Our Building

by Joseph Coelho, Richard Johnson (Illustrations)

This magical story follows three children living in a high-rise apartment block, as they embark on a fantastical adventure which helps them see their home in a new light.

A deeply personal story written by the award winning poet Joseph Coelho, drawn from his own experience growing up in an apartment block and looking for adventure. This story is a celebration of, and a reclaiming of high-rise apartment blocks as a place where magic and adventure can happen.

It’s a modern-day fable that shows the children of an apartment block travelling to a strange, magical world inside a tree and meeting an old man with supernatural powers, only to realise that the magic they’d been looking for had been in their block all along.

Beautiful illustrations complement the poetic narrative, creating an enchanting story which children and adults alike will fall in love with.
​
This powerful story is about how society separates ‘urban’ spaces from the countryside, but the reality is that nature is everywhere, and everyone should have access to it. 

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Fantasy, Nature, Adventure, Contemporary, Poetry

48 pages, Hardcover

Published August 6, 2024

About the author

Joseph Coelho is a British poet and children's book author who was elected Children's Laureate in 2022.

Reviews

[Natalie all_books_great_and_small · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.

Our Building is an illustrated children's picture book told in a lyrical descriptive format. The book starts out with a miserable grey city scene, and more colour gets added as the book unfolds. This was a magical explorative read, and each page has so much to take in and see. The book encourages and brings to life the imagination of children and as an adult made me see the magic in the normal things around me. The book was inclusive of different cultures and had beautiful illustrations.

[Lois · Rating 5 out of 5]

This ebook was made available for me to read and review by Joseph Coelho, Quarto Publishing Group, and NetGalley.

This inviting picture book features enchanting illustrations sure to draw your little one right into this tale. This is a magical story about young children exploring the high rise apartment building they live in when they discover a magical place. This has multicultural representation for multiple cultures adding to the experience. The cute story and accompanying animated illustrations delighted even my youngest grandchild at just 2 and half years old.

Thank you to Joseph Coelho, Quarto Publishing Group, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ebook. All opinions and viewpoints expressed in this review are my own.

[donna backshall · Rating 4 out of 5]

This children's fantasy picture book includes everything a young child, who feels bound by the oppressive grayness of city life, might need to find the magic and joy in the unlikeliest of places. If you are looking to inspire the imagination of your young one, no matter where you live, Our Building just might hold what you need.

[Jonathan (Jon)]

*𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴*

Based on the author’s personal experience, this children’s book follows three children living in an apartment as they embark on a fantastical adventure.

The illustrations in this were brilliant and I loved the magical feeling this story had. The characters were also great. The narrative was very poetic and enchanting. This is the perfect read for young readers.

🏬 🪄 🏬 🪄 🏬 🪄 🏬 🪄 🏬 🪄 🏬 🪄

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with access to read this book!

[Sharlin · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.70 - Average
Impactful ending. Relays the importance of community and helping others. Magical elements that are reminiscent of wonders that we may see. Accessible prose. My favourite was the tree. Implementation of beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Choppy narration that lacks flow. Yields gratitude and appreciation. Recommended for those looking for the joy in every-day things.

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely clever book about seeing nature and beauty in the unexpected.

[Steph · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is gorgeous, lyrical and has such a wonderful sentiment. You might just see a big concrete building, but what a child sees with all their wonder is a word full of stories, kindness, love, playfulness and delight. Properly gorgeous with INCREDIBLE illustrations.

[Shan · Rating 3 out of 5]

For what it was, I liked this book. I just felt like it was a little boring and anticlimactic, and I wish that the rhyming would have been a bit more constant.
The bulk of the book didn't feel as exciting as I think it should have felt, but I did enjoy the light tone of wonder hugging the story. However, I think that the intended audience, young kids that live in apartment buildings, will find this book to be more relatable and interesting than I did. I would like to note, though, that I think to any kids that don't live in apartment buildings, this book will be boring and unrelatable. That narrows the audience of people that will read and enjoy this book, but it's important that the author decided to focus on a more overlooked group of kids.
As for the rhyming, it was not consistent at all. Certain lines rhymed, certain pages rhymed, but there was never a clear pattern. This definitely took me out of the story even more and made the story not as smooth as it could have been. It's also important to know that kids can get more into books that flow well, especially with rhyming, so it's important to have that element be solid and strong if you're going to include it.
Lastly, I thought that the illustrations were beautifully done. They were my favorite part! The glowing mushrooms were very impressive and absolutely stunning, and the way people were illustrated was phenomenal. They were so captivating that I took a few extra moments to admire them. Bravo on that part!

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a child, I grew up in a place which had fields and lanes running by my family home, and 5 minutes from where I lived, you were in the forest. I loved it, and it has given me an appreciation of nature to this day. But, as a child, I wasn't quite so aware of just how lucky I was to have all of that literally on my doorstep. Even today, because of tablets, gaming stations and whatnot, kids don't play outside like we used to, and I think that is really sad. This book tells the story of 3 children who live inside a very high, grey, concrete set of flats. They see their environment as boring, and long for something which is natural. So, they go on a journey to find the tree that lies far beyond their concrete world. By the end of their journey, they learn to see the concrete set of flats around them in a very different way.
The artwork for this book is just truly beautiful; there are lots of different colours used, and the details within the illustrations are fantastic too. It is a lovely book, with a lovely message. I hope that young readers will take a lot of delight from its pages.

