The Pink Maple House

The Pink Maple House by Christine Govan was my favorite book as a child. I found it in the school library by accident and read it, loved it, and then read it over and over again. I never forgot how much I loved it as a child. 

Years ago I started reading this book to my kids and they all loved it. So we are now spending our evenings reading it together again to a new group of kids. We have been reading this book at night so that everyone that wants to listen can -- even Bill listens and says he loves it.

The story is simple and sweet. Polly's parents buy a larger house and so she has to move away from her best friend, Jenny. At first the girls are sad, but soon realize that Jenny can spend many weekends at Polly's new home -- The Pink Maple House. 

The house is lovely and the descriptions in the book make you feel like you are there. It is a big old two story house that is actually white, but because it is autumn when they move in, the red and orange trees give a pink glow to the house so Polly calls it her pink maple house. 

Polly and Jenny climb up into the attic, and then can't get down. They discover a singing mouse that Polly's father helps them catch -- then he helps them make a little house for the mouse. They have simple adventures together and meet a new little girl that ends up teaching them just how blessed they are. It is a book about friendship and a simple time. I never tire of reading this book to my kids. Bethany and most of the other kids have begged me to read another chapter just about every night. I think Bethany is at a great age to enjoy it -- she is nine - but several others are listening and seeming to love it just as much as she does and they are older than her. 

Just three or four years ago the only way to get this book - published in 1950 - was to spend hundreds of dollars on an old copy or try to find it at a yard sale or used book store -- I never seemed to be able to find it anywhere except online and had to spend several hundred dollars to get it. But, a couple of years ago I saw that it had been reprinted. I couldn't believe it. So now you can get an inexpensive copy of this wonderful book. It is a book that is definitely worth reading as far as my family is concerned.