Home

by Jeannie Baker

A family.
A house.
A neighborhood.
A place to play.
A place to feel safe.

Little by little, baby Tracy grows. She and her neighbors begin to rescue their street. Together, children and adults plant grass and trees and bushes in the empty spaces. They paint murals over old graffiti. They stop the cars. Everything begins to blossom.

In Jeannie Baker's striking, natural collages, an urban community reclaims its land. A drab city street becomes a living, thriving neighborhood -- a place to call home.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Environment, Fiction, Family, Nature, Realistic Fiction

32 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 2004

About the author

Jeannie Baker is the author-illustrator of a number of children’s picture books, including the critically celebrated Mirror and the award-winning Where the Forest Meets the Sea. Born in England, she now lives in Australia.

Reviews

[Hilary · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a lovely idea for a book. We see a windowsill and the view of a city street. On the windowsill stands a congratulation card for the birth of a baby girl. From that small viewpoint of this families house we see the changing view outside and the odd addition to the wall or windowsill that gives us clues what's happening. This is a moving book to look through, someones life before your eyes. I like the way at the start of the book the view looked quite ugly, concrete everywhere, but with the garden transformed with trees and plants you saw the house become a home.

[Arie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've seen better and therefore expected so much more. Still some nice touches though.

[Mir · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wordless picture book about neighbors gradually improving their grotty living area. Nice story, but what really stands out are Baker's realistic and detail-filled collaged illustrations.

[Kathryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED this book! It is so beautiful and heartfelt, so detailed and thoughtful and sweet and inspiring. Through illustrations only, we follow a little girl from her birth day as she grows up; we see only the backyard and a bit of the city through the window but, oh, what a story that little glimpse tells! For it is not only the story of the girl growing up, but of the neighborhood becoming more aware of its problems, most especially in that it is not a very attractive place to live and no one seems to have any pride in it. But, what starts as one neighbor man's desire to plant something in his yard (and the girl's curiosity) soon grows into a neighborhood-wide effort to beautify and "nature-fy" the neighborhood, especially using native plants. The illustrations are so detailed and really invite exploration to get the entire story. A wonderful book! Highly recommended especially to those tired of the "environmental books" that don't really offer kids a way to make a difference in their world. (That said, I do think this book will more likely be enjoyed by adults.)

[Kitty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Belonging by Jeannie Baker is another of her books which is a testament to the power of collage which speak volumes about green issues and questions our part in the changing of our environment.

Along the same lines as 'Window', one of other books, this story also shows how the environment changes outside a particular window. This time, we track the changes as a little baby girl grows to adulthood and starts her own family.

I have actually used this in a geography lesson - spot the difference exercise with a mapping square, using a picture from the beginning of the story and another from the end of the story.

It lends itself well to whole class discussion, group discussion, links well with maths (mapping and grid references' which actually help to pinpoint changes, and promote reflective thinking about we can actually do on an individual level. Are we happy with changes in our local environment? what can happen if we just sit back? what are the benefits of change? what is the down side of changes/urbanisation?

A profound book on many different levels - adaptable for KS1 and KS2.

[Judy · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this story, told in 'spot the differences' format, each page shows the same neighborhood and the changes it undergoes over time.

As a child, I would have spent many hours studying the images. Adults will be even more appreciative since they have a better understanding of what's going on as the neighborhood undergoes 'urban renewal.'

re: Study the cover (front and back). That's the real end of the story (not just the last page).

[Lisa Vegan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! Fabulous book! This is my first Jeannie Baker book; I have three others at home and I’m trying to get all of them. I can’t imagine I’ll like any of the others as much as I love this one though.

This is a mostly wordless picture book, wonderfully illustrated with collage art. The story is of a child as she grows from infancy to motherhood and career, and mostly of the home and street and neighborhood where she makes her home.

It’s touching and sweet and inspiring. This is a fiction book, but there is a wonderful author’s note at the end where she explains home once meant everything about a neighborhood and that residents can invest in making their home an appealing place to live.

I love how the garden in Tracy’s yard gets so wild and how her teddy bear’s accessories evolve. As someone who’s always longed for a yard and a house, a house that feels like a home, I would have adored this book when little, and I do now too. I think reading this book, which shows how people can make a difference, might empower some children to make (some of the feasible) changes to their surroundings that they may want. The words that are there are helpful, but even without them I think pre-readers could still enjoy reading this to themselves. The pictures are terrific and tell the story well.

This is a great book for discussing growing up stories, community gardening, neighborhood improvements, relationships with friends and neighbors, family and community.

