Reviewed by Rosie Malezer for Readers' Favorite

I Hate My House is a children’s book written by Farid Bidgoli and illustrated by Shuk Yin Law. Tired of his heavy home, a snail complains that he hates his house because it is so heavy. The snail wishes that he can fly like a bird so that he can see the best, juiciest leaves to eat. Other insects and animals invite the snail to come and live with them but, with each offer received, the snail discovers that life without his shell is extremely hazardous, as he will be exposed to predators and bad weather, as well as risk of injury if he should fall from a great height. After being mistaken for a slug (after he’d discarded his shell), the snail realizes that he has not only lost his home, but also his identity. Although his house is heavy, it had protected him from the weather, kept him safe from predators and allowed him to travel around anywhere, giving him the freedom that he’d always wanted. When the snail and his home are reunited, he is relieved and promises never to complain about his house ever again.

I very much enjoyed this fable-type story by Farid Bidgoli, which ultimately teaches the reader not to take essential things for granted; you will most definitely miss them when they are gone. In this case, a garden snail thought of his home as nothing but a heavy burden which he had to carry around everywhere, but quickly came to realize that it was much more. The bright and colorful illustrations are both beautiful and unique, bringing this well-written story to life at each turn of the page. Different characters are introduced throughout, and the reader learns a little bit about those animals too, such as the bird, ladybird, woodpecker, frog, slug and ever-wise bug. I am always fascinated by children’s books which build on a child’s ability to think – not only in educational lessons but also ones which carry a moral in the story. I recommend this as a story time book for children aged 4-7, so they learn never to take anything in life for granted.