The House That Wanted a Family is a book for young kids who are moving with a story from the perspective of the house and a happy ending.
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A copy of this book was provided by the publisher in 2013. All opinions are my own.
My family and I recently went through a big, complicated move. Sure, we only ended up going about a mile, but the process was pretty dramatic. (We were evicted from our rental around Christmas so the landlord could sell to developers.) No matter where you go, no matter how simple or complicated the process, moving is hard on kids.
I realized the other day that I just moved into my 12th home. I never felt like we moved a lot as a kid. However, comparing the seven houses I grew up in with the one my husband did…I could probably write an entire blog dedicated to moving children.
I knew my children would be stressed about moving, but I wasn’t really sure how they would react. I decided to get a few books about the emotional aspect of moving with kids to see what the experts had to say.
Most of the advice had to do with moving long distances. Since we were able to stay in the same area and the kids were able to stay in the same school, I felt like the hardest part – saying goodbye to friends – was not an issue. Still, even a slight change in routine makes Sniffles(9) and Lil’ Wheezy(6) anxious.
Then I heard about a book that was written for kids about moving. This one was a little different than the few that I had seen at the library. This one was written from the perspective of the house.
About The House That Wanted a Family
The House That Wanted a Family is written and illustrated by Susan Spence Daniel.
This is her first published book, written after walking by a house that sold to a family after being vacant for several months. Daniel has always wanted to be a writer and, much like the house in the story, finally achieved her dream after a long wait. She wrote this book in the hope that it would encourage readers – both children and adults – that dreams do come true.
In the story, a house sits vacant despite many people viewing it. After a long wait, the house finally gets a family to move in and fill it with love.
The House That Wanted a Family review
I first gave this book to my children to read. They both liked it. Neither seemed to be inspired one way or another. Lil’ Wheezy is my more emotional one and told me that he was really happy that the house got its family in the end.
I then sat down and read the book. Even as an adult, moving is emotionally draining. I found the book to be very comforting.
I know that the house we are in right now is not the last house we will move into. We are still renting and would someday like to own a home. The idea that this house was waiting for us – because it really does seem like fate brought us here to our last choice – eases the sadness.
I do miss our old home because we really loved that house more than I think its previous residents did. I can’t help but imagine that somewhere our perfect home is sitting and waiting for us.
FInally, I would like to point out that the illustrations for this book were done by the author with colored pencils. They are very beautifully done and quite detailed. I think they really bring the story to life.
I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a home, whether they are children or adults.
Purchase The House That Wanted a Family
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What’s next? Try these other fun and creative ideas on One Mama’s Daily Drama:
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