A Place for Us
by James E. Ransome
Illustrations by the author
Nancy Paulsen Books
An Imprint of Penguin Random House, LLC
2025
32 pages
ISBN: 9780593324882
Gorgeous watercolors tell the story of a young boy who attends school and at the end of the day, is picked up by his mother. They go to a fast food restaurant and eat then walk through what appears to be a big city, and they arrive at the library. It's dark outside by then. They sit at a library table while the boy does his homework. The mother reads a book. They stay at the library until it closes, and the librarian is seen motioning them to the door,
It appears to be a normal day that any child could have, but the reader learns as they arrive at a park, they are homeless. The boy sleeps on a park bench, his head in his mother's lap. Morning comes, and the boy changes clothes and brushes his teeth using water from a park fountain. His mother walks him to school. As he enters the building, he looks over his shoulder at her--a very powerful last painting that will be etched into the reader's memory.
Though homeless, the bond between mother and son is unbreakable. No matter how hard things are, they love each other.
In the author's note, Ransome reports that about half a milllion people are homeless in America, and half of them are children. It is Ransom's hope that when people (and kids) see someone who is homeless, they "pay attentioon, and (to) do the work of finding the much-needed solutions.
He asks the question: "In a country of vast resources, what is our responsibility to those without access to the basic necessities?" This question is never asked. Politicians have no answers and offer no help. There must be a way to solve this terrible situation.
A Place for Us is that book that will stick in your mind. It'll make you think and question. Will it make you act to help?
Highly, highly recommended
Grades 1 and up.
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