Your House, My House

This day-in-the-life tale takes place in a modest apartment building seen in Richard Scarry–style cutaways. Sweetly tinted spreads by Dubuc (Up the Mountain Path) show three floors of flats, plus an attic garret and storage, all of whose line-drawn inhabitants are busy with their own, sometimes intersecting story arcs. On the ground floor, preparations are ongoing for Little Rabbit’s birthday. Second-floor inhabitant Mr. Bear spends the day in bed with a cold (a canine doctor comes and goes), and a cat family moves into floor three. The animals, including some natural predator-prey pairs, live in harmony alongside one another. When Little Rabbit’s sister burns the birthday cake, it’s no trouble (“Mama Rabbit makes another cake and pops it in the oven”), floor two’s Little Fox stays with the Rabbit family while his sibling is born, and Little Rabbit’s party is gaily attended by almost all of the neighbors (unwell Mr. Bear is brought a slice of cake). Small moments and incidents, including insect appearances and outdoor fairy tale shenanigans, have a gentle cumulative effect. This book will prompt contented rereads and conversations about neighbors, sharing, and community. Ages 3–7. [em]Agent: Veronique Kirchoff, VeroK Agency. (Oct.) [/em]