Anna has always wanted a real home after so many of years of roving the country roads with her dad in their Gypsy wagon. One day they chance upon an abandoned house and decide to spend the night there. Anna finds a mysterious old picture in a decorated frame and takes a liking to "Mr Moustache" as she names the man in the picture. That night she dreams and all the furniture comes to life. The man in the frame tells her the story about the carpenter and his wife who in earlier days created house in which every room was filled with joy and sunshine. Then came the sad day when they died and a stranger entered the house and everything suddenly changed.
This is a simple but beautiful and moving story which I used to to teach a successful lesson on punctuation to upper primary students. The illustrations by Belgium illustrator Marie-José Sacré are bold , captivating and add to the surreal dream aspect of the book. This first Australian edition did not disappoint me and the kids seemed interested enough.The loved the fact that the complexion of some of the characters were sometimes green and sometimes flesh-coloured.
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