[Abigail · Rating 4 out of 5]

Australian children's book author/artist Jeannie Baker delivers an immensely engaging wordless picture-book in Home, which follows the life story of a young girl who grows to adulthood in an urban landscape that, over time, and through hard work on the part of neighborhood residents, becomes a natural oasis. Each two-page spread sees Tracy at a slightly older age, while her back yard, and the street beyond, is slowly transformed. From the first step of planting grass where concrete used to prevail, to reclaiming their street, and blocking it off from automobile traffic, the people in this small corner of the city gradually remake their corner of the world, turning it from a collection of buildings into a home.

A wonderful book that, entirely through illustrations, tells an engrossing story, Home also has an important message to impart, about participating in the community around us, about wise use of our resources and space, in more crowded environments, and about the joys of nature, even in the city. The artwork itself is done in collage, and is incredibly appealing. Sometimes this kind of project works for me, and sometimes it doesn't: Jeannie Baker's book is definitely in the first category! I'm excited to try more of her titles (such as Mirror , which I currently have checked out from the library), and thank my online friends, as ever (Kathryn and Lisa: I'm looking at you, with this one!), for putting me on to such wonderful books, that I might otherwise never have discovered!

[Tina · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautiful book, with a beautiful message. Illustrations which had me searching and comparing, looking back and forth to find every change. Left me with feelings of nostalgia, contentment and hope. 4.5 really.

[Liam Maher-Eyears]

zara read this aloud to me

[Miles Row · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of those beautiful picture books which adults can enjoy too.

[Jack Kirby and the X-man · Rating 3 out of 5]

A book about the growing 'reclaim your streets', guerrilla gardening urban transformation, set in the context of a young girl, Trace Smyth, growing up from a newborn baby until she herself has a newborn.

The book is set in the inner-west of Sydney (within the Leichhardt Council. This is an area of Sydney which used to be very working class - but more recently has been increasingly yuppie-fied, as this book attests.

The "Sorry" in the sky when Tracy is 12 years old refers to the skywriting above Sydney during the People’s Walk for Reconciliation (held on 28 May 2000)- when 250,000 people walked across the Sydney Harbour Bridge to lobby the Australian Federal Government to increase its efforts towards reconciliation with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population. The issue that drove this protest was the Australian Prime Minister's refusal to say "Sorry" for the forced removal of children up until the 1970s, known as the Stolen Generation. One of the first acts of the new government, after John Howard's electoral loss, was to say "Sorry".

[Dolly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a terrific "wordless" book that tells about the life of a little girl and indeed a whole neighborhood through snapshots out of the same window year after year. There are always little clues as to the age of little Tracy and we watch her grow up through the scenes in her backyard. Watching the scenery in the neighborhood change is fascinating, too, as the broken-down and graffiti-covered walls slowly transform into beautiful and well-maintained facades. We really enjoyed "reading" this book together, playing "I spy" with all the intricate details and noting how each part changes slowly through time. It's a beautifully crafted book and very fun to look at.

[Amy Layton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the concept of this book! As the characters grow, you can see the changes in them based on their belongings, and you can see how they grow just as the city does. Wonderfully enough, the city doesn’t build up–instead, it goes back to nice, green lawns instead of concrete. (However, I will note that this could easily be read as neo-colonialism and/or gentrification BUT I highly doubt that was the intent).

Overall though, I really loved this book and how it portrays growth on various different levels!!

Review cross-listed here!

[Willow · Rating 1 out of 5]

I like the concept of this story a lot; looking out the same window year after year, watching how the landscape shifts and changes, and how a community brings beauty into their city.

However, there were some unsavory billboards pictured; a woman in a bra asking, "Am I keeping you up?" and a nude woman apparently advertising shoes (even though she is not wearing shoes, either).

Even though these things are pictured as small and in the background, they are still present and inappropriate. And this is a wordless book, so naturally we are supposed to study each picture.

It's enough to spoil the whole book for me.

[Zoe Hickey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great children’s picture book which you could use with year one or two. The story progresses in a chronological order and comes back to the main character being in the position her mother was in at the beginning. The story was all shown through windows which could be interpreted in lots of different ways which could generate discussion within the classroom.

[Isobel · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book that is full of illustrations that tell a intriguing story about were people live and how their lives progress.

[Abigail · Rating 5 out of 5]

Those familiar with Baker's work will know of her signature, natural collage art style as well as her environmentalist viewpoints underpinning much of her work. I haven't been a fan of some of her previous books (Grandmother, for instance) but this story focuses solely on her strengths - which is to bring pictures to life.

The reader is given a unique viewpoint within the story, our point of focus being the view from our little protagonist's bedroom window. As she grows and blossoms, so does her neighbourhood. It transforms from desolate and unfriendly to a bountiful garden shared by the local people.

