A Home for Mr. Emerson

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Kerley, Barbara. 2014.  A Home for Mr. Emerson. Ill. Edwin Fotheringham. New York: Scholastic Press. ISBN 9780545350884

PLOT SUMMARY

As a young boy, Ralph Waldo Emerson’s family often moved in order to survive, creating an intense yearning to have a happy home of his own in the countryside.  After college, he moved to Concord where he bought a farmhouse in the country and soon met his future wife, affectionately nicknamed, “Queenie.”  Together, Emerson and Queenie built a life together filling their home with their growing family, and especially, with the books, friends, and the flowers and trees he loved.  Emerson toured the nation on speaking engagements and wrote books, widening his ever-growing circle of friends and influence.  Deeply affected by a house fire later in life, Emerson embarked on a European tour with his daughter, Ellen.  After a long journey, he eventually returned home to Queenie and his Concord community with his spirit renewed.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

A Home for Mr. Emerson is a unique example of informational text.  Instead of the format traditionally utilized for an information text, it is organized like a picture storybook.  As compared to informational text, for example, this book does not include a table of contents, subheadings, or an index.  There are 44 pages, however, instead of the standard 32 pages utilized in a picture storybook.

There is an author’s note at the back of the book that contains a black and white photograph taken in 1879 of Emerson and his family.  The author's note provides a more detailed account of the notable friends and events that shaped Emerson’s life and time in Concord.  Most importantly, this note provides more details into why Emerson became famouse.  It briefly explains the importance of Emerson’s ideas and works to the literary world, but especially to the development of the American spirit.  Emerson’s sentiments and ideals are echoed on the following page entitled, “Build a World of Your Own,” which encourages readers to “choose the life you create for yourself” (p. 46).

Kerley and Fotheringham provide documentation of their sources used in order demonstrate the steps taken to ensure the accuracy of information included in this book.  At the back of the book, there is an acknowledgments page.  Here, the author and illustrator include an acknowledgment section that first references Ronald A. Bosco, Vincent O’Leary Professor of English and American Literature, University at Albany, SUNY for his efforts in fact-checking the text in the book. 

Additionally, Kerley and Fotheringham acknowledge the contributions of Marie Gordinier and Christine Brown of the Ralph Waldo Emerson Memorial House, Concord, MA; Leslie Perrin Wilson of the Concord Free Public Library; the Concord Museum; Multnomah County Library, Oregon; the Portland State University Branford P. Millar Library, Oregon; and the Houghton Library, Harvard College Library, Harvard University.  Also on the acknowledgments page, there are three different citation sections.  The citations included in these sections are organized by sources for the quotations in the text, sources for the quotations in the Author’s note, and sources for the quotations on the book jacket and endpapers.

Fotheringham uses a clear, graphic illustration style.  Often, the mood of each scene is revealed through the thoughtful color choices selected.  For example, Emerson’s childhood in Boston is depicted with dark blue shadows and the near-black silhouettes of the townspeople.  In contrast, Emerson's time spent in Concord with Queenie building a life together and raising their family is expressed with bright, joyful colors.  Likewise, throughout the book, the numerous illustrations involving books, plant and animal life, and friends and other influential people in Emerson’s life are depicted in vivid, saturated colors, revealing the crucial roles they played in his life.

A fundamental stylistic choice, the first illustration in the book spreads across two pages in order to demonstrate Emerson’s perceived personal wealth consisting of family, home, friends, and community.  The first page shows Emerson’s wife and children smiling in the background of an elegant home surrounded by books.  Shown in the foreground, in the middle of this page surrounded by prominent stacks of books, Emerson is standing looking out the window of his home.  This scene travels across onto the next page showing the expanse of his land and leading on towards his beloved town.

This story is told utilizing a third person narrative point-of-view.  The text follows a clear chronological sequence according to the details of Emerson’s life.  The writing style is clear and flows effortlessly from scene to scene throughout the story.  The tone of the story is positive, upbeat, and reverent.  

Several of Emerson's famous quotes are incorporated throughout the text to add authenticity to the text and to the various scenes.  Often, Emerson’s quotes or personal thoughts are printed in italics to differentiate them from the narrator’s narrative.  For example, after the house fire, while contemplating going on a tour abroad to regain his spirit, the narrator explains, “What Mr. Emerson needed to renew his spirit, his friends and neighbors agreed, was to go abroad.  They urged him, as he put it, ‘to run across the sea, and rest and repair’” (p. 31-32).

The illustrations are accompanied by a variety of fonts and font colors for the text throughout the book. The pale blue endpapers, with a lighter foliage-inspired all-over design, are an essential addition to the book.  In a variety of fonts and colors, framed by a black stylized leaf border, several of Emerson’s best-known quotes are presented on both the front and back endpapers.  The timeless wisdom found in these quotes are sure to inspire readers, both new to Emerson and those well acquainted, in their pursuit of a life well-lived.

REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

From School Library Journal: “This introduction to the life of Ralph Waldo Emerson will help readers begin to understand the thoughts and values of this great American thinker.”

From Publisher’s Weekly: “Well-sourced quotations appear throughout the story (and fill the endpapers), both contextualizing Emerson’s life and standing as testament to the value of an open mind and a generous heart.”

From Kirkus Reviews: “A small, inviting window into the life of Ralph Waldo Emerson and an inspiring tribute to a life’s dream realized.”

CONNECTIONS

Collect other books related to Ralph Waldo Emerson’s life to read such as:

• Schachner, Judy. Mr. Emerson's Cook. ISBN 9780525458845
• Burleigh, Robert. If You Spent a Day with Thoreau at Walden Pond. ISBN 9780805091373
• Johnson, D.B. Henry Builds a Cabin. ISBN 9780618132010
• Schnur, Steven. Henry David's House. ISBN 9780881061178

Collect other Barbara Kerley books to read such as:

• The Dinosaurs of Waterhouse Hawkins. ISBN 9780439114943
• The Extraordinary Mark Twain (According To Susy). ISBN 9780545125086
• Those Rebels, John and Tom.  ISBN 9780545222686