A Home That Means the World

Thoughts:
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. This is an amazing book to read to young children. It seems at first to be a sweet story about finding and rebuilding home. However, taking a more indepth look at the story, it can be used to help young children understand migration, especially immigration in a way they can understand and develop compassion and empathy for those who may have joined their classrooms after the start of the recent wars.

Favourite Quote:
"On the way, Flora discovered they were not alone. There were those who had journeys of their own to make and those who had stories of their own to tell. Then there were those who couldn’t understand at all."

Thank you for the gifted arc!

Such a beautiful story for young readers. It tells the importance of community and being welcoming! So well written with beautiful illustrations!

What a beautifully illustrated and poignant tale for young readers about a family of weaver ants who lose their home. Their difficult journey to find a new community shows the importance of being open and welcoming to those different from us. An important lesson for all!

A wonderful book with a great messages for youngsters on the importance of home and what it means to us. Fantastic illustrations that are both engaging and well connected to the story.

A Home That Means The World is a story that way too many children in this world can relate to, unfortunately. This is such a wonderful, beautiful way to tell little ones who are part of families that have been displaced that they're not alone and that kindness still exists. It's also a great way to encourage empathy in children through the gift of storytelling. The illustrations are stunning, I enjoyed the classic feel of the images. This book is wonderful for children ages 2-5.
Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

A Home That Means the World is a super sweet children's book that focuses on a family of ants that is abruptly displaced from their home. The book follows their journey to find a new home, and their eventual realization that home is wherever they are together.

There was some beautiful prose in this book & I loved the soft watercolor illustrations. Thank you to NetGalley, Victoria Turnbull, and Quarto Publishing for the chance to read and review! My thoughts and opinions are my own.

This is a great book that teaches children about how important home is. The illustrations are beautiful!

I appreciate the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Oh my WORD, this is the sweetest book with the softest and most beautiful illustrations. I can't get over how darling the pictures are. I absolutely fell in love with this short little children's story. "lost can be found, broken can be mended". I just love it. I will be buying this for the children in my life. Highly recommend.

"But lost can be found, broken can mend."

A beautifully touching, particularly relevant story about a family of ants who are displaced from their home. They search endlessly for another perfect place to be, enduring both good and bad along the way. Eventually, they realize that they can remain together and rebuild their home. In turn, they open their new home to others in need on their own journeys.

Everyone deserves a home of their own and a community, and this book does a wonderful job of capturing that. It also must be said that the illustrations are just as beautiful as the sentiment. ♥

(Thank you to NetGalley and the author for providing me with a free digital copy in exchange for an honest review.)

I adored this book and plan to buy a copy for my classroom library. As an immigrant, and a teacher in a school with a very high immigrant population, I am always looking for books that touch on moving home, intercultural situations, and immigration. This book, in a very gentle way, touches on all three. I was especially impressed when the book touched on having a language barrier, an experience familiar to a lot of my students.

I would recommend this book for older children. While it is cute, and wonderfully gentle, the themes and allegories would be better understood by older children.

This was such a cute little book! The artwork is stunning. It follows the story of an ant family who are weavers and their journey to find a home after theirs was taken (destroyed) from them. To children, it's a story of ants, to adults it can signify the journey that many displaced people have to go through. It doesn't take extravagant things to make a house a home.

This is such a fun journey! The illustration style fit the story perfectly, and I enjoyed this family adventure!

What an adorable story! When I was a child I always imagined what it was like to be a bug and how big everything would look to me. I used to put my head down in the grass and imagine how an ant would see things like blades of grass. This story brought back magical childhood memories that I haven’t thought about in decades. Beautiful!

Charming, heartwarming story that models for children being welcoming and kind to all people. The illustrations are engaging and interesting, and I love how the story is told through a weaver ant family who must move forward after their home is destroyed. Thanks to NetGalley and publisher for the ARC. Pub Date: Sep, 3, 2024.

#AHomeThatMeansTheWorld
#NetGalley

This is a beautiful story. Flora and her family lose their home, due to the choices of others. So, they must set out to find a new home. Though home may sometimes be held together by mere threads, it means the world to the ones whose home it is. This story appears to be an allegory for those who may face homelessness or emigration to a new home due to forces outside of their power. This story was sweet, at times heartbreaking, and most importantly relatable for those children who may have experienced something like Flora. I adored this story and it created a great opportunity to discuss heavier things with my daughter in a way she could untamed that can help her to develop empathy for others. The illustrations were dreamy and whimsical. Just a lovely and inspiring story of struggle, family, and resilience.

This story was great. Taught to persevere and be brave. The illustrations were beautiful. Will recommend to friends with littles.

I received an ARC of this children's book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is a really lovely book. The pictures are very cute and the story is wonderful!