Its a lovely 'spot the difference' which carries a serious message about home, belonging and the way we live our lives. It would also make a fabulous art project!

[Anna Smithberger · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the kind of book I could look over for hours and still learn something new. It's absolutely lovely, but not something that would work well in storytime.

[Iz Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

a beautiful wordless picture book depicting life and nature. despite the lack of words this images are mesmerisingly gorgeous and spread an important message of looking after nature

[Sophie Kirby · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is story is a picture book told through illustrations without any written texts. It shows the changes in a neighbourhood from before a girl is born and to when she is an adult. This is shown using the narrative point of view surrounding the girl and is shown through the view of outside her bedroom window. At first the environment outside the window is built up, it looks like a rough and unsafe area that is poorly looked after. As the girl grows up, changes occur outside her window as the residence residences in the neighbourhood tend and look after the area by planting more plants and creating a safe space for children to play. There is also less cars and heavy goods vehicles on the road which means it is less polluted and is safe for people to walk and cycle around.

Firstly, I liked the how it showed the transition of the planting or more local plants and how they made the run-down garage a safe space where the children in the neighbourhood could play. The last image shows people enjoying the outside spaces by sitting and reading books, there is less traffic (no cars, only a bus and bikes), so there is less pollution and it is a much safer area. I also liked how it used the pictures to show the girl growing up clearly, showing how her life changes, and how the environment has changed throughout this. I also liked that it shows the important message that we have a power influence as individuals to change the environment and area we live in for the better.

Firstly, I disliked how damaged and unloved the area was at the beginning. It does not look like a nice place to live or bring up a child due to the garage having graffiti on the walls. Also, the adverts were inappropriate and there was lots of unhealthy food options (pizza hut, takeaways, and coca cola adverts) which is not the best adverts to promote to children. There was also a lot of traffic and lorries on the road which makes the environment more polluted and unsafe to cross the road or go for walks locally as it was too busy.

The first puzzle I discovered was that we do not know why the area has become rundown in the first place. The questions I want to find the answer to include, was the area always like this when it was built, or did something happen for it to have been this way? How do you get the community to want to improve their environment, is it up to the communities or does the council decide which buildings and businesses are allowed and where? Will the image at the end of the book stay like that forever? How can we keep it that way for everyone to enjoy it? Is this practical to recreate in the current society? These are the types of questions you could ask a class of KS2 children which creates discussions around climate change, local environments and different human habitats – which link to geography and science.

I think that the main message of this book is that we all as individuals have to power to improve the areas we live in by using public transport, walking or riding bikes instead of cars, by planting more trees and plants in the area to make it colourful and less polluted, and by creating safe areas for children to play and be outside more. This book shows that decisions we make can help improve our communities and areas which is really powerful.

The main pattern I discovered in this book was that it shows the stages of the girl’s life and how the environment changes throughout.

This book can be linked to many different books regarding climate change, environment factors and what can be done to improve the environment. I discovered a text called Climate rebels by Ben Lerwill. This book is about environmental movement Greenpeace and their non-violent protests, to promote the natural world. It also includes other stories, or the efforts made from other groups to tackle climate change and how they are attempting to do it.

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Home, a wordless picture book, created by Jeannie Baker is an absolute treasure. Baker’s attention to detail unexpectedly begins on the page coinciding with the copyright information. This page differs from the others, as it is not a window. Baker presents the reader with a glimpse into Tracy’s home by showing a simple, petite picture of what seems to be Tracy’s pregnant mother (pregnant with Tracy), father, and two movers moving furniture into the room that Baker uses as her “window” of opportunity to show the renewal of Tracy’s urban community. While Tracy transitions through all of life’s phases, so does her neighborhood. Although, one thing always remained consistent… her community was always her home.
One of the unique features of Home is the artistic medium that Baker utilizes. Baker prepared her story using collage constructions, which were then photographed for the publication of the book. Each page you turn, you are enveloped by a double-page spread of the same window. You gain a different perspective of Tracy’s life through small details, such as various objects left on her windowsill. These objects, such as her measurements and age on the wall next to her window give the reader the opportunity to infer the time in Tracy’s life. Baker utilizes a bland background (grey which transforms to cream throughout the story). This bland background helps draw the reader’s attention to the colorful detailed window. Baker’s use of collage construction, accentuates the texture of the objects in the window making them look realistic. Baker uses light to show the time of day, as well as to portray the weather. Some days the sky is pink, which indicates that the sun is setting, while other days the sky is bright blue or hazy. One page that made an impression on me was the picture that depicted night. If you look closely you can see the community through the darkness. Baker utilizes light to let the readers distinguish figures of people in neighboring windows, spot the moon, as well as recognize the red taillights of a car in the darkness. This light also shines on Tracy kissing a boy in her yard.
Baker’s attention to detail, and ability to tell a story of a community through Tracy’s window is remarkable. The best part is that every time you read Baker’s Home, new details will likely be unveiled!

