Home
by Matt de la Peña; illus. by Loren Long
Primary    Putnam    48 pp.
3/25    9780593110898    $19.99
e-book ed.  9780593110904    $10.99

The duo behind Love (rev. 3/18) returns with another meaningful picture book meant to tug on readers’ heartstrings—this time, on the topic of home. It begins with glimpses into the mundane moments people may experience every day: a parent rocks a baby to sleep, a child watches their grandfather fishing from his houseboat, a family hurries out the door for a busy day. The second-person text describes not just the accompanying images but also the sounds and sensations: the vibration of a construction site, the hum of traffic. However, with a poignant reminder, the tone shifts: “But a day may come when you learn how a home can be lost.” A family clings to one another as emergency workers carry debris from a storm. A child looks through a pickup truck’s rear window, belongings packed in the back, as their no-longer-home recedes in the distance. Whether depicting calm or disaster, Long’s art is full of emotion, and each of his textured acrylic paintings is a master class in color and shading. The story shifts once again to highlight all of the wonder and beauty of our greater home, Earth, reminding us that though four walls may be lost, the concept of home is much bigger.

From the March/April 2025 issue of The Horn Book Magazine.