An extraordinary masterpiece!
I loved the vintage style of this book, the illustrations are amazing.
the theme of this book is very close to my heart, it explores the notion of a home, of being an outsider and welcoming people into our lives without judgment or fear.
AMAZING READ!

"What is lost can be found."

This poetic story about a family of weavers who are displaced from their home would spark meaningful conversations about the importance of family, shelter, and community. The plot doesn't move quickly or with much action, so our recommendation is this story is best suited for older children. It could even be paired with novels about refugees for middle school and high school aged children.

‘A Home That Means the World’ by Victoria Turnbull is a heartwarming children's book that beautifully explores the themes of home, family love, and friendships. With its charming plot and adorable characters, this story is sure to resonate with both children and adults alike.

Plot: ★★★★★

The plot of ‘A Home That Means the World’ is absolutely adorable. It revolves around the notions of home, family love, and friendships, providing a comforting and relatable story for young readers. The narrative is engaging and full of warmth, making it a perfect bedtime read.

Character: ★★★★★

The characters in this book are very cute and sweet. They are well-developed and relatable, embodying the essence of family and friendship. Children will find the characters endearing and may see reflections of their own family dynamics within the story.

Illustrations: ★★★★★

The illustrations in ‘A Home That Means the World’ are very cute and the vintage style really enhances the homely theme. The artwork complements the narrative beautifully, adding depth and visual appeal to the story. The illustrations are detailed and evoke a sense of nostalgia, further enriching the reading experience.

Engagement: ★★★★☆

The engagement level of this book is wonderful. The heartwarming story and charming illustrations ensure that young readers will be captivated from beginning to end. The themes of home and family are universally appealing and will keep children interested throughout.

Readability: ★★★★☆

The readability of ‘A Home That Means the World’ is great. The language is simple and clear, making it accessible for young readers. The text flows smoothly, making it an excellent choice for both independent reading and read-aloud sessions. The balance between text and illustrations helps maintain children's interest and enhances their understanding of the story.

Enjoyment: ★★★★☆

This book is very enjoyable for young children. The combination of a heartwarming plot, adorable characters, and beautiful illustrations makes it a delightful read. Children will love the story's comforting themes and may even draw parallels to their own experiences with home and family.


‘A Home That Means the World’ by Victoria Turnbull is a charming and visually appealing children's book that celebrates the importance of home, family love, and friendships. With its adorable plot, sweet characters, and vintage-style illustrations, it is sure to become a beloved favourite for young readers and their families.

As I read this book, I couldn't help but think about refugees. The story is about a famoily that have become displaced and the challenges they go through as they meander along a journey to settle somewhere new. There were good and bad days, days of being understood and days that brouught the opposite. All in all, I found it quite touching and cleverly written to invoke the feelings that it did in my adult self.

Looking at this book through my parent eyes, I view it as a useful device for explaining to younger readers about new neighbours and class fellows they encounter that have come from abroad be it in search of a life, displacement due to conflict, or similar struggles. That said, the book is beautifully written and avoids any negative images, connotations, and the like. Rather than focusing on the negative of having to move, it focuses on the journey and the persistence to start over.

The pictures in the book are quite unique and tell a story themselves. For younger readers that haven't learned to decipher the written word, they provide an opportunity for readers to use their imagination and tell thier own stories. I enjoyed the read immensely and would have no reservations recommending it for audiences between 0 and 6 years of age. I also have no reservations rating the book 5 out of 5. It was well written, nicely laid out, and demonstrates great execution of a creative idea.

Children's fiction is a genre that I adore with all my heart. Because it's beautiful, it has calmness and peace. The world of children is not chaotic and pretentious, and even if there is chaos, it is peaceful chaos, a chaos that you adore.

This is an illustrated book of only 17 pages, and with every page that you read, your heart feels warm. 💛

It's the story of a weaver ant family—Flora and her mother—who lost their home and found it back. They made it to the home, which means the world and what is lost can be found, what is broken can be repaired, and what is closed can be opened again.🌻

This book is little, yet it is impactful. It teaches you to be kind, and it teaches you that no matter what, we all long for a place where we can belong, and no matter how small it is, it is your home that means the world. May we all find our way back home.

I am grateful to #netgalley for sending me this book in exchange for an honest review. #netgalley#AHomeThatMeansTheWorld
❣️

Tiny Flora, a Weaver ant, and her family set out to find a new home when their treetop home falls apart. Victoria Trumbull turns this tale into a much-needed allegory about the plight of refugees. I could not decide what was more beautiful: the writing or those ethereal illustrations. Both were equally touching as poor, worried Flora encounters the compassionate — and not. Highly, highly recommended for readers of any age.

In the interest of full disclosure, I received this book from NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group – Frances Lincoln Children’s Books in exchange for an honest review.