Where the Heart Is (Shirley Marr, illus Michael Speechley, Walker)

In Where the Heart Is, Shirley Marr (Countdown to Yesterday) (with illustrations by Michael Speechley) crafts a wistful picture book for readers aged 3 to 6 that plays with the familiar idea that home is where the heart is. Here, “home” is something to be discovered rather than assumed, a theme revealed through the journey of Mouse. As autumn turns to winter, Mouse’s summer friends begin to migrate. Geese, swallows and monarch butterflies depart in spiralling swoops, leaving him behind. He retreats to his small, hobbit-like home in the vast barley field, which reflects the overwhelming scale of the world from a child’s perspective. Lonely, Mouse sets off to follow his friends, but the journey proves disappointing, and he is drawn back home. There, he realises that he is not alone after all – his friends are simply hibernating underground. Marr’s sensory text is punctuated with imagery of birds, the sun and the moon, while Speechley’s autumnal palette and falling leaves evoke the plaintive atmosphere of the changing season. His use of curved lines and negative space contrasts distance with the warmth of a cosy shelter, subtly reflecting Mouse’s emotional state. Where the Heart Is captures the feeling of being left behind while gently affirming the comfort and sanctuary of home.

Books+Publishing reviewer: Joy Lawn has worked for independent bookshops and blogs at Paperbark Words. Books+Publishing is Australia’s number-one source of pre-publication book reviews.

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