The House That Lou Built

March 15, 2018
A 13-year-old biracial girl longs to build the house of her dreams.For Lou Bulosan-Nelson, normal is her "gigantic extended family squished into Lola's for every holiday imaginable." She shares a bedroom with her Filipina mother, Minda--a former interior-design major and current nurse-to-be--in Lola Celina's San Francisco home. From her deceased white father, Michael, Lou inherited "not-so-Filipino features," his love for architecture, and some land. Lou's quietude implies her keen eye for details, but her passion for creating with her hands resonates loudly. Pining for something to claim as her own, she plans to construct a house from the ground up. When her mom considers moving out of state for a potential job and Lou's land is at risk of being auctioned off, Lou stays resilient, gathering support from both friends and family to make her dream a reality. Respicio authentically depicts the richness of Philippine culture, incorporating Filipino language, insights into Lou's family history, and well-crafted descriptions of customs, such as the birdlike Tinikling dance and eating kamayan style (with one's hands), throughout. Lou's story gives voice to Filipino youth, addressing cultural differences, the importance of bayanihan (community), and the true meaning of home.This delightful debut welcomes readers in like a house filled with love. (Fiction. 8-13)

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April 1, 2018

Gr 4-6-Lou Bulosan-Nelson's dream is to build a tiny house-a structure of only 100 square feet-on a plot of land that she inherited from her deceased father, who passed away before she was born. Living in San Francisco with her vibrant, extended Filipino family, Lou intends for her house to be a space of her own that is environmentally sound and honors her dad's memory. If only her mother wasn't considering uprooting them both to Washington state. Lou hopes that if she finishes her house in time, her mom won't make them move. When Lou discovers her land is on the auction block, she ramps up her building schedule, but not without ample help from friends, cousins, and her attentive crush. A celebration of Filipino culture, this big-hearted debut novel examines the definition of "home." Readers will be buoyed by the warmth and candor of Lou's close-knit, intergenerational support system and will enjoy meeting Lou, a resourceful protagonist who knows who she is and is comfortable in her own skin. A sweet touch of romance will appeal to many tweens, without overshadowing the messages of environmental awareness, honesty, and the value of being oneself. VERDICT Cheerful and hope-filled, with an idiosyncratic female protagonist, this is a worthy choice for any middle grade collection.-Melissa Williams, Berwick Academy, ME

Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 23, 2018
Lou, almost 13, lives with her mother and grandmother in San Francisco near their close-knit clan of Filipino relatives, who are always in and out of the house. Lou’s father, who was white, died before Lou was born, and Lou has inherited the patch of land just outside of the city that her father’s family owned. Lou loves building things and longs for a space that is purely hers, and she has big plans for the land: to build a tiny house on it. When Lou’s mother receives a job offer in Washington State, Lou hopes to persuade her to stay by building the house quickly. She rallies her friends and shop teacher to help, but when back taxes threaten to take the land away, the pressure mounts. In her debut novel, Respicio organically weaves details of Filipino culture into the narrative. Lou, with her devotion to her dream for more independence, is a sympathetic character, and her relationship with her family is the heart of this warm exploration of what home truly means. Ages 8–12. Agent: Sarah Davies, Greenhouse Literary.

April 15, 2018
Grades 5-8 Lou and her mother share a room in her grandmother's house in San Francisco. She is surrounded by a loving, extended Filipino family, whom she loves, but she also craves a space of her own. She wants, in fact, to build a tiny house on the land her late father left her, and she plans to spend the summer on her project. Then her mother is offered an out-of-state job, and Lou is frantic at the prospect of leaving not only her friends but also her precious project behind. To make matters worse, she learns she might lose the property altogether. Lou navigates her way through the crisis with humor and courage, buoyed by her family and friends both old and new. Lou is a feisty and determined character who isn't afraid to fight for whom and what she loves. She can be stubborn, even bossy, but she can also acknowledge her mistakes and make amends. Readers will enjoy rooting for her as she finds out exactly what makes a house into a home.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)