The House That Jane Built: A Story About Jane Addams by Tanya Lee Stone

The House That Jane Built: A Story About Jane Addams Reviews

• 
  Lisa Vegan

  I really admire Jane Addams. For a semester in college (in-between majoring in English literature and psychology) I took classes in sociology and studied her in depth. I either learned more from this book, or more likely relearned some of what I learned back then. She was a remarkable woman.
  
  This is an excellent picture book, the picture book portion book fine as a read aloud picture book for 4 to 8 year olds, and the last portion, with photos and much more text, appropriate for independent readers (and also reading aloud) for 8 to 12 year olds.
  
  I enjoyed the illustrations. They really enhanced the text, and I love the style and use of color, and for me the photographs added even more to the account.
  
  This book gives just right amount of information in each section, and left me wanting to read more.
  
  I recommend this book particularly for 8 to 11 year olds, especially those interested in social justice, history, women’s rights, strong women, and anyone who enjoys reading about how one person/a small group of people can make a big difference.
• 
  Gabrielle Carolina

  Now I absolutely have to know EVERYTHING about Jane Addams- that's how you write heroine fiction for children. Now I'm imagining reading this to all little my future-feminist babies and looking for the day when their eyes light up with how amazing this woman was!
• 
  Dave Schaafsma

  Jane Addams inspired many children's and YA biographies, in addition to several adult biographies, many of which I have read. She won a Nobel Peace Prize and was once the most famous woman in the U.S., but had kind of faded from view until about fifteen years ago when there has been a surge of work about her that continues to this day. The best work I have read about her is Citizen: Jane Addams and the Struggle for Democracy by Louise Knight and a close second is Jane Addams: A Writer's Life by Katherine Joslin, which I read as research for the writing of my book, Jane Addams in the Classroom. Full disclosure: I got to know those two authors, but I had read their books before I sought them out.
  
  The House That Jane Built is one of the best picture book biographies as a kind of introduction to this amazing woman. The house in question is Hull House, a settlement project she founded with several other women in the 1890's on Halsted Street in Chicago, one of the worst neighborhoods in the country at the time, over-filled with immigrants, and social problems no one had yet faced. She didn't actually build the house; it was a house owned by Charles Hull she was given for the purposes of her work in Chicago. Garbage filled the muddy streets; men, women and children worked 16 hour days for very little pay. People were hungry, stacked in tenement houses. She, a wealthy woman whose father was a businessman, state senator, and friend of Lincoln, devoted her life to living with and working with the poor to develop solutions to the many problems they faced. She wrote many books, too, including her memoir Twenty years at Hull House.
  
  The artwork is lovely, the basic information solid and inspiring for young readers. I liked it quite a bit.
• 
  Kathryn

  Loved this! Such a beautifully done book. It is so sensitively told, conveying the struggles of those in need without being too melancholy or heavy for the target audience. Jane's strong spirit, sense of justice, and big heart shine throughout. I think it's great that the story starts with Jane as a child, seeing the injustices in the world and vowing to help fix them -- and that she didn't forget those childhood vows when she grew-up. I think this helps children feel that what they experience and dream about in their young lives is important and that they can make a difference in the world, even when problems might seem too big in the moment, even if they can't yet do as much as they would like at their young ages. The illustrations are lovely. The back matter is excellent,including further information about Jane (and some photographs) and Sources. Though I'd heard of Jane Addams, of course, I had never really learned much about her and this book makes me want to read more. Highly recommend!
• 
  KC

  What a great story about a wonderfully fascinating and powerful woman.
• 
  Mary

  A picture book introduction about the community worker Jane Addams and the work she did to help the needy. Although this is a brief overview of her life and contributions, it does give a sense of why she is important. This will be an invaluable resource for discussing peace and justice issues with young readers.
• 
  Faloni ©

  The story on Jane Addams can get shared over and over again in our classroom. We like how she shows respect for the people. Jane Addams is a good example of how people can accomplish all things as long as they work hard and always do their best.
• 
  Barbara

  With its lively text and anecdotes supported by illustrations created with watercolor and pen and ink, this picture book pays tribute to a woman who deserves every bit of attention that ever comes her way. The author relates some of the influences on Jane Addams, the founder of Hull House in Chicago. Addams was not one who spoke of acts of kindness and compassion without actions. Instead, she made sure that those in need could find food, shelter, work, and friendship. Inspired by a settlement house she saw in London, she established a similar place in Chicago. After all, not every resident of the city was wealthy. In addition to the anecdotes describing her contributions and the challenges she faced in the text, the Author's Note reveals even more about this amazing and inspiring woman who put others' needs before her own, and eventually earned the Nobel Peace Prize in 1931, the first American woman to do so. It's hard not to be awed by this incredible role model and the changes she and her friends brought to the lives of many immigrant families. I can't help but wonder what she would do and so when faced with today's challenges and poverty.
• 
  Nancy Kotkin

  Text: 4 stars
  Illustrations: 4 stars
  
  Picture book biography of Jane Addams. Focuses on her work building America's first settlement house. Watercolor illustrations depict the historical time period. An author's note in the back of the book provides more information and some photos of Jane. Bibliography included.
  
