I Want to Go Home

From Publishers Weekly On the first day in her new home Marta is struck by a terrible thought: What if the residents of her old house put "yucky" wallpaper up in "her" room? Drawing on such nuances of emotion, McLerran ( Roxaboxen ; The Mountain That Loved a Bird ) puts a fresh face on a familiar theme. To ease Marta's transition, her mother brings home a cat named Sammy , who is also in need of a new place to live. The frightened animal flees to an unknown corner of the house, and Marta's attempts to coax it out of hiding eventually convince both child and animal of their new home's value. Kastner's expressive, warmly realistic oil paintings are visually engaging: she offers a variety of perspectives to illustrate the search for Sammy, affording readers glimpses of the cat's whereabouts unknown to Marta. Details such as the handsome quilt from Marta's bed accentuate the book's reassuring theme. Ages 4-up. Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. From School Library Journal PreSchool-Grade 1-- Marta has a hard time adjusting to her new home, until her mother brings her a displaced cat who has the same problem. Predictably, Marta's attention turns to making the cat comfortable, taking her mind off of her own feelings. The writing is direct and involving, and effectively conveys Marta's discomfort and growing acceptance. The illustrations, oil on tinted paper, are done in bold strokes, and adequately complement the changing moods in the text. Even though readers will probably catch on to where this is leading, it's still a pleasant story of a girl who has to find her own way to feeling comfortable in a situation she can't change. --Christine A. Moesch, Buffalo and Erie County Public Library, NYCopyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.