I loved the creative illustrations. Very unique. The story was good, but this is an example of having the right tone for the artwork that made the combination great. I highly recommend this book.

Sweet, beautiful story!

Sometimes picture books for children say more in 30 pages with simple words and illustrations than “grown up” books say in hundreds of pages. This book is no exception.

This story is told from the perspective of a young refugee that is forced to migrate with her family. The author of this story shines a small light of hope on heavy and heartbreaking reality.

The illustrations are wonderful. The is simple and yet profound. This is a great book to gently raise awareness about refugees in young kids.

Highly recommend! No content warnings.

I like that this book told such an important story, in about 20 pages. This helps kids understand that they are not alone, and it can help other kids learn about those that aren't quite as lucky as they are. The illustrations were also beautiful and unique, something I haven't seen before.

Thank you to Netgalley, Eugenia Perrella, and Publisher Spotlight for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest feedback.

This book shines light on an important feeling that we can all relate to, whether we are refugees or not: the longing for home. In this story, the children miss things about their home, and their father explains that we can keep home with us in our keepsakes and memories.

I really enjoyed the lovely illustrations, and this special story that humanizes a challenging experience for all sides--leaving one's home country to start a new life as an immigrant.

This is an amazing excellent book that powerfully depicts the experience of forced migration. I read the book to a mixed audience that included a preschool-aged child and a 4th grade child. The serious aspects of forced migration were completely missed by the preschooler who focused only on the stories told by each child and the cute and personal items in their backpacks. However, the gravity of this very real and important issue was noted and felt by the older child. She was not aware of the concept and this book provided an opportunity to have a heartfelt discussion about forced migration in an age-appropriate but awareness building way. I am so deeplya grateful for books like this that provide valuable bridges into the lives of children to expose them to a wider world of human experiences. This is the power of literature.

My Home is My Backpack" takes the difficult and complex subject of forced migration and turns it into a children's book that allows family's to educate their children on an important subject. This book demonstrates how children are so innocent and all they truly want is to be loved. I am moved by this story and how Clara seeks to know what others "special homes" are. The illustrations are captivating and add to the story without needing any more words such as the depiction of migrant caravans.

I am always seeking out children's books that touch on social issues and current events in a way that is digestible for children and allow parents to continue the conversation. We will be purchasing for our family's library.

This is such a poignant topic and this book does a wonderful job explaining what this family and many others like them are going through. Read books like this to your children and help make a more empathetic world.

This book does a great job of summarizing the immigrant experience in a kid-friendly way. The illustrations are beautiful and the story is one that so many people could stand to hear.

This account is told in pictures and from the voice of young Clara. Seeking a safe place to live, she and her family pack up their lives in backpacks and leave their homeland. Naturally, Clara is sad that she’s left almost everything behind. Her mother tells her that their home is in the things they could bring, their hearts and the memories of the things that have shaped her young life so far. . Also on this difficult journey are many other families seeking a safe place to raise their children.


Share this book with children to communicate empathy and understanding for the many children around the world, like Clara, facing an uncertain future. The illustrations capture the seemingly endless journey and the enormous distances covered, all on foot. Still characters are able to find joy in such difficult circumstances and family love abounds in the simple pleasures of observing nature, singing, baking and telling stories.

This little book has messages and enlightenment for all ages but particularly for children from 5-8 years.