Your House is not just a House - Story Snug

Your House is not just a House by Idris Goodwin & Lorraine Nam

Your House is not Just a House – there’s a lot more to it than that!

The Story: One rainy day a boy discovers all the adventures that he can have using everyday objects around the house. His imagination goes wild as wardrobes are turned into teleportation chambers, the shower becomes a jungle and the garden inspires new sports.

This vibrant, rhyming picture book is a celebration of the power of imagination. The boy hides from warthogs, listens to singing trolls and creates amazing machines. And when the rain stops the sidewalk becomes an art gallery. The creativity of the boy’s parents is also celebrated – not only do they care for him but they are writers and artists in their own right.

Lorraine Nam’s illustrations are bold, colourful and full of action and we love the way that everyday items inspire activities in different ways. The colander is used as a helmet and the blanket used by ‘the singer’ later becomes a fort. It’s fun to spot the recurring objects – the cuddly pig, the Rubik’s Cube and the paper hat.

We love the way that Your House is not just a House takes a familiar setting and highlights all the wonderfully creative experiences that a home can inspire. The last line of the book sums it up beautifully;

Wherever you call home… is a canvas for your visions.

Age Range: 3 +

Author: Idris Goodwin / Illustrator: Lorraine Nam

Thank you to Wunderkind PR for sending a review copy of this fabulously empowering book.

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14 responses to “Your House is not just a House by Idris Goodwin & Lorraine Nam”


  1. Joanne avatar

    That looks so cute!


    1. Catherine avatar

      It’s a really lovely idea for a story – so simple but so relatable 🙂


  2. Jayne @ Sticky Mud and Belly Laughs avatar

    This sounds like such a lovely book. I love the simplicity of being a child. Everything is fun! That’s why I refuse to grow up hehe. 😉


    1. Catherine avatar

      I love simple games that involve everyday household objects. They’re definitely an experience that all children should have 🙂


  3. Kim Carberry avatar

    What a lovely sounding story! It reminds me of being a child playing games on rainy days using my imagination. I remember using a colander as a helmet and building forts and my wardrobe always lead to Narnia. x


    1. Catherine avatar

      I think everybody’s wardrobe led to Narnia!


  4. Carol avatar

    Great book – as a child, I played with all sorts of household objects. My brother & I played detectives with flashlights and raincoats. We’d open bedroom doors to investigate! You could lock & unlock bedroom doors with a butter knife. Ha The book took me back to childhood. Thanks


    1. Catherine avatar

      I think we all played more with household objects as children as there wasn’t the money for lots of toys. This is a great book for showing children that fun doesn’t have to cost money 🙂


  5. RaisieBay avatar

    Oh my goodness, this takes me back to my childhood. My house was a magical place. The best ever was when my Mum let me turn the dining table upside down and make it into a ship to sail over the ocean. The wardrobe was my own special Narnia, my Mum even had furry coats in there. I love that this book exists and hope that children will also discover the fun that can be had from every day objects in the house.


    1. Catherine avatar

      What a fabulous Mum! We used to make our bunk beds into ships and go on adventures, the best was when we were allowed to take a real picnic with us!


  6. Lisa | Handmade in Israel avatar

    How lovely! It was always fun to see the kids dressing up in everyday items when they were little!


    1. Catherine avatar

      Our dressing up box was full of our relatives’ old clothes, nobody had the money to buy dressing up outfits when we were small.


  7. Donna Gwinnell Lambo-Weidner avatar

    Gotta go check my closets now…Congratulations Idris and Lorraine!


    1. Catherine avatar

      You never know what secrets a closet is hiding – look at The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe!