Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
A narrating child feels a shared residence come alive one morning in this connective picture book that follows a household's rhythms. At breakfast, the Latinx family gathers, dancing, sharing food, and connecting. The house, built by relations and inhabited by multiple generations, holds mementos of late loved ones. Acknowledging the presence of those ancestors in the home, the narrative gently reflects on the comforts and challenges of living with a large family, and the need for each individual to have their own "special place." Even the building itself seems to live and breathe: "Doors open and close like a yawn. Floorboards creak like a big good-morning stretch," Kemp writes. Swirls of warm pinks and purples float through Mora's loosely rendered multimedia scenes of everyday life, conveying the family's deep bond with one another and with their home. Ages 4--8. (Sept.)
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Review by School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 2--Family tradition and communal living are the themes that carry this heartwarming narrative. An unnamed child narrator wakes up in the arms of their mother and offers a tour of the family home, introducing the many relatives who reside there. Though the location of the house isn't specified, the family is unquestionably Mexican. The child is very much aware that the house has been home to many generations. Each family member has a "special place" within the house, and on the last page the narrator concludes that the house itself is the child's own special place. However, the final image shows this child and the mother in an embrace, suggesting that home is really where family is. There's little in the way of plot, here. Rather, the book is a celebration of the value and joy of living in the same home as one's extended family and ancestors. Living closely with one's extended family may be a new idea for many young readers, but this book makes it healthy, natural, and desirable. This book could be used very successfully in classroom units studying family traditions and will make for a grand one-on-one read-aloud. VERDICT While not an essential purchase, this celebration of the joy of extended family will make some children wish they were part of a large group with lots of traditions.--Benjamin Ludwig
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
A full house promises wholehearted comfort in Kemp and Mora's intimate picture book. In the early morning light, a modest house stands still amid a swathe of plants and trees. The sounds of slippers and Abuela's rolling pin signal the start of the day. Snuggled up in a bed shared with Mami, the pipsqueak narrator gazes at the ceiling with its plastic stars, considering the familia living under the same roof. Abuela preps the tortillas in the kitchen, with memories of her apá stirred by the radio on the windowsill. Meanwhile, Abuelo toils away in his workshop, where his amá's lucky hammer--the same one used to build the house--resides. Infused with sweeping, broad swirls of heart-stamped purples and pinks, Mora's lush artwork portrays a multigenerational brown-skinned Latine familia with evident affection, evoking love from every corner of this home. Each family member also shines thanks to Kemp's lyrical text, which conjures lifetimes out of vignettes. Tía Imelda finds her special place in the living room, where she watches her telenovelas and paints her nails, while Mami snuggles up with her favorite book by the window. Photographs of previous inhabitants--long-gone relatives and their memories--form the beating heart of home as well. A lovely, poignant tribute, this meditation on the bonds of familia will resonate most with readers who share space in an extended household. After all, it's presented here at its most inviting. Like a snug hug.(Picture book. 4-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
