From School Library Journal
Kindergarten-Grade 3. The anxiety and excitement of a move are captured in this rather solemn yet ultimately hopeful picture book. A young boy describes some typical events?the moving men carting away all the family's possessions, moments of reflection as the family pulls away from what was once a home, a whispered "goodbye." then, putting up a familiar picture, meeting new neighbors, imagining the fish tank no longer empty. The oil paintings, like the spare text, show snippets of life?the sun unhindered by blinds or drapes creating patterns on an empty floor and wall, the boy as he takes a last look at his old home through the rear window of the departing car, the moving van as it rides along ahead of the family. The collage effect and the deeply saturated colors greatly enhance the impact of the story. The beginning pages are painted in mostly shadows, reflecting the mood of the characters, while the first colorful pages appear as the boy and his family view their new neighborhood. The story shows moving day as it is for most families?bittersweet, even sad?with glimpses of what life will be like in the new house. A powerful mood piece that accurately expresses a range of emotions.?Carrie A. Guarria, Lindenhurst Memorial Library, NY
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Kirkus Reviews
Cadnum (Edge, p. 797, etc.), known for his complex and challenging novels, proves equally adept at picture-book length in this quietly ruminative story about moving. A young narrator watches his old neighborhood recede through the rear window of his family's car, then explores his new house and yard, finding evidence of past residents, and making new friends. Using a palette of muted browns and greens, Johnson and Fancher capture the boy's sadness in a series of shadowed portraits and still lifes, most of which are canted one way or another to reflect his sense of dislocation--``All night I keep waking, and think: I know where I am. Because each time, I have forgotten.'' Unusually, for a book on this topic, his parents' feelings also come through, in his mother's quietness and his father's forced cheer. He finds comfort, finally, in the sound of his mother singing to herself as she sets up bookshelves, and the thought that fish will soon be swimming again in their aquarium. Rather than attempting to jolly young readers through a common childhood experience, the story explores the emotional landscape with restraint and respect. (Picture book. 4-7) --
Copyright ©1997, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.
