‘Summer reading: Home is Where My Heart Is’ by: Smriti Halls

✨ About the Book

Being an immigrant myself, I often wonder: Where is “home”?
Is home something we carry in our hearts? Is it tied to the people we left behind?
Can we truly define what “home” means?

Home is a heartwarming tale that invites readers to reflect, explore emotions, and better understand their own feelings.

Follow Bear’s journey far from home and back again, and discover the true meaning of home. Written in rhyme and supported by beautiful illustrations, this is a story readers will want to return to again and again.

📖 Book Information

Author: Smriti Halls
Illustrated by: Alice Courtley (Klaus Flugge Prize shortlisted)
Publisher: Andersen Press (June 2023)
Category: Picture book
Recommended age: 5+
Pages: 32
Genre: Family, stories about families and friends
Skills: Reading, speaking, writing, drawing

🎯 Learning Aim

This story may help children:

Talk about the importance of home and family
Reflect on belonging and identity

💡 Ideas to Explore the Story

Explore the difference between “house” and “home”
Discuss what home means to different people
Talk about refugees and their experiences of home
Reflect on the challenges of moving to a new place
Draw and describe your own home

🌐 More About the Author

Learn more: https://www.smriti.co.uk/

📝 About the Inspiration

When asked about the inspiration behind this beautiful rhyming story, Smriti Halls shared that her idea of home has been shaped by living in many different places—from South India to the UK and beyond.

She reflects on the challenges of starting over, making new friends, and trying to belong. Through these experiences, she came to understand that home is not just a place, but something we carry within us.

In a world where many people are forced to leave their homes, this story reminds us that: