A Shelter in Our Car

A Shelter in Our Car follows eight-year-old Zettie and her mother, Jamaican immigrants who live in their car in New York City after the death of Zettie's father. The pair navigates daily life while seeking permanent housing and employment, moving their car between different neighborhoods to stay safe. During the day, Zettie attends school while her mother searches for work as a teacher, having left behind her career in Jamaica. Mother and daughter maintain their routines of homework, meals, and hygiene despite their circumstances, demonstrating resilience in the face of housing insecurity. The story depicts urban homelessness through a child's perspective, exploring themes of family bonds, hope, and perseverance. Through Zettie's experiences, readers gain insight into the realities of families experiencing housing instability while maintaining dignity and working toward stability.

Readers appreciate how the book handles homelessness through a child's perspective while maintaining hope and dignity. Teachers and librarians report it creates meaningful discussions about poverty and resilience with elementary students. Parents note it helps children develop empathy for classmates experiencing housing instability. Specific praise focuses on the realistic portrayal of daily challenges - finding safe parking spots, maintaining hygiene, and attending school while living in a car. Multiple reviews highlight the artwork's ability to convey emotion without being overwhelming for young readers. Some readers mention the story feels incomplete or ends too abruptly. A few note the subject matter may be too heavy for very young children. Ratings: Goodreads: 4.1/5 (196 ratings) Amazon: 4.7/5 (31 ratings) "A gentle way to introduce a difficult topic" appears in several reviews. Teachers specifically value the discussion questions included at the end for classroom use.

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🚗 Author Monica Gunning drew from her experience as a teacher in Jamaica and New York City, where she witnessed firsthand the challenges faced by homeless students. 📚 The book tackles the difficult subject of homelessness through the eyes of a young girl, Zettie, making it accessible and relatable for young readers ages 6-10. 🌙 The story's main characters, Zettie and her mother, are immigrants from Jamaica who live in their car after moving to the United States—reflecting a reality faced by many immigrant families. 🎨 Illustrator Elaine Pedlar used warm, expressive watercolors to create the book's artwork, helping to maintain hope and dignity throughout the story despite its challenging subject matter. 🏆 The book received recognition from the Cooperative Children's Book Center and was selected for the Children's Book Council's Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People list.