The House of Happy Spirits: A Children’s Book Inspired by Friedensreich Hundertwasser
by Géraldine Elschner, Lucie Vandevelde (Illustrations)
2 out of 5 stars

Some children notice that a house is being built around their favorite tree in the neighborhood. They are amazed at the beautiful designs and colorful structure of the building, but they worry that their tree might have been cut down. Then they meet the architect, and find out what really happened to their beloved tree.

This book was okay. I didn’t like the art style, and the story was weird. It all seems so chaotic. It takes an effort to read and understand what is happening in the pictures. It reminds me of ‘Alice in Wonderland’ when things don’t make any sense in the narrative. Some people like that free and wild style, but it makes me nervous. This book literally made me nervous because it’s so topsy-turvy and nonsensical.

If you like weird art and eccentric stories, then you would probably enjoy this. I like it when things make sense and follow clear rules. The text itself follows a fairly reasonable storyline, but the artwork is like some insane dream sequence.

I think it takes a special kind of dreamer to enjoy this style. I dream of neat and orderly lines. To me, neat and orderly is beautiful. It seems that to the creators of this book, neat and orderly is the enemy. It’s not bad or wrong; it’s just not something I enjoy.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts and are not influenced by anyone.