• 
  Lisa

  Before I read this book I didn't know anything about Jane Addams, the first American woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize. Mimi (daughter, age 10) read it first and gave it 5 stars, and I have to agree! Beautiful illustrations enhance the wonderful history of this kind and determined woman. Now I know all about Hull House, the very first community center in the United States. The author's note at the end of the book is not to be missed. Here I learned that Jane was very outspoken, that her opinions were often very unpopular (votes for women, opposition to WWI), and that the FBI kept a file on her calling her "the most dangerous woman in America"! This is definitely a book worth reading by just about anyone, but don't dare miss it if you're a girl/lady/woman/mother/sister/daughter of any age! 5 stars.
• 
  Amanda French

  text-to-world connection
  I chose "The House That Jane Built" with a little bit of stuff from our class this week in mind. I wanted to dive into some real-world, nonfiction-type stories. This one did not disappoint. Not only did this story hold historical value but taught some amazing life lessons on ambition, charity, goodwill, and determination. I love the story of Jane and how she made her ideas come to life on how to help people in the community less fortunate than her. This is a great way to look at working together to make here you live a better place for everyone living in it.
• 
  Allison

  "The House that Jane Built: a Story About Jane Addams" might be my favorite children’s book of all time. I had chills nearly the entire time I was reading it. The book beautifully describes the development of Jane’s compassion and empathy toward people who are not as fortunate as her, starting with events from her childhood, and then tells what she accomplished as a result of those experiences. Shocking family and friends, she moves into the heart of a very rough Chicago neighborhood. As she takes the time and effort to understand the people there better, she takes more and more steps to help build up their community and better their lives. "The Lemonade Ripple" by Paul Reichert is a powerful fictional story of a young girl noticing a need in her community and doing what she can to help, starting a ripple effect that inspires increasingly larger scale projects from community members of all ages. The fact that the main character is so young and relatable gives kids the message that making a difference in the lives of others is actually manageable, and they, too, could do it. All children are moved at some point to do something for the good of others. Neither Jane nor Caroline allow that spark of passion to die out- they both turn a dream into action and serve to show kids and adults that we can, too. I would use these books with third graders and could do a content crossover to social studies, where we could compile a list of people who have made a meaningful impact on the lives of people in our community or world. I might have the kids each choose a different person and research facts to write and share about them. I might also use these books to introduce a class service project.
  
• 
  Nyapot Hogan

  Content-area crossover -Social Studies
  Twin Text: Elizabeth, Queen of the Sea by Lynne Cox
  This book is about an elephant seal who swam in the street shallow waters of Avon River where it flowed through the heart of the city of Christchurch, New Zealand. Most sea elephants lived in salt water but not this one. The people of the town believed she was special. "She was strong and powerful and regal-like Elizabeth, the Queen of England." So they named the elephant seal after her. Naming her Elizabeth, Queen of the Sea. When Elizabeth would move into the street to sunbathe, it became unsafe for her and the people driving so they decided to take her to the ocean with other elephant seals. She did not stay there but returned to the city. After multiple attempts at taking her away but always finding her way back, the city decided to put up street signs to keep her and everyone safe. Christchurch was her home.
  
  My reason for choosing this book as my Twin Text is because it relates "home" "In The House That Jane Built." Jane was born into a rich family where she enjoyed fancy things as a child, but when she saw people less fortunate than her, she decided that she would someday help them. She then moved into an impoverished neighborhood among the poor. She worked hard at helping them. Teaching street kids, employing men and even building the first park. She felt more at home living among them then she did when she was with her rich friends.
  
  The activity I would choose for this is the webbing. I would have the word "home" in the middle and then have the students web off words that relate to it. After enough words written down, we would then discuss the book.
  
