It's a simple tale really. One without words but it engages you no less -

I did expect more from the book but it was a different kind of story. The power of it was in the art which was exquisite. Simply transformative and builds a mysterious atmosphere that hangs many questions as you flip pages, wondering and questioning the trail the boy is on until you reach the surprise that awaits him in the end. You question once more but there are no answers and there never were. This allows your imagination to take a flight and build a story that the book did not write.

Wonderfully, whimsically illustrated, opening wide a window of stories

A Boy and a House is a deceptively simple book, for how complicated can a wordless story be? And yet, the beautifully drawn illustrations pull you in with splashes of color and light. This is the story of a boy wandering down a darkened Grimm Street, past lit and shadowed windows of vignettes and silhouettes: ladies speaking, a man eating, a boy peeking, a cat seeking, and more. Each window beckons you to tell a tale about its occupants. Each sign, placard, and graffiti a subtle hint of life in the neighborhood. As the boy approaches #34, he is drawn to the lit doorway where a cat watches, enticing him forward.

As the boy journeys through the house, hall by hall, room by room, each tableau is brimming with a host of details from paintings and drawings on the walls, discarded drawings and toys on the floor, empty chairs at a table of flowers, tea, and playing cards watched over by a doll, etc. Each drawing employs a careful application of color and light so your eyes are ever drawn forward, just as the boy’s are, from dark to light, from grim and sad to sunlit adventure. Be careful to check out all the hidden details in the rooms and shadows. Each toy, drawing, and game on the floor, every painting on the wall evokes its own stories as the boy creates his. And we are left, entranced, with the best story of all.

This is simply an amazing book that lends itself to repeated readings and discoveries, just the sort of magical book to read on a quiet and rainy day, tucked snug under a blanket in a soft chair with a child trailing their fingers over each intricate detail as they discover new stories on each page.

I shared this book with my twenty-something daughter and she loved it as much as I did, saying that it reminded her of her favorite childhood picture books. This is a wonderful book full of surprises to be savored and shared. I went ahead and ordered a hardback copy to enjoy and share with little ones, since I can only imagine the book is even more beautiful in print. (Don’t tell them that I’ll be reading to them as an excuse to meander through it again myself.)

I just looked up the publisher and the artist out of curiosity to see if she had a release date for her next book and discovered that Maja Kastelic lives in Slovenia. A Boy and a House, her debut wordless book, has won several awards and been published in several different countries. I’m definitely adding her to my must-buy authors list.

Highly recommended for those with littles ones, those who love picture books, and those who admire well-crafted illustrations and hidden beauty.

I received this book as an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) from the publisher through NetGalley. My opinions are my own.

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this gorgeously illustrated picture book with a mystery, mysterious cat, comical mice, tributes hidden throughout, and a happy ending. Fans of well-illustrated, well-storied picture books will love A A BOY AND A HOUSE!

This wordless picture book is a delight to behold at any age. The illustrations are stunning and whimsical. The muted hues with bursts of color here and there are gorgeous. With every turn of the page the eye is drawn to all the details presented. Absolutely wonderful.

This book isn’t very long. In the beginning you see a young boy walking down a semi dark street lined with houses. As he comes upon an open door with a kitten looking out, the boy gets curious and follows the cat inside and up the stairs. Up, up, up they go. Round this staircase, through that door, around another staircase and into another room. It keeps going and going. Every room he enters has a unique décor and the attention to detail is amazing. The little kitten is leading the way as if it wants to show the boy something special. So where will this boy end up? Whom is he going to meet?

***

Gorgeously illustrated, it is such a treat. While in the midst of my day, it drew me in completely for just a little while….Definitely feeling jolly now. This would make a great gift for someone :) Enjoy!

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange of a review. All opinions are my own. Thank you kindly.

I like the concept of a wordless book, but I didn't like this particular one. The images in this book tell a story about a boy following a cat. I liked the concepts on each page and the ending is actually quite cute. The illustrations are pretty, but I don't think they'll catch the attention of small kids. I found it hard to find things to point at and it's very monochromatic.

I love, love, love Maja Kastelic's wordless book, A Boy and a House. Every page is more amazing than the last with fabulously detailed drawings within. I love the spotlight focused on our boy hero on the front cover. That light is a teasing guide as the boy follows its path through a maze of rooms and stairways to a fun surprise at the end. Each step in his journey is truly a marvelous adventure for the eyes. Every inch of Kastelic's illustrations offer little surprises such as mice (so much cuter in books than real life) or the tantalizing tail of some unknown critter. Each picture offers floor to ceiling treasures to explore as well as the suspense of turning each page to find where the boy will go next within the story. The muted colors interspersed with a few pops of brighter color are so beautiful.