[Joey Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Three children who live in a block tower, hear a tree singing to them and sneak down to find it. There they are enchanted by the nature they find and a magic tree character gives them a gift and they start to see the beauty of their own tower.

This was very different but very sweet, I liked that the children went on a secret fun adventure, wanted to search around in the nature and play within it. There they find so much magic and have so much fun. I really liked that they brought the magic back, seeing the kindness of the people in the block, how they help one another, it was really sweet.

The illustrations were absolutely beautiful in this story the colour tones were so mystical and warm, it really helped with adding the feel of what was being said within the story. I really enjoyed it so much and it’s a great read with young ones, especially those that live in towers of their own.

[Katherine McDonald · Rating 5 out of 5]

A magical book! A modern day fairytale of sorts.

I love the beautiful illustrations and the magic as the children leave their building and venture into the trees of the forest. They’re in searching of the old singing tree they see from the building.

They discover ancient magical creatures in the realm under the old tree, and they meet the old tree himself. He gifts them a stone that has a hole through the middle. Through it they see things as they are.

The magic of the forest is just a green lovely forest, and nothing more. But their building has a magic all its own. They didn’t know and the adults have forgotten how special it truly is.

A good reminder along the lines of “the grass is always greener on the other side”. In this case, they realize the beauty of their neighbors and what truly makes their building special.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Our Building by Joseph Coelho

Thank you to the publishers and Netgalley for my review copy of this children's book.

I want to mention firstly that the book is credited as Our Tower on amazon UK, so I'll review it as "Our Tower" on Goodreads.

This children's book is a personal one to the author and although I greatly appreciate that, as a children's book I felt the writing was perhaps a little too advanced.

The illustrations by Richard Johnson were my favourite part of the book. They are atmospheric and magical.

The story itself shows a fantasy element and offers a unique look at children's lives growing up.

I think there will be lots of readers who will connect and throughly enjoy this book, which is available now. For me I liked the writing but more as poetry than a young children's book.

[Jan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The children take a fantasy journey from their home in a place so plain and dark to meet with the tree in the forest and learn to find goodness in sharing with others. The illustrations clarify and enhance the story in the way that they move from rainy big city to a magical sparkly place to the sunny and brightly colored return to the congeniality of the tenants in their building.
The illustrations by Richard Johnson are fun, evocative, appropriately colorful, and magical.
Well suited for reading WITH someone of any age including ESL, and great for gifting to anyone, but especially to a school or your local public library!
I requested and received a free temporary e-book on Adobe Digital Editions from Quarto Publishing Group/Frances Lincoln Children's Books via NetGalley. Thank you!
@QuartoKids @CBCBook @Frances_Lincoln @TheQuartoGroup

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Our Building, written by Joseph Coleho and Richard Johnson, is the story of a group of children that live in an apartment building. The book starts off with the children describing the building in boring terms, it after they go on a journey, they seem to recognize the blessings that come with where they live.

I enjoyed the themes in this book, the use of imagination, and some of the inclusion of different cultures and communities that was shown. Some of the writing seemed a little choppy to me, like I had trouble finding the flow, but other than that I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to younger elementary aged readers. Thank you to NetGalley and to the author and publisher of this book for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This beautifully presented work of poetry is likely to draw in both adults and children alike.

The rich adventure of the three children is captured lyrically through the prose, and is a delight to read out loud. While the language might be lost on some children, the illustrations are very accessible, and provide in depth narration as well.

The messaging about shifting perspective and the value of community is wonderful to share with children, and the diverse representation and experiences adds wonderful depth to the story. These messages are reinforced through the rich illustrations on each page which are a joy to explore.

Thank you Quarto Publishing Group and NetGalley for a copy of this book. Opinions expressed are my own.

[Sarah Perry · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really beautiful picture book with a powerful message about appreciating what you have. I love Joseph Coelho's work and to see it presented to beautifully makes me really happy.
The three children in the story long for the lush, green world beyond that of their dull, grey tower block and set off in search of something magical. What they discover is not only the beauty of nature, but the magic which existed in the walls of their tower block all along.

The illustrations in this book really are outstanding - they almost seem to glow! I could see this book being enjoyed by children of all ages and there's some really interesting themes to be explored from a teaching perspective.

[Pam · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an electronic ARC from Quarto Publishing Group – Frances Lincoln Children's Books through NetGalley.
Readers meet three children who live in a high rise apartment building in a city. They glimpse a tree from their top floor windows and set off to find it. They encounter an interesting tree spirit who gives them a magnificent gift. When looking through this gift, they can see the magic in their own building rather than a simple concrete structure.
The concept is lovely but the story doesn't flow smoothly. Readers will need to make some inferences and jumps to follow the three children's actions.

