A Cooperative Children’s Book Center Choice (CCBC Choice)
“Unlike most picture books about moving, this one has a distinctly upbeat vibe, thanks mainly to James’s striking illustrations...Details are childlike and relatable.” —The Horn Book
“I have a special fondness for this new little Australian import. Reading it, you can see why illustrator Ann James has been nominated for the Hans Christian Andersen Award. She imbues the main character with this marvelous, wild, frenetic energy. And the text is just so clever. It turns moving into a wondrous, exploring game.” —Betsy Bird, A Fuse #8 Production, School Library Journal
“A great book to help readers of any age maneuver around feelings connected to saying goodbye and leaving favorite things behind, as well as their trepidation and excitement over what will be.” —Rosie Camargo, Booklist
“Ann James’ painted illustration gives warmth and neutrality to the places, meaning that readers can impose their own familiar ideas about home onto them, contrasted with the dynamic black-and-white depictions of the little girl, who is all action and movement. Simple and effective.” —Book Trust
“Moving house can be fun and not scary with the right attitude… Striking [and] pleasing… would…soothe a child anxious about a potentially traumatic experience.” —Kirkus Reviews
“Margaret Wild's minimal text combined with Ann James' muted story-telling illustrations leave plenty of room for the reader's imaginations. This heart-warming book offers a great starting point for opening up discussion about change ...” —Red Reading Hub
A “Must Read Book About Moving For Kids” —Growing Book by Book
“A lovely, sweet, picture book that will help prepare young kids for the possibility of moving… a simple-but-moving tale of transition and possibilities, is bibliotherapy at its best.” —Richie's Picks
2021-07-27
A young child visits their old haunts for the last time with affection and greets their new home with enthusiasm.
Tousle-headed and lively, the child runs through the landscape of their old home, naming all the activities they will never do again in this place: fishing in the river, running through the trees, petting the pony, swinging on the gate, eating at the table, dreaming by the fire. They stand at the open door, looking wistfully out at the familiar scenery, then bounce from room to room, saying goodbye to each one in turn. They even change the writing on their bedroom wall to the past tense: It now reads “Sam lived here.” The process is reversed as they travel to their new home and explore all the activities in the new place: pushing open the gate, climbing a tree, petting a new cat, and saying “Hello” to the new rooms. They add an inscription on the bedroom wall: “Sam lives here now.” The visual treatment is striking: Loose black-and-white cutout sketches of the child (whose skin is, therefore, paper-white) are collaged over soft, muted, almost abstract landscapes. The effect is pleasing, but there is little detail for a child to pore over. In spite of the paucity of detail, this would serve well to soothe a child anxious about a potentially traumatic experience.
Moving house can be fun and not scary with the right attitude. (Picture book. 3-6)
