H Is for Home

November 1, 2020
Preschool-Grade 1 Centered on the cover, five familiar Muppet characters welcome Sesame Street fans to an introductory book on homes around the world. From apartment buildings in Spain and duplexes in South Africa to yurts in Mongolia, underground homes in Australia, and houses on stilts in Guyana, the book shows a variety of dwellings while returning to the message that "home is where you're loved." A typical double-page spread features one or two large photos illustrating a few simple sentences, with a character adding a comment or two. The main text offers information on a very basic level, while speech balloons sometimes play toward the Muppet-loving audience. For instance, Ernie stands beside a houseboat and remarks, "Rubber Duckie likes this home." Kids drawn to the book by familiar Muppet faces may leave with a somewhat larger view of how people's homes vary in different locales. An appended page introduces the topic of homelessness and refers to a Sesame Street Communities website offering relevant videos and activities for young children. A colorful, global introduction to homes.

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December 1, 2020

PreS-Gr 2-Bright, colorful backgrounds and clear, engaging photos make this title appropriate and appealing, especially for preschool and kindergarten readers. Sesame Street characters provide playful and amusing comments throughout the text, which reflect their recognizable personalities. Each page features one sentence. The factual content results in a rich resource. The overarching message that happiness and love are the hallmarks of any type of family dwelling is a satisfying takeaway. The text distinguishes between different types of houses-single-family homes, duplex houses, and apartment buildings-but also introduces unconventional structures like underground shelters, portable yurts, and houseboats. Considering the target age group, there's just enough information that describes how climate and location determine the materials and construction of a building. There is also a simple explanation of family homelessness and a link to the Sesame Street website. Numbered pages, a table of contents, an index, a picture glossary, and a map introduce kids to nonfiction text elements. VERDICT An excellent tool for most primary grade social studies curricula, and also for young nonfiction fans reading at home.-Gloria Koster, formerly at West Sch., New Canaan, CT

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