Home Is a Heartbeat

K-Gr 2–Family tradition and communal living are the themes that carry this heartwarming narrative. An unnamed child narrator wakes up in the arms of their mother and offers a tour of the family home, introducing the many relatives who reside there. Though the location of the house isn’t specified, the family is unquestionably Mexican. The child is very much aware that the house has been home to many generations. Each family member has a “special place” within the house, and on the last page the narrator concludes that the house itself is the child’s own special place. However, the final image shows this child and the mother in an embrace, suggesting that home is really where family is. There’s little in the way of plot, here. Rather, the book is a celebration of the value and joy of living in the same home as one’s extended family and ancestors. Living closely with one’s extended family may be a new idea for many young readers, but this book makes it healthy, natural, and desirable. This book could be used very successfully in classroom units studying family traditions and will make for a grand one-on-one read-aloud.