Member Reviews
A gently illustrated and beautiful story about the challenges of being unhoused while also finding home within one another. It is very educational for children to learn about homelessness and how it affects people, they may be able to notice children in their class experiencing the same thing, or perhaps they are experiencing it themselves. I like the happy ending but it’s also important to explain that it doesn’t always work out this way, and it’s important to be kind and caring to everyone experiencing this.
This is a very touching book about homelessness and how home isn't always what you want or thought it would be. The story is well-told and the illustrations are beautifully done.
This book is perfect for educating kids on family’s that experience homelessness. It’s a tough subject to discuss already, but this book can provide information and answers to kids in an honest setting. I also liked how there wasn’t any judgement shown, but rather a community and family that works together to overcome trying times.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. Review will be posted on my instagram page lizzies_little_library_
There are various books that explain homelessness for children. What makes this book different is that the kids never say they’re homeless. To them it’s just various versions of home. Sometimes it somewhere, sometimes it’s anywhere, and sometimes it’s nowhere, but since they are family, and they are together they are home. This book is written to show empathy and it does a fantastic job of it and I would suggest it for any library collection
*Thank you NetGalley for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review*
This is a MUST for elementary classrooms. Home gives a positive spin and teaching point about homelessness. It is a great picture book for SEL, inferencing, and building empathy in kids.
I received an arc of this title from NetGalley for an honest review. A book about where home is even when you don't have one. An important book to have a part of your collection.
Claire and Wes were happy in their lovely brown house, until one day they had to leave. As they moved with their parents from place to place, the siblings tried to remember that they will always have each other.
Home gives a positive spin to a very difficult issue. The children have friends and classmates in the story that are curious, but friendly. Unfortunately, those who live in shelters or on the streets are rarely treated well by others. As this is a children's story, the happier outlook does not bother me. The author's note would have been better at the beginning of the book, as it helps to give parents context for the story. It is pretty far on before the dialogue mentions the word shelter. Overall, Home provides a good teaching moment for parents and educators, so I would recommend it for that reason.
Disclaimer: I was given an Advanced Reader's Copy of Home by NetGalley and the publisher, Magination Press. The decision to read and review this book was entirely my own.
What an important book. I hope libraries and classrooms hold this book for the students that need to read it, not just the children who have experience with homelessness, but those that need to understand and empathetize. In short, all kids! I highly recommend
A solid book about the experience of being homeless. We're reflecting here specifically on the idea of home and how lacking that idea can destroy a child's sense of self. A solid way to teach empathy.
I really like the illustrations and the idea of this book. I genuinely feel like there was a hole in children's literature that this book filled. It's a sad reality but kids need to know that whatever position they're in in life, they are still valuable. I think that this could even become a series of books regarding different ages going through different versions of the same thing. Teenagers who have left their homes because they aren't safe and are living under bridges. Teenagers whose whole family is living under a bridge and the kids don't like him because he doesn't smell good. I feel like there's so many different ways that this message needs to be out there. Especially now that Biden is our president and he's completely held meant on making sure we are all going to be homeless.
Thank you #netgalley as well as the author of this book for not only allowing me to read it but for writing this book that can help many children understand situations other than their own.
This was told perfectly for a young audience. It conveyed the message in a way that was truthful, but easily digestible for a toddler.
This story follows two young siblings as they navigate losing their home. It shows how homelessness feels for young children and how it affects them.
This is a great way to show kids that everyone's life outside of school and playgroups is different, but it also shows the power of compassion and understanding.
And I really enjoyed the artwork which is also a bonus for me!
We need more stories like this for kids, that show different people going through different things in an age-appropriate manner.
Touching book about a family experiencing homelessness. Loved the illustrator's use of color vs. black and white to better show the struggles and joy of the characters. Highly recommend this book, and cannot wait to share it with children at our school.
This is possibly the best picture book about homelessness that I have read. It doesn’t sugarcoat the topic, and I appreciated that it showed homelessness in a way that is very common but not often thought about - a family moving from place to place, eventually ending up in a shelter.. I love that the book showed that it is hard on the family, but also the hopeful ending where they land in a house of their own. The illustrations are beautiful, with the family pictured in colour and their surroundings in black and white. This book would be excellent for any classroom or home library.
I've never read a picture book about homelessness quite like this one. Even pretty young children will be able to learn empathy for others through the telling of this story.
This is an amazing book that needs to be in every classroom and library. "Home" is a sad reality of two children who are victims of being homeless with their parents. Claire and Wes's present home turns into nowhere and this nowhere turns into anywhere.
Written from experience the author documents the life and emotions of two little ones who are thrust into uncertain housing scenarios: their house, to a motel, to a shelter, and then finally into a permanent home that the whole family cherishes.
The children experience fears, anxiety, a sense of loss as they are torn from familiar surroundings and thrust into a world that is scary and unknown to them. They sort through their challenges but never lose the spark of optimism and determination. Although things appear dire and out of their control the thread holding them all together and giving them hope is that their family remains a strong loving unit. Through all the uncertainly and hardships they never give up.
The author sums it up perfectly...
"They have each other, no matter at home, nowhere, anywhere, or somewhere - always."
That reality brings this family hope for their future and peace in their hearts. I highly, highly recommend this book and suggest it be shared with lots of conversation regarding this tender important subject. Excellent!
This is another children’s book that I wish was not necessary, but am very glad it exists. It pulls back the curtain on homelessness, especially as experienced by children. Whether a child is suffering through housing insecurity or an adult is looking for a way to open a dialogue with a child about homelessness, this book will help. Highly recommended.
Home is a heart-wrenching tale of a family who struggles to find a physical place that they can call home. Two children learn that a delightful home is what and where you make it no matter the circumstances.
Beautiful illustrations - A story about being homeless and having empathy. This is an aspect of poverty that many just gloss over. Impacting children, their perceptions of the world, and their future thoughts are all thought through with this book and inspected. This book is about love, empathy and caring. Beautiful thoughts, optimistic, and frankly, a story we don't see very often, this book is important to be read and added to library collections.
Empathetic children's book to understand "houselessness" or for house-less children to see themselves reflected in the pages of a book. The generalized story allows readers to fill in the gaps in different ways that apply to them. The lack of detail can be a positive or a negative depending on the reader. Definitely a unique subject that does not get much representation in picture books. The illustrations are calming to match the soothing tone.
I like that this book about homelessness was written from a child's perspective and I liked that the author uses their own experience to make it realistic. I thought the reader's note was great and that it provided helpful information for speaking to children and providing help to children and families experiencing homelessness.
This would be a great addition to school and home libraries as well as public libraries.