  
  
• 
  Heather

  Text-To-World
  
  Jane Addams is my new hero! This book taught me so much about a woman who's name I had heard of, but knew nothing about. Jane Addams was a well-off woman who created the first 'community center' by acquiring a large home in Chicago and living a radical life of generosity and trust. With this, she was able to create a place where children and families in need could thrive. She, and those who helped her, paved the way for centers such as these that give children a way to learn and a place to play. Not only does this grow their knowledge and happiness, but usually keeps them out of trouble! Jane was a woman who didn't mind 'living simply in order for others to simply live'. As we mentioned in our Social Justice unit last week, sometimes those who are given more have to step up to make the world better for those who don't have the means to do those things themselves. Jane Addams saw a need and figured out a clever way to fix it. She is truly an inspiration, especially to those of us interested in the issue of Social Justice.
• 
  Arminzerella

  Jane Addams was a wealthy young woman at loose ends when she witnessed crushing poverty in London and remembered how similar conditions existed back in her home. She visited a settlement house while she was abroad and returned to Chicago full of ideas and energy to recreate something similar for her fellow citizens. When she selected the initial building - Hull House - for her own settlement house, its owner wound up donating it to her after she explained her mission. Jane and others taught classes, served meals, provided bathrooms, and created other services that helped poor people in their community. They expanded into 12 other buildings and gave people the things they needed to help them achieve their dreams. A truly inspiring story of a woman who used her wealth and position and privilege to do so much for so many other people. A lovely introduction to Hull House and Jane Addams for the young, picturebook crowd.
• 
  Earl

  I had so many wrong assumptions about this book! For instance, I thought this was about the wife of John Adams (despite the difference in spelling) which just goes to show how amazing I am with history. Luckily, this book kept showing up on lots of NFPB posts and I was intrigued. I'm so glad I picked it up because what Jane Addams did through Hull House (and other things mentioned in the Author's Note) is something I want to help happen in this world. People coming together to build a community- the ones who are able to helping those in need and the ones who may not have as much still finding ways to contribute or having a place to eat or bathe.
• 
  Carmel

  This was a fantastic book to share with my 7yo (first grade). It was simple and short, but the message was strong: there are things everyone can do to make the world a better place.
  
  I also read this with my 5yo and while it was a good read with beautiful illustrations, the message wasn't quite as clear for her. It was a good reminder for me to pick up some picture books for the older kids still, when we are moving on to longer books, because sparking the conversation is the first step to effect change.
  
  Highly recommended.
• 
  Lydia

  The story of one woman's idea and path to changing the world.

  I had never heard of Jane Addams before, but I'm going to have to look up more about her as this was a cool story that obviously only scratched the surface! Though not a life path that every reader can take, still a neat way to see how somebody had an idea, researched and got more information, built on it and helped change the lives of those in need.

  No content issues, though a family death is part of Jane's struggle and a burglary happens, with a positive ending, no injuries or gruesome details.
• 
  Kris

  This is a great introduction to Jane Addams and the founding of Hull House. Addams social reforming and activism benefited many people, and this, although focused on just Hull House, reflects that. Of course I wish there could have been more info about those who were also instrumental in Hull House, or on Addams’ Nobel Peace Prize or being a founding member of the NAACP and the ACLU, but there’s only so much room in a picture book. :) The art was not really my style, although it is well done.
• 
  Hannah Jane

  What a fascinating story about an amazing lady. This is one of those books that makes me want to read more, not just about Jane Addams, but also about the Woman's Peace Party and her tenement houses. The story in this is wonderfully condensed for the audience it's trying to reach and such a tease for anyone wanting more information. I thought the blurb about her in the back was just as excellent as the book.
• 
  Jenny

  Describes Jane Addams desire to help the poor and her idea to begin Hull House in a bad neighborhood in Chicago. A nice introduction into some of the work that Jane Addams did and contains an informative author's note and list of sources.
• 
  Christina O.

  How have I never heard about Jane Addams?!
• 
  Tasha

  Jane Addams was a girl born into comfort and wealth, but even as a child she noticed that not everyone lived like that. In a time when most women were not educated, Addams went to Seminary. When traveling with her friends in Europe she saw real poverty and then also saw a unique solution in London that she brought home with her. In Chicago, she started the first settlement house, a huge house that worked to help the poor right in the most destitute part of town. Hull House helped the poor find jobs and offered them resources. Addams also created a public bath which helped convince the city that more public baths were needed. She also found a way to have children play safely by creating the first public playground. Children were often home alone as their parents worked long hours, so she created before and after school programs for them to attend and even had evening classes for older students who had to work during the day. By the 1920s, Hull House as serving 9000 people a week! It had grown to several buildings and was the precursor to community centers.
  
  Jane Addams was a remarkable woman. While this picture book biography looks specifically at Hull House, she also was active in the peace movement and labeled by the FBI as “the most dangerous woman in America.” In 1931, she became the first American woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize. She wrote hundreds of articles and eleven books, she worked for women’s suffrage, and was a founding member of both the ACLU and the NAACP. At the turn of the century she was one of the most famous women in the world. The beauty of her story is that she saw a need and met it with her own tenacity and resources. She asked others to contribute, but did not step back and just fund the efforts, instead keeping on working and living right in that part of Chicago. Her story is a message of hope and a tale of a life well lived in service to others.
  
