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10th out of 41 books
—
13 voters
Where I Live
Diana loves where she lives. She loves the astronomy charts on her walls and the fact that she can wave to her best friend, Rose, from her very own window. And best of all, a wren has recently made its home right by her front door! When her family is forced to move, Diana wonders if she?ll ever find that same grounded and happy feeling again. This gentle and ultimately red...more
Hardcover, 112 pages
Published
June 21st 2007
by Dial
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I enjoyed this story about a girl who doesn't want to move-- and I could relate to that! I especially liked the relationship between the main character, Diana, and her little sister Twink. Recommended!
Beautifully written. Admittedly it touched my heart more now than it would any other time. I liked it so much I want to buy it and keep it around for years to come.
Diana loves her yellow house with the white shutters and everyone who lives in and around it. She loves her parents, her best friend Rose, and even her annoying little sister, Twink. She loves the bedroom that she and Rose have painted the color of the night sky and the baby birds that have nested in the willow wreath on the front door. But now Diana has to say goodbye to all of that because her father lost his job and the family has to move all the way across Pennsylvania to live with Grandpa J...more
I came into reading this book not sure if it would be a hit or a miss. I've moved around nearly all my life and most of the media I've seen about children moving did not fit my situation at all. I never had a house that I'd spent my entire life in, never had a best friend I'd known since kindergarten. This book didn't change that but that didn't stop it from grabbing onto my heart and tugging. One poem that really struck me was Diana's list poem about the things she misses and the entire 10 item...more
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Verse Novel
spoiler alert!!!
This book is about a girl named Diana who has to move away with her family but the most tragic part is leaving her best friend Rose. I can relate to her because my two best friends moved away in the same summer when we were going into the 6th grade, one moved all the way to California and the other to a small town about an hour and 30 minutes away from me. Diana was heart broken because Rose was the one person she spent all of her time with. She loved where she lived a...more
spoiler alert!!!
This book is about a girl named Diana who has to move away with her family but the most tragic part is leaving her best friend Rose. I can relate to her because my two best friends moved away in the same summer when we were going into the 6th grade, one moved all the way to California and the other to a small town about an hour and 30 minutes away from me. Diana was heart broken because Rose was the one person she spent all of her time with. She loved where she lived a...more
Easy read, finished within 15 minutes over a grilled cheese sandwich. Where I Live, is a heartwarming book that in all its simplicity tugged at my heart. I got a little teary-eyed, but maybe that's just me. The writing very much reflected what might be in a child's diary, but at the same time, I believe that the writings were to simplistic and underestimated the creativity a child may have with their words. In a way this book tried just too hard to achieve Diana's young voice. I wish the author...more
Verse Novel:
If I had to sum this book up in one word it would be “relatable.” As I was reading, I reminisced about some of my recent moves and got a bit choked up. Readers at many ages could easily love this book. For as effortless and quick of a read as it is, it conveys extraordinary emotion centered on friendship, family, loss, and growth. The opening scenes paint a beautiful and content picture for Diana, and as the story develops you go on her journey with her. I love the authenticity of he...more
If I had to sum this book up in one word it would be “relatable.” As I was reading, I reminisced about some of my recent moves and got a bit choked up. Readers at many ages could easily love this book. For as effortless and quick of a read as it is, it conveys extraordinary emotion centered on friendship, family, loss, and growth. The opening scenes paint a beautiful and content picture for Diana, and as the story develops you go on her journey with her. I love the authenticity of he...more
I really enjoyed how there was such a range of emotions in this book. It had ups and downs that many young readers could relate to. With the way the economy is and how many people are being layed off her fathers story is especially relatable. While none of the things in the book particularly related to me I still enjoyed it. I never had to move away from a friend or had one more away from me but I feel like from this book I already have a better understanding.
This book was a very easy read, but...more
This book was a very easy read, but...more
When I heard this was a book about a little girl having to move away from her best friend, I knew this was going to be my first pick for the verse novel choice. I have had so many friends move away as a kid, so I thought it would be a good choice. This book was a quick read, which was expected since it consists of poems. I loved that the main little girl, Diana, was really obsessed with astronomy and her best friend, Rose, accepted her for it since she wasn't as interested in the topic. When Dia...more
Apr 01, 2013
Elizabeth Mcdonough
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Shelves:
multi-cultural-text-set-families,
top-9
Spinelli, Eileen (2007). Where I Live. New York: Penguin Group.
