Home for A While by Lauren H. Kerstein

Home for A While

Lauren H. Kerstein, Author

Natalia Moore, Illustrator

Magination Press, Fiction, Feb. 2, 2021

Suitable for ages: 4-8

Themes: Foster children, Belonging, Home, Emotions, Behavior, Trust

Opening: “Calvin clunked his suitcase up the steps of another house. THIS isn’t your home, his thoughts shouted. Nobody wants you, his feelings rumbled.”

Book Jacket Synopsis:

Calvin has lived in a lot of places, but he still hasn’t found his home. He’s afraid to offer his heart if he’s just going to move again anyway.

When he moves in with Maggie, she shows him respect, offers him kindness, helps him manage his emotions, and makes him see things in himself that he’s never noticed before. Maybe this isn’t just another house. Maybe this is a place Calvin can call home, for a while.

Why I like this book:

Home for a While is a sensitive book for foster parents to add to their book shelves. Foster kids need to see themselves in stories that may help them transition into a new home. It is scary time for children and they deal with BIG emotions. It’s not unusual for kids to want to protect themselves from disappointment, hurt and feeling let down. And like any child they act out and test their new foster parents.

Lauren Kerstein presents these challenges in a open and honest manner. Her story is full of heart and compassion. She alternates the dialogue between Calvin (red ink) and Maggie (purple ink), his new foster mom. When Maggie asks Calvin if she can give him a goodnight hug, he responds with a “NAH.” But follows with “Why do you want to hug me, anyway?”  This banter is repeated throughout the book. Maggie is a calm and stable foster mom and her responses and strategies open the door for Calvin to trust her. Actually this book is a moving read for any family and offers all parents some tips.

Natalia  Moore’s illustrations are colorful and lively.  She beautifully captures the interactions between Calvin and Maggie. Just look at that cover! And she incorporates loud, noisy words into her artwork, which children will enjoy.

Note: This book spoke to me because I have friends who had a daughter, but wanted more children. They decided to  become foster parents.  Their first foster child was a little girl.  Just as they were proceeding to adopt her, they were surprised to learn the birth mother had twin boys. Not wanting to break up the siblings, they said “yes.”  A few years later another sibling joined the family. They adopted all four siblings and their dream family is growing and thriving.

Resources: Make sure you read The Author’s Note, which provides important information about children in foster care or in temporary care with other family members.  There is valuable information on helping children deal with emotions.

Lauren Kerstein, LCSW, is a licensed clinical social worker who specializes in working with children, adolescents, adults, and families. She is the author of Rosie the Dragon and Charlie picture book series and writes books for young adults. She has authored a textbook about Autism Spectrum Disorders. She lives in Englewood, CO. Visit Kerstein at her website, and on Facebook @Laurenkersteinauthor and Twitter @LaurenKerstein.

Every Friday, authors and KidLit bloggers post a favorite picture book. To see a complete listing of all the Perfect Picture Books (PPB) with resources, please visit author Susanna Leonard Hill’s website.

*Review copy provided by Magination Press in exchange for a review.

Bobbie The Wonder Dog by Tricia Brown

Bobbie the Wonder Dog: A True Story

Tricia Brown, Author

Cary Porter, Illustrator

WestWinds Press, Fiction, Apr. 12, 2016

Suitable for Ages: 4-8

Themes: A lost dog’s journey, Human-animal relationships, Animals

Opening: “Bobbie was going on vacation! Just as his favorite man finished securing the luggage, the mix-breed collie jumped up in one easy leap. This would be his riding place.” 

Book Jacket Synopsis: Frank and Elizabeth Brazier decided that they needed a farm dog and their two daughters needed a friend. They fell in love with a six-week-old puppy, with a bobbed tail, and named him Bobbie. He was the perfect herding dog for their farm animals. When the Brazier’s stopped farming to run a restaurant in town, they decided it was best to leave Bobbie on the farm with his new owners. Days later Bobbie showed up at the restaurant.

In August 1923, the Frank and Elizabeth took a trip from Silverton, Oregon to visit relatives in Indiana. Bobbie was known to jump off the back of the car and chase a rabbit and then show up an hour later further down the road. The evening they arrived in Indiana, Bobbie was with Frank when a pack of wild dogs chased after him. This time Bobbie didn’t return. The couple searched everywhere and there was no sign of Bobbie. They made the trip back home not knowing if he was all right.

Six months after Bobbie was lost in Indiana, a dirty and skinny dog limped into Silverton. Bobbie’s paws were raw and bleeding, but he had traveled nearly 3,000 miles home to Frank and Elizabeth.

Why I like this book:

I am a sucker for a really good dog story, especially when it is based on a true story. Tricia Brown’s heartwarming story about this famous collie is destined to become a classic.  Both children and adults will relate to the love and unbreakable bond between Bobbie and his owner, Frank.

Brown’s storytelling is compelling and her pacing keeps readers fully engaged. The author’s attention to detail demonstrates the amount of research done to portray Bobbie’s unbelievable story as accurately as possible. Bobbie’s 3,000-mile journey that fall and winter across mountain ranges, across rivers and through bone-chilling weather, shows his loyalty to Frank and his family. Bobbie just wanted to go home. All the characters in the story are memorable. The ending makes you want to curl up with the book and start all over again.

Cary Porter’s large, richly textured illustrations are bold, colorful, emotive and significantly contribute to Bobbie’s story. They capture the vintage 1923 automobiles and tractors, the first gasoline pumps, rickety wooden bridges, sleepy towns with dry good stores, dirt roads and cobblestone pavements. The characters are dressed in period clothing. Perfect marriage of stunning artwork and text.

Resources: This is a beautiful book for families. It will prompt many questions from children about what would happen if they lost their pet and how important it is to have pets registered with chips. Encourage kids to come up with a plan if they lose or find a lost pet. Make sure you read the author’s page about the real Bobbie (1921-1927) and his remarkable journey that sparked nationwide interest. Bobbie became a star overnight and people flocked to Silverton, Oregon to see him.  Silverton erected a statue and a seventy-foot mural to pay tribute to their famous dog.

Every Friday, authors and KidLit bloggers post a favorite picture book. To see a complete listing of all the Perfect Picture Books (PPB) with resources, please visit author Susanna Leonard Hill’s Perfect Picture Books.