House of grass and sky by Mary Lyn Ray, illustrated by E. B. Goodale

This story of home and family begins with a white woman and child, approaching their newly built house in a sea of green bedappled with flowers. The family prospers in the home, with children running across the yard and swinging in the trees. Sketches of families, babies, and pets are scattered across the pages, until the last family, two Black adults and a child with long braids, leaves in their station wagon and the house sits empty.

Goodale's pastels show the house lonely and empty, the only color that in the leaves and green memories of children running through. Brown-skinned families visit, but the house is too small, the country is too quiet. Finally, after many seasons have passed, a new family comes. The small children love the house, but the family leaves and the house is in darkness, with only the sparkling moon and stars shining down on it.

As the sun rises, through the faded wallpaper and dusty windows, we see the family return - and they have come back to stay. The house becomes full of yellow light as the biracial family enjoys the history of their new home and make new memories. The story ends with a colorful spread of small snapshots, showing the house as a family home once again.

Those who have fond memories of Virginia Burton's The Little House may see some similarities, but this is a wholly contemporary and heartfelt story of family, memory, and the beauty of nature. Goodale's lovely landscapes sweep across the fields and groves around the house, show the quiet sense of waiting and loneliness, and the joy when the house once again houses a family. There's a subtle growth of diversity as well, from the white family at the turn of the century through the Black and brown families that follow, showing the appreciation of nature and family that stretches across races. There's no condemnation for the families that didn't want the house, only the steady sense of waiting for just the right family.

Verdict: This isn't a raucous read-aloud or instant favorite, but it has the steady sense of a classic with staying power, a comforting story to read at bedtime or pore over on a quiet afternoon, and a gentle hint to think about one's own family history and what kind of home readers live in or hope to live in someday.

ISBN: 9781536200973; Published April 2021 by Candlewick; Review copy provided by publisher; Donated to the library