Andy Chou Musser

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GZLA

A Home Under the Stars

October 2021, Sasquatch, 40 pp

Magical and heartfelt, A Home Under the Stars explores the difficulties and anxieties that accompany moving, as well as the journey to find a sense of belonging in a new place and to call it home.

Moving from a rural house to an urban apartment, Toby feels tiny and lost in the vast, crowded city filled with unfamiliar sights and sounds. His moms try to comfort him, but their bedtime tradition of looking at the night sky together just makes Toby angry — because the city lights hide his beloved stars.

Toby isn’t able to sleep and in his restless state he discovers a lion wandering in a mysterious jungle that has overgrown the city at night. Only the North Star can guide the lion home. Together, boy and lion embark on an otherworldly, nocturnal journey through the city in search of the star. Along the way they befriend other lost animals, each helping Toby to name and process his feelings about moving to the city. When he finds the North Star, Toby realizes his stars will always be there for him, even if he can’t see them, and maybe he can make a home in the city.

STARRED REVIEWS

KIRKUS – “An empathetic, encouraging story for readers dealing with change.”