  Brown’s illustrations depict the neighborhood around Hull House in all of its gritty color. Laundry flies in the breeze, litter fills the alleys, and children are in patched clothes and often barefoot. Through both the illustrations and the text, readers will see the kindness of Jane Addams shining on the page. Her gentleness shows as does her determination to make a difference.
  
  This biography is a glimpse of an incredible woman whose legacy lives on in the United States and will serve as inspiration for those children looking to make a difference in the world around them. Appropriate for ages 6-9.
• 
  Christy Cryer

  Twin Text: Hold Fast by Blue Balliet, 2015
  
  Rationale: In Hold Fast, Early and her family become homeless after her father mysteriously disappears. As the Pearl family tries to make their way through the Chicago shelter system, Early struggles to make sense of her new world. At one point in the story, Early notices the numerous empty buildings in the area around the shelter and wonders why they aren't used to create homes. This creates a natural tie to the story of Jane Addams, who did exactly that near the turn of the 19th century in Chicago. In The House That Jane Built, readers will learn the story of how Jane Addams developed the Hull House and first public bath to help those less fortunate than she. The pair can also help students connect some of the problems of the past with similar societal issues of the present.
  
  Structure: As a biography, the text is presented in chronological order with details given in a narrative format.
  
  Strategy: I would use the DL-TA strategy for this pair beginning with an interactive read aloud of Hold Fast. Along the way, we would stop at points to predict what may have happened to Dash and to discuss the difficulties the family is having and how living in a shelter would change someone's day-to-day life. After reaching the point in Hold Fast where Early starts thinking of possible solutions to help those living in shelter, I would ask students if they thought that was a reasonable idea and whether they thought anyone else had ever tried it before. After hearing their responses, I would share The House that Jane Built as a tie to our social studies unit on American Immigration and compare and contrast how the situation Jane Addams addressed is similar to and different from the issues Early and her family are facing.
• 
  Lesley Colin

  This is the story about Jane Addams and her desire to change the world for the better. When Jane was young, she noticed that not everyone lived an extraordinary life like she had. Because of this she promised herself that she would do everything in her power to help out the poor. One day she took a trip to Europe where she came across the same types of poor and struggling communities. After visiting one of the settlement homes in Europe she knew that she wanted to do something like that back in Chicago. One of the homes in a poor neighborhood was given to her, and she decided to name it Hull House. This house was meant to help anyone who needed the help. If they had no home, no food, or no job, they could come into Hull House and live or work there. As she came across more issues within the society, she kept on adding installments to the house such as a kitchen for cooking classes, or a daycare for children.
  
  This classifies as a biography because it is telling the story of Jane Addams and the creation of her own settlement home. Instead of focusing on the time period, which happen to be during the time of the reform movements, this biography focuses on Jane Addams and her settlement home. It is also organized chronologically because it starts from when she was just a young girl being introduced to these issue to the time when she first started the home, and as she continued to add to the house. Also towards the end, the author provides real life pictures of her and when she is working children and other people. The biography does a great job of showcasing to younger readers that anyone can make a difference in other people's lives, and it also encourages them to want to be nice and help others.
• 
  Scarlett Graglia

  Summary:
  A wealthy young woman named Jane Addams moved into a lovely, elegant house in Chicago, Illinois. The lovely house was right in the middle of one of the filthiest, poorest parts of town. Growing up, Jane noticed that everyone lived just like her family did, wealthy. She vowed that one day she would live in a high poverty part of town to "fix the world." Jane was very smart; she graduated from Rockford Female Seminary being the top of her class. Jane named her house the Hull House, and she would leave her door unlocked at night to let people know they were allowed in at any time. She began helping those who were hungry or those without shoes on their feet. Read to learn more of the many ways Jane helped those in need!
  
  Evaluation:
  I loved this book! It was such a heartfelt story and reminded me that they are such good people in this world. Jane at such a young age knew immediately that she wanted to somehow help those in needs. It is a great story about Jane sticking to her dream and helping those who truly needed help. She was such a giving person and did all she could do to turn a high poverty town into a wonderful, giving place. It is such a story that will just make you smile because of all that Jane did.
  
  Teaching idea:
  This story would be a great introductory to teach students about poverty. After reading the story, the teacher could discuss poverty and what is is while showing poverty statistics from this time period. Students then could brainstorms ways in which Jane help those people who suffered from poverty. The teacher could make an anchor chart and give each student a sticky note and the student could write a way in which Jane supported people who suffered from poverty.