Wordless books can be enjoyed by any age and in any language. And the details seem to reveal themselves anew with each perusal. This book would make a wonderful springboard for children to create their own version of the story--imagining what happened before and after the pages of this book.

Don't miss this truly enchanting book. It would make a fabulous gift for any child. You may even want to purchase a second copy to frame a print or two. A beautiful addition to the field of children's literature; I look forward to future works by Maja Kastelic!

Disclaimer: I received a free digital copy of A Boy and a House from NetGalley for the purpose of review. No other compensation was received.

Thank you #Netgalley for providing me this ebook. The illustration are so beautiful, the story is packed efficiently and fits for children around 2 or 3 years old. It can be use as a book on Reading Out Loud event for children. #ABoyAndAHouse is simple yet beautiful book for your child.

"A Boy and a House" tells a delightful short story using high-quality, nostalgic illustrations that reflect a time and place of the past, without the use of words. There is no need for words in this book as its images are greatly detailed and tell the intended story wonderfully. This is a lovely children's book!

This was a cute wordless picture book to follow. The artwork had a lot of hidden details in each page that made me go back and look through a few times. A found the story itself to be a little bland, but the details in the art are whimsical and fun find their meanings. There are mice on every page, which I liked, and there were drawing on the walls of the building as the boy makes his way up to the top. I did find it a little strange that a boy would walk not only into a random apartment building, but one that was seemingly abandoned.

Though I did enjoy the artwork, I did find it a little darker and therefore harder to see some of the details in the pages. This could’ve been because I was looking at a digital copy. I also found that even though it was a wordless picture book, some of the details were a little too subtle to notice right away. This could make it harder for young children to keep their interest, especially since the story itself is so linear. The ending was very sweet, however.

Cute! I love wordless picture books! The artwork is always so intriguing and detailed. It also makes great classroom suggestions for creative writing. Gather some wordless books and have students either write a story, or pick a character for a POV. This could have been a bit longer, but it was enjoyable!

A little boy who really shouldn’t be walking alone in that neighborhood at night finds an open door and doesn’t hesitate to go in. (There’s a sign just inside that says “Close the doors.”) After finding a kid’s drawing in the lobby, he follows a cat up the spiral staircase and into someone’s apartment. Other than picking up more drawings, he basically ignores all the paintings and knickknacks and books, instead heading right for another stairs, and then another, always following that cat.
It’s important to note that there’s no words in this entire book, other than what’s written on the walls, and that’s minimal. It’s like watching a vintage silent movie. I wish the kid was more interested in his surroundings, but children’s books are always short on space.
The artwork has a grainy quality—from a photography perspective—and the colors are muted, but that tone works here.

A BOY AND A HOUSE boasts lush illustrations by award-winning author-artist Maja Kastelic. It is a picture-only book that invites children to use their creativity as they follow the story of a little boy who follows a cat into an apartment building, where he finds drawing after drawing that leads him to a surprise in the attic. Highly recommended for the incredible artwork and the open-ended format that challenges kids to use their imaginations. 5/5

Pub Date 11 Sep 2018

Thanks to Annick Press Ltd. and NetGalley for the review copy. Opinions are fully mine.

#ABoyAndAHouse #NetGalley

I'm just loving the wordless picture books I've been reading lately, and A Boy and a House is a wonderful example. We follow a small boy through gorgeously illustrated pages as he follows a cat and a trail of drawings.

There is not a whole lot of story here, but these images are so detailed that this could be a different book every time you read it. This could easily be an "eye-spy" story one night and a "tell a story about the background details" story the next.

I would have preferred there to be a little more story here, but any stars I might have deducted for that are more than made up for with extra stars for being so darn gorgeous!

Thank you to NetGalley and Annick Press for providing me with a DRC of this book.

Opening the first page of ‘Deček in Hiša’ (A Boy and a House) one can easily tell that this children's picture book is by a gifted artist and storyteller.

Maja Kastelic has a BFA in painting and an MA in philosophy and visual theory. Prior to the two years she spent working on this spectacular book, she worked as a retouching artist restoring frescos.

There are numerous details for children and adults to absorb in this wordless picture book.

I love the old world setting and the tonal quality of this book is unique and Maja's use of light is magnificent!

This book begins by showing the elegance of old Slovenian townhouses. These murky buildings have intricately sculpted ironwork. This leads to a sense of mystery further induced by people peeking out the windows and darting about outdoors.

Mice are peering out the heavily draped window, while the cat is luring a boy in a striped shirt inside. The boy follows the cat as they climb up staircases and walk across tiled and wooden floors. They go room to room and pass by toys, birdcages, hatracks and beautiful bookcases lit by chandeliers.

On the walls are portraits and I love that some of the portraits appear to be glancing at one another. (If you look closely, you will see the author's sons in frames on the wall.)

