(2) K-3 What is a house if it isn't shared? A "house-sprite" named Noa (with a charmingly acorn-shaped head) can find anything in his cliffside abode but the one thing he wants most: friends. Frustrated by his lonely life, he heads out into a blizzard to look for a new house with friends in it. A cold wind sweeps his hat away and onto the toes of a trapped creature. After a swift rescue, Noa exclaims: "I found a bear! I've never found a bear before. What do bears do? What do they like?" Berries, Bear declares, and the two march on in search of a home with both berries and friends. A yellow haystack beaming in a snowy field provides them with a warm reprieve and a sneezy friend, Ferret; then another companion, Wolf. Though the group journeys through snow, rain, and wind, a sense of coziness permeates the tale. The characters each learn a little bit more about themselves and much more about one another until they come upon someplace familiar. Hand-drawn illustrations and text refrains about what animals like and do imbue the narrative with a folktale's sensibility. Weaving humor with sincerity, Bourgonje crafts a winsome and heartfelt story that feels like home.

Reviewer: | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2034