The One Day House by Julia Durango

Synopsis

The One Day House by Julia Durango is a sweet story about a little boy named Wilson who wants to help his elderly neighbor, Gigi, fix up her home. Every day he promises her that one day he will paint her home bright orange like the sun, fix her windows so she doesn’t have to sit outside to get fresh air, build her a fence so she can have a dog, among many other things.

Gigi insists that she doesn’t need any of these things to be happy, but one day finally comes. Neighbors, friends, and volunteers show up one morning and begin fixing all of the things around Gigi’s home that need fixing. They make all of Wilson’s promises come true! Gigi is overwhelmed by the support of her community and grateful for all that they have done for her.

Review

This book is based on true events which author Julia Durango witnessed while living in Illinois and working with the Labor of Love.

Labor of Love organizes volunteers to go out into the community and provide assistance to the elderly and disabled who need help around their homes.

Mexican-American illustrator Bianca Diaz does a wonderful job of contributing to the story with bright, vibrant illustrations that depict this neighborhood of friendly people of all ages who want to help. While the story is what would be considered to be culturally neutral, the diverse group of characters are celebrated with a level of appreciation that makes this a strong example of multicultural children’s literature.

This book is so uplifting and heartwarming! I highly recommend reading it if you ever get the chance.

This post is part of my five-part series highlighting multicultural children’s literature.