Home

Home explores dwellings and habitats across real and imagined worlds through illustrations and spare text. The pages showcase homes ranging from rural farmhouses to fantastical structures inhabited by mythical beings. The artwork employs a muted color palette of browns, blues and reds rendered in gouache and ink. Each spread presents a different interpretation of what "home" can mean, accompanied by simple descriptive phrases. The book transcends cultural boundaries to examine the universal concept of shelter and belonging. Through its mix of realism and whimsy, it invites reflection on how humans and creatures alike create spaces of comfort and safety.

Readers praise the simple, whimsical illustrations and the exploration of different types of homes around the world. Parents report their children return to examine the detailed artwork multiple times and ask questions about the various dwellings. What readers liked: - The minimal text lets children create their own narratives - Cross-cultural representation of homes - Subtle humor in the illustrations - Quality of the paper and printing What readers disliked: - Some found it too short for the price - A few mentioned the abstract concepts may confuse very young children - Several noted their children lost interest quickly Ratings across platforms: Goodreads: 4.1/5 (4,800+ ratings) Amazon: 4.7/5 (850+ ratings) Barnes & Noble: 4.8/5 (25+ ratings) One reader noted: "The illustrations invite conversation and imagination in equal measure." Another commented: "The book works on multiple levels - my 2-year-old loves pointing at details while my 6-year-old asks deeper questions about how people live."

A House That Once Was by Mac Barnett and Carson Ellis Two children explore an abandoned house in a story that captures the same sense of place and contemplative atmosphere found in Home.

The Little House by Virginia Lee Burton This tale follows a house's journey from countryside to city center, presenting the changing nature of homes and environments.

Window by Jeannie Baker Through detailed collages, this wordless book shows the view from one window over time as the landscape transforms from rural to urban.

Welcome to My House by Gaia Cornwall A child leads readers through different rooms and spaces, showcasing the universal elements that make a dwelling into a home.

This Is My House by Dusan Petricic The book presents diverse dwellings from around the world, demonstrating how people live in different structures and environments.

🏠 Carson Ellis drew inspiration for many of the homes in the book from her own house in Portland, Oregon, which sits on a working farm. 🎨 The illustrations were created using gouache and ink, giving the book its distinctive warm, vintage feel. 🌍 The homes depicted span both real and imaginary worlds, from Slovakian folk houses to fairy palaces, reflecting Ellis's fascination with diverse architectural styles. ✏️ Before becoming a children's book author and illustrator, Carson Ellis was best known for creating album art for the indie rock band The Decemberists (her husband is the band's lead singer). 🏆 Home received multiple accolades, including being named a 2015 New York Times Notable Children's Book and winning the 2016 E.B. White Read-Aloud Award.