Review: The House and the Doormat by Sherry Martin, Illustrated by Lynda Farrington Wilson

A lovely house on a hill learns what it takes to become a home in The House and the Doormat by author Sherry Martin, illustrated by Lynda Farrington Wilson. This simple story accompanied by stunning visuals is a charming children’s book with lessons on acceptance, appreciation, communication, self-respect and recognizing the work of others.

Ramona is a proud and beautiful house, sparkling from roof to root cellar, and isn’t afraid to brag about her appearance to anyone who will listen. Dusty, on the other hand, is the lowly doormat, often overlooked as people wipe their feet on his face before stepping through onto Ramona’s clean floors.

After years of this treatment, not to mention Ramona’s constant bragging and teasing jokes, Dusty is nearing the end of his patience. A contest for the city’s most beautiful house is being held, and while Ramona is distracted, Dusty is accidentally taken on the biggest adventure of his life – far from the loud, controlling house he had always known.

Upon realizing what she has lost, and finally recognizing the value that a doormat has when it comes to staying beautiful, Ramona laments her behavior. Simultaneously, Dusty may be experiencing the wild unknown, but he misses having a sense of purpose, and his special place at the front of the house. Without giving away too many of the charming resolutions to this quick and heartwarming story, lessons are learned all around.

This story explores themes on a deeper level than many other children’s books – the lessons Ramona learns are not only about how to treat others, but also about her own mindset regarding value and friendship. Similarly, Dusty may not have much agency in his decisions and movements, but his relationship with other characters and his own place in the house are human and complicated, and far from basic binaries often found in literature for kids.

While much of the story is enjoyable and easy to follow, there are some sloppy sections of writing, where the pace drags or the word choice falls flat, and the ending feels a bit rushed, in comparison to how quickly events unfurled throughout the rest of the story. That said, the messages come through loud and clear, without being too obvious, as the house and the doormat are fun and recognizable characters in their own right, and the twist ending with the ribbon is a touching cap on a cleverly penned book.

The unique style of illustrations is particularly notable; the vibrant colors and imperfect strokes are deeply emotive and provide a new burst of energy on every page. They are also inventive and memorable, shown from interesting perspectives and angles, a strange combination of Marc Chagall and Eric Carle, which will be a delight for children to study every corner.

Despite the few shortcomings in the writing itself, the moral for young children is powerful and the images are highly engaging. The themes of self-acceptance and interpersonal respect are layered, acting not only as a healthy guide for youngsters, but a necessary reminder for parents and older readers as well, making The House and the Doormat an ideal bedtime story.