I Like Where I Am
PreSchool-Grade 2--In a rhythmic and rhyming text, a six-year-old expresses his feelings about his family's impending relocation. He likes his neighborhood, his school, and his friends, and has doubts about living in a place called Little Rock. As the movers carry out boxes, he feels powerless to stop them: "And I think (but I'm too scared to say),/Oh, why don't you just go away!/Take your truck and take your Trouble and/Move somebody else!" Finally, his mother senses his unhappiness and takes him on her lap and rocks and sings to him amid all of the chaos. He sheds his tears and is comforted but is still apprehensive. After the move takes place, he discovers that he likes his new environs, but will always keep fond memories of his old home. Harper presents an honest, comforting depiction of what can often be a traumatic event. The text clearly captures a child's view of a world in which the adults are in charge and the youngster feels lost in the shuffle. Karas's realistic and playful illustrations in colored pencil, gouache, and acrylic add depth to the story. The endpapers show cartons with labels such as "magic tricks," "spy stuff," and "comic books." A good choice to initiate a family discussion about moving.--Linda Staskus, Cuyahoga County Public Library, Parma, OHCopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.