The House the Fool Built
The wind is rising. The waves are coming. Will the house stand?
Preliminary watercolor sketch showing the shore of Galilee with a house built on the sand.
Picture Book • Ages 4–8 • 32 pages • Full Color • Coming Spring 2027
The wind is rising. The waves are coming. Will the house stand?
In this joyful cumulative retelling of Jesus’ parable, children will delight in chiming in with the growing refrain as the storm rages across the shore. From the foolish man’s house built on shifting sand, to the wise man’s family home standing firm on the rock after the fiercest storm, The House the Fool Built transforms this Bible story into a read-aloud children will want to hear again and again.
This beautifully illustrated picture book introduces one of Jesus’ best-loved parables in a fresh, memorable way. Engaging repetition, rhythmic rhyme, and rich watercolor illustrations bring this timeless lesson to life, reminding young readers that a life built on a strong foundation can weather every storm.
Text by CJ Penland
Illustrations by Nan Hickam Hunt
The manuscript is complete, and the original watercolor illustrations are now in progress. Visit again for behind-the-scenes artwork, preview pages, and publication updates as this book comes to life.
Peek Inside!
This is the house the fool built.
This is the strand all filled with sand
That lay under the house the fool built.
This is the storm from lands far away,
Blowing in strong from across the bay,
Whipping the wind across the strand,
Swirling and whirling and full of the sand
That lay under the house the fool built.
From the Stacks
The House That Jack Built—full text with illustrations