I have yet to read a Gloria Whelan book that I did not love. Bringing the Farmhouse Home continues to affirm my appreciation for this essential author. As in her other books, her language in Bringing the Farmhouse Home is rich, and the story is complex. It is clear that she loves and respects young readers and wishes to make a gift to them of stories that will edify and challenge them. I wish I could have known her personally, because I think she must be a woman of incredible warmth, wisdom, and love.
"The summer after my grandma died, my aunts and uncles and cousins came to the farmhouse from all over. And so in a red truck, an old bus, and a borrowed trailer come Grandma's five children and their families. It is a time to share memories, and then bring those memories home."
Grandma had five children who each have spouses and children of their own. When the family assembles in the farmhouse, there is laughter and tears as they remember their lives with Grandma. The parents decide to take all of Grandma's possessions and divide them into five piles of equal value.
As each item is moved into the living room, various family members feel their hearts skip a beat—each wanting something specific and hoping that no one else does. They usher the kids into the kitchen to play games and entertain themselves while the grownups do the sorting. And then, when everything is set, they all move into the kitchen for a potluck dinner.
As they finish eating, the uncles start taking chairs out from underneath the family to add to the piles.
Little Sarah holds her breath as each of Grandma's children draws a number. Of all of the things in the house, there is only one thing she desires – Grandma's quilt. But Sarah's mama is equally worried over the platter with roses from which Grandma had served birthday cake all of their lives.
In classic Whelan style, there is no easy resolution to this situation. The quilt and the platter are in different piles, and both are treasured by other family members as well. But, out of love, a resolution is arrived at. And while some don't get exactly what they wanted, they focus on the beautiful family they have and the joy of bringing Grandma's farmhouse home—to five loving homes.
The illustrations, in a style reminiscent of Norman Rockwell, perfectly complement the warmth and nostalgia of the story.
I cannot recommend this one more highly.