Caldecott Medal Winner
The Little House
by Virginia Lee Burton
Summary
A sturdy little house built on a quiet country hill watches the seasons turn and wonders about the distant lights of the city. As years pass the city grows up around her, surrounding the house with roads, tall buildings, and noise until she is forgotten and worn down. Virginia Lee Burton's curving, rhythmic illustrations chart this change with great tenderness, and the story carries a gentle warning about unchecked development while ending with the house carried back to the countryside.
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Historical Context & Significance
The book is often read as an early expression of environmental and anti urban sprawl concern in American children's literature.