Home Is a Door We Carry

"Moscow-born author/artist Satüpo, who now lives in Berlin, creates vibrant spreads, favoring earthy tones, combining naïve drawings with textured cutouts, and collaging with childlike simplicity. Writing in unadorned prose, he captures the ubiquitous plight of children fleeing natural disasters, socioeconomic uncertainty, political upheaval, and—far too often—war. Fifty million kids, he notes, were displaced in 2024; kindness, he reminds us, can create welcoming safety. . . . Deftly captures the challenging uncertainty of leaving home and the eventual hope of belonging.

— Kirkus Reviews

“In this poignant tale, two children share their experiences of being displaced from their homes. . . Satüpo’s fanciful illustrations convey both warmth and melancholy.”

— The Horn Book, Starred Review

"Its exquisite, atmospheric collage art evoking feelings of displacement, this empathy-building picture book focuses on refugee families around the world. Children walk with bowed heads beside their parents, or sneak a few moments of play with other children, as they head for places far away from their first homes. They imagine that their homes miss them, too; they personify those longed-for places in their minds. Wistful and lyrical, the intermittent prose balances out the tough circumstances implied in quiet threads depicting tanks and hints of violence, imbuing the everychild’s innocent wish that all will find homes in time with added power."

— Foreword Reviews, Starred Review