MOVING DAY

It’s normal to be nervous on moving day, especially when you’ve been in the same place for more than 100 years.

Anthropomorphized by spindly, stockinged legs and pointy boots, an ornate Victorian home on a cozy San Francisco street nervously steps onto a flatbed trailer—and so the journey begins. A parade ensues as curious neighbors gather, children ride their bikes alongside the trailer, and a police escort leads the way. Teetering and tottering, the house waits as tree trimmers cut low branches and utility workers remove street signs to make way for the oversize caravan. The bashful and bruised house wonders when this will all be over before finally spotting the new residents: a multiracial family of five who smile and wave from an empty lot. Settling in, the house misses being in the old neighborhood, but the new family’s love and the comforting sound of the ice cream truck make for a sweet, empathetic conclusion to a daunting adventure. Dynamic ink and watercolor illustrations lend the house a lively personality and depict a diverse crowd of bystanders. Careful readers will notice delightful details such as flowering bushes on either side of the house that transform into giant, floral-patterned carpet bags, clutched tightly to the house’s sides by curling ivy arms. An author’s note discusses the book’s inspiration—a real-life San Francisco home that was moved six blocks in 2021.

Charming, entertaining, and full of heart.