Subgroup:
Raised by a Grandparent
Genre:
Poetry
Topics:
living with a grandparent, dealing with change, friendship, moving away
Synopsis:
This story is told through poetry from a young girl's perspective. Diana is really sad when she finds out she has to move six hours away to live with her grandpa Jo. She is sad to leave everything, especially her best friend, Rose. I like the multicultural aspect that is illustrated through the friendsh...more
Subgroup:
Raised by a Grandparent
Genre:
Poetry
Topics:
living with a grandparent, dealing with change, friendship, moving away
Synopsis:
This story is told through poetry from a young girl's perspective. Diana is really sad when she finds out she has to move six hours away to live with her grandpa Jo. She is sad to leave everything, especially her best friend, Rose. I like the multicultural aspect that is illustrated through the friendsh...more
I picked this up mainly because of the author's last name. I've been a long-time fan of Jerry Spinelli and figured they must be related. Turns out, Eileen is his wife. Shame on me for not knowing about or at least not making the connection sooner. Most of what Eileen has written are picture books for children. When I visited her fun website I realized I have several of them in my library at school, but I sadly I didn't know them by author. I tend to direct the younger kids to engaging stories wi...more
I finished this novel in verse with my daughter and found it immensely satisfying. I got choked up reading out loud to her more than once. The illustrations that go along with the poems are also excellent and very evocative. This is a beautifully written book about a girl having to move and her adjustment.
Sep 27, 2007
babyhippoface
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
everyone, especially children who have had to move to a new town
Shelves:
kids-fiction,
all-time-favorites
Wow. What a great little book. Written in free verse, this is a super-quick read, and quite a satisfying one. Matt Phelan's illustrations are absolutely perfect, conveying incredible emotion. Diana has a realistic voice--one many children will recognize. I cannot recommend this strongly enough. Read it.
A sweet story about friendship, moving, sadness, and making new friends. Diana finds out she is moving after her father loses his job. She will miss her house, her neighborhood, but especially her friend Rose. Rose and Diana do everything together, even though Rose doesn't like stars, the night sky, and poetry like Diana does. The family goes to live with grandpa Joe in his big white stucco house and Diana is sad...sad until her love of poetry finds her in a new way, and a new friend finds her w...more
Verse Novel: I really enjoyed this book because I can sort of relate. I never moved when I was a child, but I did have a best friend who moved away from me. I was about 6 years old and pretty much devastated. To some people it wasn't very far, just a few cities away, but for me it was like she moved to a different country. At that time we didn't know how to send e-mail and we wrote letters some times but they ended after a little while. To this day I still think about how my life would be if she...more
story told in series of poems. the story is about a girl who loves poetry, astronomy, and her best friend. when her father loses his job, they are forced to move away and live with her grandfather. the story deals with real issues of friendship, family, struggle...As the story is told in a poem per page, the pace is quick and while the narrative hangs together, there is movement between topics (and how heavy or light the content of the poem is). this is a book that made me change my tune about n...more
As one of the 2009-2010 Bluebonnet selections, Where I Live is a very sweet book about a girl who has to leave her home and best friend behind when her dad loses his job. Diana loves to write poetry, and the entire book is composed of her poems. I loved reading the poetry because it really captured the emotional ups and downs Diana faced during this difficult time. Matt Phelan's black and white illustrations were the perfect compliment to Spinelli's poems and brought a tear to my eye more than o...more
Verse Novel-
This book was pretty good not my favorite, but cute. I liked the story and how it was presented in a poem like fashion. I felt like even through short little blurbs a strong connection to the character was still achieved. When the main character had to move you felt so sad for her and could feel the pain she felt. This would be a great book for new young readers transitioning from picture books to chapter books. It was a quick read and easy to get through. It also includes pictures t...more
This book was pretty good not my favorite, but cute. I liked the story and how it was presented in a poem like fashion. I felt like even through short little blurbs a strong connection to the character was still achieved. When the main character had to move you felt so sad for her and could feel the pain she felt. This would be a great book for new young readers transitioning from picture books to chapter books. It was a quick read and easy to get through. It also includes pictures t...more
Oct 21, 2009
Charlyn Trussell
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Grades 3 and up
Recommended to Charlyn by:
Texas Bluebonnet Award Reading List
This book both begins and ends with a poem named "where i live," but the two poems--and the two places--are different. This book, written in the voice of young narrator and poet Diana, details the difficult road between the two.
At the beginning of the book, life is perfect. She has a wonderful family, a home she loves, a BFF Rose, and a kind, empathetic teacher. She wins a poetry contest and is invited to a writing workshop. The mood at homs causes Diana to suspect that her parents are getting...more
At the beginning of the book, life is perfect. She has a wonderful family, a home she loves, a BFF Rose, and a kind, empathetic teacher. She wins a poetry contest and is invited to a writing workshop. The mood at homs causes Diana to suspect that her parents are getting...more
This is such a sweet and charming little book--little in size, but not in heart. Diana is a young girl who loves her yellow house, her best friend Rose, the wren nesting in the wreath on the front door, and the night sky. She writes a poem about the sun and it wins a school contest. She wakes up happy in the morning. Her life is good.
