Home is where the heart is

From My New Home by Marta Altés (Macmillan, 2014) | Illustration © 2014 by Marta Altés

 With the school summer break well underway, I thought it was timely to share a story about moving house and changing schools.

So my recommendation this week is My New Home by Marta Altés (Macmillan, 2014).

Altés’s characters - simple and expressive - are utterly enchanting! Her colour palette is limited to red, ochre, a warm brown and cool grey-blue (painted in watercolour against clean white backgrounds) which lends sophistication to the book.

The story - about moving house - is narrated by a little raccoon. It begins with a reassuring moment: the racoon boxing up her cuddly toys.

Some friends you can take with you. 

But others must be left behind.

Driving away, the little racoon looks back at her friends. They are huddled in a group, gathered together to see her off.

Rabbit and Mouse hold hands. Along with Dog, they seem ok. 

But Cat looks so sad!

 

From My New Home by Marta Altés (Macmillan, 2014) | Illustration © 2014 by Marta Altés

 

It’s a bittersweet moment that contrasts with the following spreads, where Racoon is playing amongst packing boxes. It’s not much fun without her friends. You can see that from her body language, which tells us she is sad - not excited - by the experience of moving house.

‘I feel so far from home’, she says.

 

From My New Home by Marta Altés (Macmillan, 2014) | Illustration © 2014 by Marta Altés

 

My New Home is an excellent example of how a good picture book should work. Because Altés shows things happening in the images that aren’t mentioned in the text at all. This is one of the reasons I recommend it - because it will develop your child’s visual literacy and own storytelling skills.

For example, Altés’s illustration of the little racoon, on her first day at school, portrays exactly how she feels. Across two spreads, the text merely says:

 

New can be scary… 

… and a little bit lonely.

 

It is direct and to the point. From the illustrations, the reader can clearly see that the little racoon feels overwhelmed and daunted. She hides behind Dad’s protective tail, hoping to disappear into the security of his big fluffy tail. Classmates walk past. They stare and pull faces.

 

From My New Home by Marta Altés (Macmillan, 2014) | Illustration © 2014 by Marta Altés

 

At playtime, the racoon feels lonely. She hugs her own tail, watching as her classmates run about having fun with each other.

In an interview with Booktrust, Altés explains the importance of using both words and illustration to tell the story in picture books. 

 

“In almost every picture book, there are three stories that are told at the same time. One is the text, the next one is the images, and the third is the one we make up in our head as we bring the words and images together. Without one, the other wouldn’t exist. I find picture books so fascinating because of this; it’s a kind of magic because the real story is made up in your mind.”

 

Picture books need to address the more challenging experiences of life, and in My New Home, Altés acknowledges the hard realities of moving house. 

‘I was happy in my old house’, explains the racoon. A warm scene depicting joyful, waving friends contrasts with the opposite page: A rainy day in cool grey tones, where passing strangers remain hidden under their umbrellas.

 

From My New Home by Marta Altés (Macmillan, 2014) | Illustration © 2014 by Marta Altés

 

Here everything feels new.

I don’t really like it.

 

I’ve shared before how shy and lonely I was when I first started school and how much I wanted my mummy! So I can totally relate to this little racoon who goes and sits alone beneath a tree and begins drawing in the dirt with a stick: 

First, a house. 

Then her friends. 

Longing to be elsewhere, she remembers -

 

Dad says not to worry.

 

Altés cleverly leaves the identity of the adult racoon open-ended. Maybe it’s Dad, or perhaps it’s Mum - or someone else altogether. It doesn’t matter! Throughout this article, I refer to the little racoon as she – but again, Altés leaves that open to interpretation. This lack of description allows readers to project their own experiences and draw their own conclusions. This ultimately allows more children to relate to the characters - and form their own story - the ‘real story … made up in your mind’ that Altés refers to.

The little racoon continues: ‘[Dad] says that when I least expect it…’ - a group of friendly faces appear from the trees - ‘I’ll find new adventures.’  

 

And adventures make loneliness disappear…

 

Such a beautiful line, full of hope! The racoon (now included in her classmates’ games) smiles for the first time as she realises that new can be exciting!

 

From My New Home by Marta Altés (Macmillan, 2014) | Illustration © 2014 by Marta Altés

 

Another rainy day.

Outside are more umbrellas.

But this time, the characters are no longer passing strangers. It’s the racoon’s new friends calling round to play - fellow adventurers, eager to make use of all those empty packing boxes! Together, they help her feel like she’s at home again.

 

From My New Home by Marta Altés (Macmillan, 2014) | Illustration © 2014 by Marta Altés

 

My New Home is a clever and gentle story. Yes, it’s about moving house - and at its core is the old adage, Home is where the heart is. But its broader themes of loneliness and making friends are universal. It will reassure kids experiencing similar feelings to the little racoon and give others confidence when facing new situations. My New Home also develops empathy in children by demonstrating ‘the importance of kindness and acceptance when meeting someone new’. Empathy must be learnt - and picture books like this will strengthen that muscle. 

 One of the things that makes My New Home stand out from similar stories is that the little racoon’s old friends are not forgotten. Midway through the book, Racoon gets mail! Hugging the letter close to her heart, she says:

 

I still miss my old friends.

But sometimes it feels like they are here.

 

Finally, on the back endpapers, we see her old friends arriving at the new house. The story has come full circle, and now the little racoon has twice as many friends! Leaving the reader to wonder: What adventures will this big gang have together..?

 STORIES WORTH SHARING: My New Home by Marta Altés

Good to Read because:

The story is reassuring - perfect for children moving house or starting a new school.

The clever use of both words and pictures to tell a larger story strengthens your child’s visual literacy and storytelling skills.

Its broader themes give children confidence in new situations and develop empathy in your child by demonstrating ‘the importance of kindness and acceptance when meeting someone new’.

GOOD TO READ

Picture books about moving home

The Snow Lion by Jim Helmore and Richard Jones

Moving House by Anne Civardi and Stephen Cartwright

BUY THE BOOK

Powered by Bookshop.org

Supporting independent bookshops

My New Home by Marta Altés (Macmillan, 2014) | Illustration © 2014 by Marta Altés

‘A great book to use when talking to kids about the hardships of moving.’

- Becky B. Good Reads

‘[For children] facing an upcoming house move to help reassure them that everything is going to be okay.’

- The Bookbag Buy UK* I EARN COMMISSION FROM THESE LINKS #AD/AFFSOURCESMy New Home by Marta Altés (Macmillan, 2014) Marta Altés (Child’s Play) Marta Altes, author of Little Monkey: 'Picture books are magic because the real story is made up in your mind' (Book Trust, 17 september 2018)
Related articles© 2021 BY TIM WARNES(UNLESS OTHERWISE ATTRIBUTED)****USE OF THIRD PARTY COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL FALLS UNDER FAIR USE/FAIR DEALING PRACTICE.