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“A child who moves overseas grapples with what home is. …As their plane flies across the ocean, “home becomes a wish.” They arrive in a strange new place with unfamiliar people and sounds. …And then, “slowly, odd becomes ordinary, and strange becomes sweet.” The child comes to some profound realizations: “There are different homes for different times: a home from before, a home for now, even a home for later.” A close reading into the landscapes (Seattle’s Space Needle can be seen in one spread) and clues such as the use of Taiwanese show just how far this family has come.”

– Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review

Home Is a Wish

Written by Julia Kuo
Illustrated by Julia Kuo
Published by Roaring Brook Press

Sometimes we leave home in the mornings, in the evenings, or for much longer. But we always come back.

Home becomes a wish when we move, when the new place isn’t the same. Everything might be different: the sounds, the smell, the people, the weather.

But home isn’t just a place. We carry home in our hearts, and it can grow and change as we do in our lives. With time, new faces become friends, and what is different becomes familiar.

Home can be a wish that comes true.

This beautiful exploration of what it’s like to deal with a big change is personal, emotionally resonant, and relatable. With page after lovely page of captivating art, New York Times bestselling illustrator Julia Kuo has created a lasting story about how time, patience, and an open heart can help someone feel at home anywhere in the world.

Primary ISBN: 9781250881328
Publication Date: February 2025
Available As: Hardcover, eBook
Picture Book, Age 03 or older

Community Represented:

Themes: , , , , , , ,

Setting: Taiwan, United States (Seattle WA)

Character's Place in the Immigration Journey: On Journey

Book Creator(s) Connection to the Community Represented: Own Voices/Lived Experience

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