Starred Review for Kirkus Reviews (Fri Oct 04 00:00:00 CDT 2024)

A contemporary Cherokee family finds their way home.Life in the city is chaotic, a young child tells us. Etsi (Cherokee for mother) decides it's time for them to leave. They pack up their belongings in boxes, wave goodbye to their house, and drive off, "on a new path. / One that leads us to / our ancestors' land / and to our people." When they arrive, they're greeted by a loving community. Everyone helps unload the car and gathers for a feast. Then the narrator races off with other children through the woods to play and explore. Sorell's (Cherokee Nation) lyrical, alliterative verse positively sings. Instead of "busy streets" and "crowded spaces," there is "room to run." Here, children can "hear the creek, cool and constant." Goade's (Tlingit Nation) breathtaking mixed-media artwork layers in emotion, transitioning from urban scenes dominated by dark, looming structures and impersonal silhouettes to vibrantly illustrated spreads teeming with the smiling faces of friends and family. Shimmering colors and geometric shapes bring to life the protagonist's world. Doodlelike pages from the child's journal reveal the narrator's anticipation. The color pink is a motif throughout-it appears sporadically early on, then slowly infuses the pages; the final spreads are suffused with hues of rose as the sun sets and the children play by the light of the moon.An evocative, heartwarming testament to the power of home and community. (Cherokee glossary) (Picture book. 6-10)

Kirkus Reviews

A contemporary Cherokee family finds their way home.Life in the city is chaotic, a young child tells us. Etsi (Cherokee for mother) decides it's time for them to leave. They pack up their belongings in boxes, wave goodbye to their house, and drive off, "on a new path. / One that leads us to / our ancestors' land / and to our people." When they arrive, they're greeted by a loving community. Everyone helps unload the car and gathers for a feast. Then the narrator races off with other children through the woods to play and explore. Sorell's (Cherokee Nation) lyrical, alliterative verse positively sings. Instead of "busy streets" and "crowded spaces," there is "room to run." Here, children can "hear the creek, cool and constant." Goade's (Tlingit Nation) breathtaking mixed-media artwork layers in emotion, transitioning from urban scenes dominated by dark, looming structures and impersonal silhouettes to vibrantly illustrated spreads teeming with the smiling faces of friends and family. Shimmering colors and geometric shapes bring to life the protagonist's world. Doodlelike pages from the child's journal reveal the narrator's anticipation. The color pink is a motif throughout-it appears sporadically early on, then slowly infuses the pages; the final spreads are suffused with hues of rose as the sun sets and the children play by the light of the moon.An evocative, heartwarming testament to the power of home and community. (Cherokee glossary) (Picture book. 6-10)

School Library Journal (Sat Jun 01 00:00:00 CDT 2024)

Gr 2–6 —In the past, it seemed like books about Native Americans fit one of two molds: picture books overly romanticizing history, or chapter books about kids breaking trauma cycles and escaping the hopelessness of the reservation. With Being Home , readers get a significant alternate to those narratives. Not only is it a children's book about a modern-day Cherokee girl, but it's about her joyful return to her family's country home, minus any rift or heartbreak. It's pure rejoicing in nature and space. The illustrations follow her journey from a hectic and overwhelming cityscape to the lush greenery and naturalistic styles surrounding trees and creeks. Integrated in the journey from the cramped city are stylized pink drawings of birds and symbols, guiding the way with promises of peaceful traditions. The text of the book is plain and straightforward; it is not rhyming, but there's a deep undercurrent of rhythm to how the story unfolds. It's strong and reassuring. It echoes the pull of home, to a contented place where you belong. VERDICT A grounded depiction of treasuring home and culture, skillfully presented by two artists of Indigenous backgrounds.—Cat McCarrey