Beti and the Little Round House by Atinuke

Beti lives in a round house in the woods with Mam, Tad, and baby Jac. She has adventures during each season of the year, learning and growing in responsibility along the way. This first chapter book only has 4 chapters, but each is quite long. There are both color and pencil drawings throughout.

Reading Level: Ages 7-9
Read Aloud: Ages 6+

These enchanting stories of Beti’s life in the little round house are like a mixture of Little House on the Prairie and Sophie Mouse with a slight bohemian twist. Your child will likely want to make a round house themself after being inspired by the picturesque days of Beti and her friends. While Beti doesn’t always make the right choices, she usually learns from her mistakes. Overall, it’s a lovely story, but there are a few things of which to be aware that make it less than perfect. (Listed below)

Language:
There is one instance of Beti saying “shut up.” It is clearly not something she is allowed to say, per her parents’ response.
The baby goat rams the toddler’s “big round bottom.”
There is one instance of “hate” when Beti is frustrated with her new goat.

Other Things to Know:
It’s made clear this is set in the present day, but Beti’s parents choose not to have electricity, phones, indoor plumbing, etc. There is definitely a “we only eat plants” vibe going on.
Beti burps after a meal and then their neighbor, Mr. Grouch, burps even louder.
The author uses the Welsh terms for mom and dad (mam and tad), not to be confused as names.
In the author’s note at the beginning, she says, “Follow your heart and stars–they will show you the way.”

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