The boy is collecting drawings as he moves throughout the building to the attic where he'll meet a friend for some fun.

This wordless picture book is a treasure! Each illustration is a visual feast and tells the story with a sense of mystery, imagination, discovery, friendship, and fun.

I received a copy of this amazing book from Annick Press and Net Galley for an honest review.

If there is a deeper meaning to this book, I didn't get it. It appears to be the story of a boy who goes into a strange house, following a cat, and then discovering drawings on the floor, along the pathe that leads him up and up the stairs.

This is a narrative free picture book. There are words on the walls, but other than that, nothing is said in this book.

<img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-814" src="http://www.reyes-sinclair.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Screen-Shot-2018-08-02-at-10.59.54-PM.png" alt="The house and the boy" /><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-813" src="http://www.reyes-sinclair.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Screen-Shot-2018-08-02-at-11.00.10-PM.png" alt="House and the boy" />

There is probably hidden meaning in the illustrations, but as far as I can tell, that is the story. Kids might get a kick out of trying to see what is in the background, of each image.

#ABoyAndAHouse #NetGalley

Thanks to Netgalley for making this book availabe for an honest review.

This wordless picture book by Slovenian author Maja Kastelic features a boy following a cat into and then through an old house. Along the way, he finds drawings scattered about rooms. The rooms are filled with "vintage" items. He finds a surprise awaiting in the attic. Although the book contains no words, it will certainly produce a lot of discussion for children who will be curious about what is contained in the picture. I believe the pictures were created with watercolors, but they are fairly "drab", probably in an effort to invoke the "old house feel." Just the thought of an unsupervised boy of this age will make many parents and other adults cringe, but others will view it as a product of another culture or as historic. I downloaded this "Read Now" title from NetGalley with the expectation I would write an honest review.

This book cover is beautiful. I wanted to see what is the story. It was a wordless story. The story is simple and cute. I loved the details.

Originally a Slovenian publication, there’s no trouble carrying A Boy and a House over to another language or culture because the story is told solely in pictures.
I downloaded this one to review for two reasons: the beautiful cover, and the mention of the cat!
The goal of the book is to get young readers talking, to have them find their own stories in the pictures, and the pictures are gorgeous, but I definitely didn’t get the most out of them in black and white on my Kindle.
Naturally, this is the sort of book you want in paper, not digital form.

What's That Up There?

This is Slovenian artist Maja Kastelic's debut picture book. It is a simple wordless story of a young boy's search through an apparently empty house. As he travels upwards and toward the light at the top we are led to wonder who or what he might find at the end of his journey. Interestingly, in its first draft, the boy and the cat he has been following arrive at the roof of the building and celebrate the magnificent view of the dawning new day. Upon reflection Kastelic decided the story needed more, and we now have this young boy collecting drawings he finds on the floor as he climbs, and ultimately meeting a young girl with whom he can share the view over the town. Ms. Kastelic was pleased with the story as a tale "of friendship and finding a way to one another", and so it now stands in final form.

The work is done in watercolors with heavy emphasis on sienna, brown, umber and similar muted colors. The house that the boy explores is not any particular house but an amalgam of grand old houses and their interiors, many drawn from photos of old Slovenian town houses. There are lots of inside jokes, many particular to the artist, including self portraits, objects from her own home and so on. The larger goal, though, was to present a setting of larger and more general authenticity and interest, and it certainly seems to me that that is what you get here.

Lots of picture books claim to be worth close study and lots of wordless books suggest that they can be the source of endless homemade, in the mind of the reader, tales and fantasies. I don't always buy that blurb, but here it does seem to be true. There is so much detail, so many unexplored twists and turns and corners, and so many ways for the boy to proceed that it is easy and inviting to play along and make up one's own tales about what is being portrayed.

So, this is beautifully drawn and colored, and nicely structured to invite and encourage exploration and playful interpretation. A very elegant addition to the picture book collection. (Please note that I received a free advance will-self-destruct-in-x-days Adobe Digital copy of this book without a review requirement, or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)

OK, I'll bite – the obvious reference here is Shaun Tan, especially as this wordless graphic story is so open to interpretation. However it has much less of his scale, even while sharing so much of his visual quality and attention to detail. A boy thinks he's chasing a black cat through open doors in a strange and empty building, when what he's really doing is following a different mystery back to its source. The reveal isn't a hugely surprising one, but all the same the design craft here makes this a book to pore over – gnomic sayings, mottos and scratchings litter the house, as do many other details – things unfinished, empty bird cages, keys on hooks, departing reptilian tails… I'd suggest the cat knows exactly what it's doing, as there are so many mice it's ignoring, and so do the creators of this book. I'd also point out the small art gallery in the building – and mention the wonderful, subdued palette of colours here that makes this worthy of being exhibited itself. Worth anyone's time.