The Mellon family have outgrown their flat. It’s time to move, but none of the houses they look at are quite right, so they decide to build their own house. Masha is an architect. She listens to all the Mellon’s requests and designs a house. The house accommodates all the family’s needs as well as their budget, but most of all, the house accommodates the environment. It is an eco-house.

Lots of people help build the Mellons’ house. Boris and his team of groundworkers dig the foundations, Mirko the carpenter helps construct the wooden frame. Penny is a plumber and Bea is the project manager. Lots of construction vehicles are also required. Eventually the house takes shape. A ground source heat pump, solar panels, a green roof and a rainwater harvester help make this air-tight construction as environmentally friendly as possible.

The Mellons Build a House is hugely enjoyable picturebook that takes the reader step by step through the design and construction of a house. The environmental considerations make this book uniquely timely and refreshing. Thomas Slater’s bold, bright illustrations are inclusive, warm and rich with humour. An essential read for aspiring young architects and construction-enthusiasts.