[Youtube (SERPERIORREADS) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley for providing me wirh an advanced copy of this book and the author for giving me that opportunity too.
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A book in a black and white city where u cannot find anything good because of how you look at everything, but one day, everything changed...

SPOILER ALERT !!!
I liked the ideal meaning of happiness in a big city where it is fully built by concrete or gray. You can see a bit of nature and color in a city such as central park in NewYork.

Once it turns colored i was not expecting that situation and the fantasy of an old cricked man who it was a tree.

4.0

[Carrie-Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a gorgeous children's book, the artwork is fantastic and the simple story is sweet but magical.

We follow three children as they explore a tree in a forest, that they can see from their tower block. It's a celebration of tower blocks, a way to teach kids to embrace and love where they come from, even if it is a flat at the top of a concrete block.

I also just need to reiterate how pretty the illustrations are in here, especially the ones in the trees with the lovely purples and blues.

[April · Rating 4 out of 5]

What I like most about this are the beautiful illustrations that are full of detail and look so realistic. I think the story itself it's almost like a poem that has its own rhythm, wich I loved.
The way these two elements are mixed, the poetic rhythm and the beautiful drawings, make it a perfect children's book that portrays how even the most normal things are magical if you know how to appreciate them. Very good lesson to learn and to remember.

*Thanks to NetGalley uk, the publishers and the author for the ARC*

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a fantastical picture book designed to appeal to children growing up in boring gray high-rise buildings, to encourage them to use their imaginations to see the beauty in the mundane. It was a bit too imaginative for me, though, and I wish it had focused more on the building and not taken a side trip to a nearby forest and underground. And it bothered me that some of the phrases rhymed while others did not - it always makes me reread the latter to see if I read it wrong; it's distracting.

[I Read, Therefore I Blog · Rating 5 out of 5]

Joseph Coelho and Richard Johnson’s picture book for readers aged 6+ is a beautiful read that shows both the wonders of the natural world and the community within city tower blocks. Coelho brings an evocative lyricism to the text (although having stayed in a tower block, I did find myself having to suspend disbelief at times) while Johnson’s illustrations are extraordinarily beautiful, using a muted palate to bring nature and city to life.

[Carolienvanderwaarde · Rating 2 out of 5]

Omslag is mooi, en het verlangen naar het bos als je in een torenflat woont, kan ik me goed indenken. Toch weet ik niet goed wat ik met dit boek aan moet. Samen wonen en samen leven is een prima boodschap. Maar ergens lijkt het of de strekking van het verhaal is dat we het bos en de bomen niet echt nodig hebben... enkel als herinnering? En daar kan ik dan weer helemaal niks mee. Misschien moet iemand mij dit verhaal eens uitleggen ...

[JudyAnnLovesBooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

For children and families that live in the city and in apartment buildings this book is extremely relatable and gives the children license to be free with their imagination and see beyond the big, tall, imposing structure. The story takes them on an adventure that teaches them to see the beauty in all things, even those made out of concrete. A positive and uplifting children’s book to have in any library.

[Jakki (BizzyBookNook) · Rating 3 out of 5]

The illustrations in this book are absolutely beautiful and I love how they go from being ordinary to whimsical and color filled. While I absolutely loved illustrations and the overall story. I was a tad disappointed in the story its self. It didn't flow as well as I feel that a children's book. I found myself having to stop many times to explain to my kids what the words meant. Over all I would recommend for an older child as it is a lovely story.

[Hannah Crull-sher · Rating 4 out of 5]

I honestly would buy this book just for the illustrations! The story is simple and I appreciate the themes of building a community and of opening your eyes to the beautiful things, but the story lacked oomph. If I was sharing this book with my child, I would probably focus more on the illustrations than the text, particularly after the first time we read it together.

[BookWormBear · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story book has beautiful illustrations and I liked the message of finding beauty in the everyday, in kindness and friendship.

However the story felt off to me and I realised it was because I was expecting it to be a rhyming poem. I wanted that extra flow that comes with the iambic pentameter and without it whilst I appreciated the sentiment I just wasn’t as drawn in as I could have been.

[Bookishrealm · Rating 3 out of 5]

Friends....

I think I wanted to enjoy this one a lot more than what I did. The language was poetic and beautiful, but this is definitely one that I would recommend for older readers. It doesn't work well as a read a loud and conceptually, it feels more appropriate for a 5-7 age group. The artwork by Richard Johnson was absolutely stunning and I thought it added depth to the story.

[Rose English · Rating 4 out of 5]

Remarkable reading

Very enjoyable read with some stunning illustrations. Well worth checking out. There is a soft muted sadness to the beginning when the children are in their 'Tower, simply outstanding.

[Karen Reeder · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet picture book with beautiful illustrations that highlights the beauty of a tree from the forest and what lies beneath while also giving a second point of view. The children discover the beauty and wonder of their own building and all that lives and thrives there.