Book Review: “The House That Lou Built” by Mae Respicio

“The House That Lou Built” by Mae Respicio (2018)

Genre: Middle Grade, Contemporary, Fiction

Page Length: 240 pages (paperback edition)

Synopsis:

Lou Bulosan-Nelson is going to build her dream. She shares a room with her mom in her grandmother’s house in San Francisco, and longs for a place of her own where she can escape her lovable but large extended Filipino family. Lou has a talent for woodshop class and creating projects, and plans to build a tiny house, 100 square feet, all her own, on land that she inherited from her dad, who died before she was born. Then Lou discovers it’s not so easy to build one, but she won’t give up on her dream—and her friends and family won’t either. This heartwarming coming-of-age story explores culture and family, forgiveness and friendship, and what makes a house a true home.

Review:

The House That Lou Built is a fantastic coming-of-age middle-grade novel about grappling with change, family, and friendships. The story follows Lou, a girl who dreams of having her own space to thrive from her family and decides to build a tiny house. Lou is a girl with a creative spirit and loves to build things. She wants to make her tiny house project a dream come true. But when her initial plans run into roadblocks, will she be able to complete her project?

This novel though short was so heartwarming and full of all the emotions that come with growing up and dealing with change. Lou is confronted by a possible move to a brand-new city and doesn’t want to leave her friends and family behind. Though she has a large family she sometimes wants to escape from she seeks comfort in her presence. She also finds comfort in her tiny house dream due to her land having a strong familial significance to her. Readers watch Lou as she tries to overcome obstacles and deal with a possible new beginning in her life. Reading this book reminded me that change is inevitable, but it isn’t always easy to cope with it. Lou’s family and friends were so supportive of her dreams, and I loved how they came together to support her with her house and all of the overwhelming emotions she was trying to sort on her own.

I appreciated how the book is not only themed around family but also what makes a home. It shows us that it’s possible to make a home anywhere while keeping a connection to those who you care for. Most of all I loved how Filipino culture is explored in this book. I learned a lot about traditions, food, and customs from Lou’s interactions with her family. The scenic backdrop of San Francisco is a bonus for the setting and the book as a whole has many lovable characters you’ll enjoy.

Final Verdict: