cover image I Have Two Homes

I Have Two Homes

Marian De Smet, illus. by Nynke Talsma. Clavis (IPG, dist.), $15.95 (32p) ISBN 978-1-60537-102-3

In this sensitive story translated from the Dutch, a rosy-cheeked girl named Nina talks matter-of-factly about her parents’ divorce. “One day, our home became too small for the two of them,” she says. “So there had to be two houses: One for Mom. One for Dad. And two for me.” Talsma’s paintings convey Nina’s perspective on the adult world: her mother rides away on a bicycle, precariously balancing her possessions, and the two vibrant homes are separated by indistinct, sparsely drawn houses. As Nina spends time with both adults, she expresses what many children of divorced parents likely feel: “I have two homes. It’s strange. But it is nice, too.” Ages 3–5. (Mar.)