I ran across this book entirely by accident when I was 21. I opened it up and read it in five minutes or less, and that was all it took for tears to well up! It is charming, unforgettable, and one of the best books I have ever come across to introduce children to the concept of old age. It concerns an old farm dog who is taken out to be shot - it is only because his old legs cannot walk as fast as the farmer's that he gets away. When he is taken to the pound a young boy picks him out, and they share a very special friendship. Again, sniffle, sniff, sniff!

This is a wonderful story of how an old dog about to be shot by a farmer because he's too old to work and "no good anymore" comes to be a little boy's best friend. Warning - don't try to read this to your child unless you're very VERY good at controlling that lump in your throat! It would be a great book to read to your kids before you visit the shelter to choose a pet. It teaches them to take a close look at the older dogs who may have more to offer than those unruly puppies. Again, a very lovely book. It's too bad it's out of print. It's well worth trying to track down.

I bought this book in 1971 for my daughter who was then 3. Her name is Mary Elizabeth and she, like the little girl and the doll in the book, had long brown braids. She loved the book, and we read it nearly every day for many years. I even had a friend make a soft cloth doll made that looked like the doll and my daughter. She now reads the book to her 3 year old daughter and makes dresses for the now-24-year-old doll. The book has been attacked by several puppies over the years and has a few crayon drawings, but is still beloved by all three of us.

As a child I would read this wonderful book and let my imagination carry me away. I loved the ideas of not living in a house and filling my bags with treasures. "We Were Tired of Living in a House" inspired most of my backyard adventures, especially the ones in my treehouse. This book delights me still and I am thrilled to find it back in print. I have looked for it for years, hoping that someday my own children would read this book and feel its magic. My old copy's spine broke and the pages fell out because I read it so much as a child. It spent the past 10 years in storage because of its delicate condition but I missed its simple and beautiful message. When I moved recently, I decided that no matter what shape it was in, it was meant to be savored. I love it so much that I read it to my husband twice last week! I am grateful from the bottom of my heart for the reprint of such a treasure.

When we were nine, my twin sister and I had a thing for rhymes, tongue twisters and the like. Together we would read and recite lots of silly sayings until our mouths were dry, or until my mother couldn't take anymore. One of our all time favorite books was "We Were Tired of Living in a House", which to my delight has recently been brought back to life. This book holds alot of memories for us, even more precious since our copy disappeared long ago. Now at the ripe old age of thirty-two, we find ourselves browsing through stacks of children's books, searching for some title that might bring to our kids the same magic; the magic that makes a nine year old kid carry that book with them wherever they go.

The story begins with a group of kids who decide home is no longer a satisfactory place to be. They pack up some key belongings and begin on a journey that finds them setting up camp in various unusual places, including a tree, a cave, and the beach. At each stop they discover that their new home has unique features as well as unexpected drawbacks, and they acquire souvenirs to add to their list of key belongings before moving on. As the list approaches the limits of syllables-per-breath for a child, they come to the conclusion that home is the only suitable place to live, and return with all of the souvenirs in tow.

The story has rhyme and rhythm, plenty of whimsy, a happy ending and even an age-appropriate moral. The illustrations are also memorable. Buy two - and keep a spare for when they get older.

We just sold our home last week, and we're still searching for a new house to purchase. I guess that is why the words to this book (that I haven't read since childhood) popped into my mind. I loved this book, and hope to find one of the earlier versions to read to my own children. They will probably suggest that we forget the whole house thing and live in a tree!

Wasn't this a weekly reader book?

Kisses and Fishes is a book that my child loves. It's about a girl who wishes to live without her parents rules. One day her parents are gone and suddenly Edwina doesnt like being alone as much as she thought she would.There is a drawing showing a person with a cigarette but the book was written when that wasnt such a problem. Its minor anyway.