Raised one foggy day in colonial New England, the eponymous barn in this lovely picture-book from author/artist Debby Atwell endures for more than two centuries, a silent witness to the changing human society around it. As generations of humans come and go, the barn stands watch, functioning as a farm barn, an antique store, and a horse stable. Destroyed by fire, the barn is raised again, and stands at the end of the book as it did at the beginning, with the east wind off the Atlantic blowing through its two big doors...

Being a great admirer of Atwell's work, and having read her four other picture-books, as well as the three she illustrated for other authors, I was eager to pick up Barn - the last of her titles I had yet to read. I enjoyed it quite a bit, appreciating the beautiful folk-art style illustrations, and the theme of change and continuity, over time. In this latter respect, it reminded me of Atwell's Pearl and River, which offer a similar narrative of generations passing, as marked by one woman's life in the former, and by the health of a river, in the latter. Although I have read it last of all of Atwell's titles, it was actually the first book she both wrote and illustrated, and I think it is not quite as strong as those subsequent books. Still, it is quite lovely, and could be used in a unit on the landscape and history of New England, as well as a general story about the themes of time and change. ( )

A barn raised in Colonial days tells its story: how it changed owners through the years and watched them through good times and bad. Folk art style paintings illustrate the changes over time.

Barn is a great little book about a barn that was built in the times of the pilgrims. You go through all of the time periods that the barn goes through: the revolution, the depression, the 60s, etc. The barn tells you all of the stories that she/he hears and what she goes through during each period. I great book for people of all ages.

As a student reading this book, I thought that it was great. You get to go back in time and see what it was like to be out in the country during different time periods. My favorite part of the book was seeing how different families used the barn for something different. And in the end the barn returns to the days of when she was first built.

As a teacher this book would be great book to use to show how things are used in different time periods. The book also has some very good illustrations. These might appeal to some of my younger students. I could also use this book for a read aloud. ( )