But then her dad loses his job and her parents decide to move to Grandpa Joe's house near Pittsburgh. Diana is heartbroken. She has to say mad-sad goodbyes to her y...more
But then her dad loses his job and her parents decide to move to Grandpa Joe's house near Pittsburgh. Diana is heartbroken. She has to say mad-sad goodbyes to her y...more
A very adorable book about a young girl who loves her home, best friend Rosy, the sun, stars and nighttime sky, all told through her poetry. Diana is crushed when she is told they are moving because her dad lost his job, but realizes that her new home will be just as great because her family is there with her and she makes a new friend with the same interests. This would be a great book to read as a class, and give as a gift to a classmate who has to transfer schools mid-year!
Series of poems telling the story of Diana, a little girl who loves stars, playing Scrabble, and her best friend, Rose. Diana's father loses his job and so they have to sell their house and move 6 hours away to live with her grandfather. Usual theme of moving and a child having no control over the situation, but the poems are a nice touch. Overall, a sweet and light story about a child who is totally unhappy with moving, but finds a friend and a happy life in her new home.
TOPIC THREADS:
* family
* unemployment
* moving
* fears
* friendship
* verse novel
PICTURE BOOK CONNECTIONS:
* Alexander, Who's Not (Do You Hear Me? I Mean It!) Going to Move (moving)
* My Ol' Man (unemployment)
* Scaredy Squirrel Makes a Friend (friendship, fears)
* Wemberly Worried (friendship, fears)
CHAPTER BOOK CONNECTIONS:
* Ramona and Her Father (unemployment)
* There's an Owl in the Shower (unemployment)
* Love That Dog (verse novel)
* Allie Finkle's Rules for Girls: Moving Day (moving)
* Locomotion (ver...more
* family
* unemployment
* moving
* fears
* friendship
* verse novel
PICTURE BOOK CONNECTIONS:
* Alexander, Who's Not (Do You Hear Me? I Mean It!) Going to Move (moving)
* My Ol' Man (unemployment)
* Scaredy Squirrel Makes a Friend (friendship, fears)
* Wemberly Worried (friendship, fears)
CHAPTER BOOK CONNECTIONS:
* Ramona and Her Father (unemployment)
* There's an Owl in the Shower (unemployment)
* Love That Dog (verse novel)
* Allie Finkle's Rules for Girls: Moving Day (moving)
* Locomotion (ver...more
TCL Call #: SH CH Spinelli
Teton Co. Library Staff
In a series of adorable, honest, and touching free verse poems, young Diana tells us all about her home, dead friend Rose, little sister Twink, and love for the stars and poetry. During the tale, we discover her father loses his job and a move to Grandpa Joe's must happen. Each shining verse brings both smiles and sighs to a charmingin, bright, caring youngster. A true tender-hearted story.
Teton Co. Library Staff
In a series of adorable, honest, and touching free verse poems, young Diana tells us all about her home, dead friend Rose, little sister Twink, and love for the stars and poetry. During the tale, we discover her father loses his job and a move to Grandpa Joe's must happen. Each shining verse brings both smiles and sighs to a charmingin, bright, caring youngster. A true tender-hearted story.
Jan 21, 2009
Dianna
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
EVERYBODY who has ever been stuck in that not a child-childish stage
Recommended to Dianna by:
my genious self!
this book was incredible, even though it's kind of...juvenile. it's a quick-read, written in poetry, and it captures the feeling of that age where you're not a child any longer, but you're not quite not a child. when Diana made a list of the top ten reasons why Rose was her best friend, i almost cried. i know you'll think i'm crazy and over-emotional, but i was busy thinking of MY best friend!!!
A novel in poems written by a young girl, maybe about 9 years old. She writes about her house, her family, and most of all her best friend, Rose. She is devastated when her father loses his job and they have to move to Pittsburgh and live with Grandpa Joe. The poems vary in length and style, and some are much deeper than others. The pencil illustrations add to the story.
LIked this story about friendship and moving. At first, I felt the text jumped all over from poem to poem and topic to topic, but as I continued reading it began to flow. That is when I liked Diana and her writing notebook. Great mentor text to use when introducing writing notebooks: open your eyes and your hearts.
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
Diana loves where she lives. She loves the astronomy charts on her walls and the fact that she can wave to her best friend, Rose, from her very own window. And best of all, a wren has recently made its home right by her front door! When her family is forced to move, Diana wonders if she?ll ever find that same grounded and happy feeling again. This gentle and ultimately redeeming story in poems is about those secure and fulfilling friendships that happen naturally and easily when you live right n...more
This was very cute and very touching. I definitely want to buy a copy for my classroom library. I was amazed that this short, told in what is really just a bunch of short poems, was able to leave me with such a strong, happy feeling. I recommend this feel-good read to kids of all ages.
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Eileen Spinelli, wife of famed children's author Jerry Spinelli, is an award winning children's book author from southeastern Pennsylvania.
More about Eileen Spinelli...
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