HOME

As she did in Window (1991), Baker offers an intriguing wordless observation of how a neighborhood changes over time through the vantage point of a double-paned window frame. She views each scene from the same perspective; personal objects on the sill connote the passage of time as a young girl grows into adulthood, e.g., a teddy bear, a cup with “I am Four,” a pencil case marked “age 8,” a make-up mirror, a university prospectus, and a wedding invitation. The ingenious staging of miniature collage constructions creates a 3-D effect that humanizes the urban changes that transform the community into a place that’s “home.” The author’s note expresses her tenet and belief that “communities are finding ways that their streets can once again become part of people’s sense of home and belonging.” Brilliant in concept and execution, this fascinating enactment conveys the importance of community in a young person’s life. Kids and adults will pore over the tiny details, from building graffiti to people planting gardens and kids walking dogs. It’s like looking through a magical lens of time-release photography. Mesmerizing. (Picture book. 5-10)