where the heart is | this is not my home by vivienne chang and eugenia yoh
isbn: 978-0316377102| pages: 48
publication date: January 24, 2023 | source: physical / tour
genre: children's, picture book
rating: 9/10
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I think this is my first time reviewing a picture book and I never would have thought that I would be so emotional over it. This is Not My Home captured my attention first with its adorable illustrations and then with the heartwarming story. Lily finds out one morning that they have to move back to Taiwan to take care of her grandma. The following pages display the contrast of their California home and community with the different environment of a new country through Lily’s eyes.
As a Taiwanese American who used to spend every summer back in Taiwan, this story felt so comforting and nostalgic, but I still appreciated how easy it was empathize with Lily and how foreign everything felt. I found myself reassuring her in my mind as she found herself missing the familiar comfort of her friends and home and just holding my breath for the moment that Taiwan could finally break through and become home for her.
This story explores the scariness behind moving to a new country in a way that feels so pure and innocent. To Lily, Taiwan just simply can’t be her home because it’s not California. But a turning point in the story allows Lily to start realizing that home is made of more than the physical location but rather the people and experiences you make.
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| Thank you to TBR & Beyond, Vivienne Chang and Eugenia Yoh, and Little Brown Publishing for the opportunity to participate in this tour. Please check out all the other stops by clicking on the banner! |
I've been trying my hand at digital journaling and it was so fun compiling some images from my Taiwan trip this past summer and some Google images of iconic Taiwan highlights (aka the Taiwan bear and all the mopeds!)
2 Comments
Thank you for sharing this review! It sounds like a great book and I love hearing about how your personal experiences connect with the book <3
ReplyDeleteIt felt a warm hug for sure! ♡
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