. The second tale takes place in summer, when Beti and her friends rely on the power of teamwork as they travel to the waterfall to refill the family’s water jar. In autumn, Beti goes berry picking with Mam, then gets separated from Tad during a storm that rages like a dragon. Winter sees Mam and Jac dealing with colds when Tad is away visiting Granny in town, leaving it up to Beti to care for the animals. Though Beti tries to do everything right, things often go awry, but she can count on reassurance from Mam and Tad. Depicting a loving, tightknit community of friends and neighbors, Atinuke weaves an enchanting world where characters live off the land, eschew technology (cell phones exist, but Mam and Tad opt not to use them), support one another, and appreciate the small pleasures of life. The author creates a sense of warmth and tranquility, while Hughes’ lush, verdant illustrations evoke comfort and safety—this is a world readers will eagerly return to. Tad, Beti, and Jac present Black, while Mam appears white.

An absolute charmer.