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Desolation. Who wants it? Well, in general, no one I know; and yet if we turn our backs on all the desolate places (geographic or in the human heart) pretty soon everything will be waste. That is why I love this book: it is a book about bringing SHALOM, or life as it ought to be, to a desolate place. It is a picture book with a view out the same window, with each successive page coming forward about two years. Children love the "I spy" activity of searching for what has changed, and parents and children alike will develop their "imagination for SHALOM" as they look through the book. It brings to mind Jeremiah 29:4-7:

Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: "Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat their produce. Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease. But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and opray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare."

[Angus Dore · Rating 4 out of 5]

the book belonging by Jeannie Baker is set in a sub-urban Sydney house. although there are no words it says so much. in the book a couple have a baby and you watch the girl grow up in 2 year intervals. in most of the pictures you can see the girls age. you watch her grow and change the street for the better. at the start of the book the street is ratty and old but as the book goes on she makes it wonderful. as she grows up you can see she makes friends with a boy and as the years go on they become closer and get married and have a baby. you can see in the distance that the city is growing. i liked this book the picture are lovely and although it has no words you can see what is happening the whole way through. i also liked all the small details. but what if this story is actually about a girl that can't walk and she sits at her window all day and watches her sister have fun while she sits by herself and does nothing

[Eleanor · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wrote this review as part of my PGCE course.

Belonging is a book without words, or at least without words that wouldn't appear 'naturally' in a terraced home or an urban landscape. It tracks a little girl from her birth to her twenties, with the collages showing the changes to her, her home and her neighbourhood, as the lot over the road is reclaimed into an urban oasis. I enjoy this book for several reasons - the collages are incredibly detailed and rewarding, which means that it bears repeated readings; it reminds me of East London, despite being set in Australia, because of the buildings; the narrative is surprisingly compelling despite the lack of words.

I feel this book would be extremely useful as a cross-curricular resource for Geography in KS1 or 2 - it's ideal for looking at issues of community and sustainability. It also offers the opportunity to write up diary entries for Tracy as she grows up, or to consider other literacy links.

[Kristen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Whilst the illustrations are beautiful, the story leaves a lot to be desired. This picture book follows the journey of an inner city neighborhood as it is slowly gentrified. An Indigenous flag appears around half way through the story, stays for two pictures, only to disappear after the building it hangs in is repainted a lovely shade of beige.
The Author's note tells us that this is a book that shows the journey of belonging. People believe that they own the land they live on, treating it as a possession. But actually, we belong to the land. A nice thought, especially if you see the blooming of the plants over the years.
However, given its context (an inner city Australian suburb), this seems like nothing more than a white hipster's dream. Buy a property in a run down part of a city, paint the walls, plant some greenery from Bunnings, force out/take over local undesirable businesses and replace them with cafes.

[Alissa · Rating 2 out of 5]

This wordless picture book follows a girl growing up in the city. It starts when her mother was pregnant with her and finishes with the girl becoming a mother herself. The pictures are from the viewpoint of the girls room in her house. She can see her backyard and surrounding shops, restaurants, and the rest of the neighborhood. Throughout the pages as the girl grows up, she and the neighborhood plants flowers, trees, and bushes in the yards. The story emphasizes the importance of keeping nature around us by planting trees and flowers; of not letting the concrete world overpower the earth. You could use this book for a science lesson on Earth day. You could talk about preserving nature as well as a lesson on your community and learning about the world around you.

[Charles Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

AMAZING! The book shows the window view of a backyard as an urban neighborhood returns the community to a more natural state. This book is perfect for introducing a unit on the environment or community gardens. The pictures are incredibly detailed and provide an opportunity for younger students to compare and contrast changes in the images or predict future improvements in the community. Finally, the end of the book includes a note from the author explaining author purpose and discussing the concept of "home." This would be a wonderful opportunity to encourage students to help make the school community more homelike by generating ideas and developing school-improvement projects.

[Trace · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this wordless book about building community by cumulative little acts of gardening..... so beautiful.

[Busy Mummy · Rating 5 out of 5]

An exquisite wordless picture book with stunning detailed collage artwork. A theme that Jeannie Baker uses in her books. The story is told through the eyes of a growing girl, Tracy, through her bedroom window who moved into a new neighbourhood when she was born. The theme of the book is the importance and value of belonging to a community and how over time everyone connects together to build and restore a new neighbourhood full of life. A rich resource for discussion, debates and creative cross curricular activities.