Cute picture book with a cute dog showing kids what people did during the pandemic. I thought it explained the pandemic in a way that kids can undertand.

This book is very interesting. As all Covid things have now been considered done and over this book is more of a reminder, then I hope to get through. It would also be great for the next pandemic, when we are once again locked behind doors. This book stays to the hopeful and the exciting but mentioned that you don’t always get what you want or have what you need but you still had the world.

This book tells the story of a time when there was a virus threatening people all over the world. The child in the story learns that handwashing, wearing masks, and social distancing were some of the ways to keep safe. Most of all, doing these things were part of being a Super Helper, and that is a wonderful thing!
The illustrations by Yōko Matsuoka are simple, colorful, and meaningful.
Loved it!
Well suited for reading WITH someone of any age including ESL, and great for gifting to anyone, but especially to a school or your public library!
I requested and received a free temporary e-book on Adobe Digital Editions from Independent Publishers Group/Huqua Press via NetGalley. Thank you!

"When We Stayed Home" is a touching picture book that tells the story of children who had to stay home during the Covid 19 pandemic that started in 2020. It pays homage to all the young heroes who understood they had to stay home for a long time to protect themselves and others during this difficult time.
Some children were initially frustrated and bored, but they managed to find creative ways to entertain themselves. They learned new skills, played games with their families, and explored the world through new ways, books, and video games.
The book highlights children's resilience and resourcefulness, showing how individual choices in a community make a big difference
The illustrations in "When We Stayed Home" are beautiful and colorful, with expressive drawings that capture the children's interest. The author uses simple language, making it easy for young readers to understand the story, while also conveying an important message.
Overall, "When We Stayed Home" is a wonderful picture book that shares with children a positive and uplifting message about a time that won’t be easy to forget. It is a must-read for children and families who experienced the effects of the Covid 19 but also for those kids who never had to go through it.

Though this book encompasses the big differences in what everyone had to do when Covid first started. But currently we are in a less stringent rules about staying home. Yes we still have to wear masks and wash hands but some places no longer require masks. So as long as parents explain what we had to go through and what we currently need to do, the book works fine. Great illustrations.
I received an advanced reader copy for free from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.

Hope kids and all of us do not experience a pandemic like this again. The amount of stress and anxiety; the loss and the pain this pandemic caused have been quite a lot to everyone, especially the kids.

This picture storybook tells one story of one such kid having to adopt all the rules to be maintained during the pandemic and is one such hero who has been trying his best!

I find the presentation quite fascinating. The writing is amazing despite the theme we are talking about. The illustrations are easy to the eyes and really good.

Thank you, Huqua Press, for the advance reading copy.

This book is so sweet, and it’s great so see a book which can help kids come to terms with the time they have spent at home away from their schools, friends, and extended families. Some of the terms might be geared more toward bigger kids like specifying “social distancing” and “vaccination,” but being a super helper and finding lots of fun things to do at home will definitely resonate with kids of all ages.

While this was a sweet book, it is difficult for me to know if littles who grew up at the height of the pandemic will enjoy reading about such a difficult time. I’m not sure exactly when I might recommend this book, and I probably wouldn’t use it in a story time, but it is a cute little time capsule of a time when everyone had to work together to keep others safe. I would have liked to see more of a “moral” that goes beyond “we stayed home to keep others safe,” as this really only was relevant during quarantine. Either way, the illustrations were adorable, and the dogs were a sweet touch :)

Publication May 2, 2023

I loved the sweetly positive tone of this one. Since the wearing of masks is not that far away in our past, at least we hope it's in the past, it was fun to see even that adorable dog in the grinning mask. I actually had a similar one, albeit more as a decorative cover over the more efficient ones, so it brought back a smile. The illustrations themselves are both realistic and whimsical, keeping to the fun, positive tone of the book. I think my favorites were the fort full of books and the one of the toilet paper styled cookie decoration. They do a great job of showing that while the boy had moments when his "eyes leaked tears", he also managed to find ways to both be helpful and entertain himself.

Overall, "When We Stayed Home" conveys a message of optimism, even mixed with tears, as one child is depicted dealing with how his world became smaller due to the epidemic. One photo shows him with a globe in his hands, a subtle reminder that while we may be restricted from socializing and moving about freely, there is a world of possibilities out there for those who look. The illustrations alone will entertain children, with perhaps any adult reading with them asking simple questions about the pictures. For instance, what was the meaning behind the "6 Feet" cookie decoration? What do you spy in his fort? What would you want to share via Zoom (or a known to the child program) with family or friends? What can you do with your dog/cat/pet that is fun inside? I'm sure others will have better ideas.

Bottom line, lots of ideas within, ideas that don't need frighting times to be used, all seen from a child's perspective. Perfect quote to tie things together at the end, too. "I didn't get everything I wanted in lockdown but I got everything I needed."

Thanks #NetGalley and #IPG - #IndependentPublishersGroup - #Meteor17Books for reminding us of what is positive and hopeful in our sometimes scary world.

Charming, gentle book for children about the ways lives changed during the pandemic. It presents a somewhat sheltered and idealized view, yet I am sure there are parents who would appreciate it. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

According to my students, we desperately need more books written about Covid. This picture book illustrated all of the things-good and bad- that went on when everyone stayed home. I liked the balance of talking about advantages, but the reality of how hard it was was also explained.