Let's Go to the Hardware Store

by Anne Rockwell, Melissa Iwai (Illustrator)

Overview

When the new house needs fixing up, it's off to the hardware store to find the tools and materials needed to get the job done—a hammer, a screwdriver, a shiny tape measure, and even a stepladder.

This family outing explores a familiar errand that fascinates plenty of young children: the hardware store. Anne Rockwell's perfectly pitched story and Melissa Iwai's child-friendly illustrations make this book ideal for the preschool audience.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780805087383
Publisher:	Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)
Publication date:	03/22/2016
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	448,766
Product dimensions:	9.20(w) x 10.10(h) x 0.50(d)
Age Range:	4 - 7 Years

About the Author

Anne Rockwell is the author and illustrator of more than one hundred books for young readers, including Welcome to Kindergarten and My Preschool. The mother of three grown children and four grandchildren, Anne Rockwell lives in Greenwich, Connecticut.

Melissa Iwai has written and illustrated many books for children, including Soup Day and Toolbox Twins. She lives in Brooklyn, New York, with her family

Editorial Reviews

"Any young child could enjoy this attractive picture book, with its here-and-now text and its sunny artwork, created with acrylics, collage, and digital elements. But the book’s most enthusiastic audience will be those preschoolers who study the illustrations to learn about hand tools in all their varied forms. A real find for young tool fans."-Booklist

"This is a book that will delight young children who like to help out with home projects or who are fascinated with tools and building. It is a wonderful introduction to simple tools and builds a sophisticated vocabulary for junior carpenters. A solid addition for picture book collections."—School Library Journal

"The artwork, done in a pastel-colored palette, is full of attractive little details, from the patterning on the tool displays to the labels on the window. . . Accessible for all, from the happy shopper to the tool-obsessed."-Kirkus Reviews

“Rockwell's 1979 classic gets a makeover with new illustrations and an updated story. . . . Its quiet clarity is sure to attract newcomers who appreciate the simpler pace of life it reflects.” —Kirkus Reviews on At the Supermarket

“The brightly colored gouache illustrations on white backgrounds show the child helping to fill the cart and feature such items as produce and a container of ice cream alone on the page, making identification easy. This is a fun, educational read-aloud.” —School Library Journal on At the Supermarket

“Iwai's writing debut beautifully depicts the loving relationship between a mother and daughter… Ordinariness made extraordinary.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review on Soup Day

“A perfect meal and a perfect book.” —School Library Journal on Soup Day

From the Publisher

A little boy takes us on a trip to the hardware store with his Daddy and little sister, Flora. When the family moved into their new house, it needed fixing so off they go to the hardware store as Mommy stays home with the baby. Each aisle of the hardware store is filled with different tools and each tool is selected for a specific use. Daddy's first choice is new hammer to replace an old one. In the screwdriver aisle there are so many from which to choose but Daddy selects a whole set. Then they go to the paint section to get Spackle and a putty knife to fix a crack. Of course, paint and a brush are needed too. This fun day shopping with Daddy and the fascination of the tools they select will intrigue little ones. Upon arriving home with all the new tools, they realize they forgot Mommy's picture hangers; so off they go again! Young children will recognize familiar tools and learn there are different kinds for specific uses. The delightful illustrations show how much the boy and his sister enjoy the shopping trip with Daddy and the excitement of finding what they need. Reviewer: Kathleen Ulrich; Ages 2 to 5.

Children's Literature - Kathleen Ulrich

01/01/2016
PreS-Gr 2—When a young family moves to a larger home, there are many repairs to be done. The story is narrated by a boy, who, with his little sister Flora, helps Daddy go to the hardware store to purchase what they will need to make the necessary renovations. With straightforward language and simply composed mixed-media illustrations, Rockwell describes the tools needed for each project and the reasons for the choices that are made. When Daddy and the children get home, Mom reminds them that they have forgotten an important purchase. So the three builders head back to the hardware store. This is a book that will delight young children who like to help out with home projects or who are fascinated with tools and building. It is a wonderful introduction to simple tools and builds a sophisticated vocabulary for junior carpenters. VERDICT A solid addition for picture book collections.—Mary Hazelton, formerly at Warren & Waldoboro Elementary Schools, ME

School Library Journal

2015-12-08
Dad, daughter, and son head to the hardware store to find tools for home repair. It's a bigger house for this growing family of five (plus two cats and a dog), but their new home is in need of some fixing. So it's off to the hardware store—a charming mom-and-pop shop full of colorful curiosities. There, brother and sister examine walls of hammers and screwdrivers, poke through bins of brads, and learn about levels. Their list complete, they arrive home only to realize an item is missing, and it's back to the store they go. The artwork, done in a pastel-colored palette, is full of attractive little details, from the patterning on the tool displays to the labels on the window. Captioned spot illustrations depicting the differences among certain tools will delight readers both young and old. Like Taro Gomi, Iwai makes no attempt to light her artwork with shading. Still, objects distinguish themselves as she skillfully applies pattern and color. It's an appealing environment that, while stylized, feels real as the mother sits on the floor breast-feeding, tools strewn around, reminding her husband of the forgotten item. Dad has white skin and sandy hair, while brother and sister share the dark hair and almond eyes of their mother. Accessible for all, from the happy shopper to the tool-obsessed. (Picture book. 3-7)

Kirkus Reviews