By Stephanie Heifner

When I learned that our church Advent theme was “Close to Home,” I spent some time brainstorming about the theme. One of the things I did was think about books, and as a parent to a five-year-old, I have a particular interest in children’s books.

I am a big fan of our local library, Cedar Rapids Public Library, and the whole Metro Library Network that links CRPL with the Marion, Hiawatha, and Ladd libraries. I am a frequent user of the online library catalog to use the hold system to check out books from any of the libraries from my home library. I checked out a bunch of children's books with themes of "home" and I want to share my favorites with the thought that families could read books like these together to engage their kids with what “home” means.

Home by Carson Ellis

“Sea homes. Bee homes. Hollow tree homes.”

You can find all kinds of homes in this book, from the realistic to the fantastical, and it invites the reader to imagine every kind of home, and who might live in them. At the end, the artist draws herself in her own home, and invites the reader to think about their own home.

Home is a Window by Stephanie Parsley Ledyard, illustrated by Chris Sasaki

“Home is a table with something good and the people gathered there.”

This is a story about moving home, about what moves with you, and how a new place can become your home, too. The family in the story moves from a city apartment to a larger single family house. Moving familiar items that offer comfort, and being together with family, they learn what home means.

The Blue House by Phoebe Wahl

“Leo lived with his dad in an old blue house next to a tall fir tree.”

This story is also about moving, but also about the intense emotions the young boy, Leo, feels about having to move homes because the house he and his father live in is going to be torn down to build apartments. I really appreciated that this story gives space for anger at things that feel unfair; and shows creative ways of dealing with strong feelings, like when he and his dad make loud music and scream together, and when they channel their feelings into painting on the walls. And ultimately, they are able to make their new place home, too.

“You’re never far from home when you’re with the people you love.”

You Belong Here by M.H. Clark, illustrated by Isabelle Arsenault

“And you are a dream that the world once dreamt and now you are a part of its song. That’s why you’re here, in the place where you’re meant, for this is right where you belong.”

A beautiful book that tells how everything from the stars and the moon, to plants and animals, have their place in the world, including you and me. “And you belong where you love to be, and after each day is through, you will always belong right next to me and I’ll belong next to you.” This is a loving message from a parent to a child, assuring them of home and belonging.

Check these books out through the Metro Library Network, or if you’d like copies of your own, the local bookshop, Next Page Books, is always happy to order what they don’t have in stock!

Do you have any favorite children’s books about “home”? Let me know!

Stephanie Heifner is a lay member of St. Paul’s. She can be reached at stephanie.heifner@gmail.com.