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We use Google Analytics to see what pages are most visited, and where in the world visitors are visiting from. I imagine kids might want to know, to name but a few things: What is this Atlantis that looks so intriguing? And it doesn’t just cover the habitats of people: for example, one page shows the home of a raccoon, and one shows the home of a Norse god. Addendum: I see that Home has been criticized for some stereotyping, when it comes to who lives where - a young girl of color living in a graffiti-covered urban apartment building, for instance - as well as some poorly thought out juxtapositions.

Therefore, the illustrations in “Home” are very much in the hipster-indie art realm and can be imagined being sold on Etsy. When I was little, I was fascinated with the different types of houses people had all around the world. Although “Home” is intended for small children; the author and illustrator Carson Ellis is known amongst adults as the wife of Colin Meloy, lead singer of the band, The Decemberists. Coming as it does before the "home" in a shoe - a clear fairy-tale reference - I myself read the Middle-Eastern scene as a reference to the story of Aladdin, and have to wonder if these critics are simply unaware of that story, and ignorant of the wider storytelling tradition of The Arabian Nights.

I don't know what it was about it (something about the shape of the lines maybe) but I could honestly look at it all day; I want to frame it and put it on my wall.

Home” is an oversized juvenile picture book with very little text targeting very young children mostly in the 4-6 age bracket. Influential artist Carson Ellis makes her solo picture-book debut with a beautifully imaginative tribute to the many possibilities of home.

As a debut, I found Ellis' concept of what home means to different people a powerful and thought-provoking discussion. I enjoyed the cyclical ending (or beginning) of this book and how Ellis' journey through different homes, imaginary as well as wholly real all blossomed from the artist's studio (final picture). Carson has been awarded silver medals by the Society of Illustrators for her work on Wildwood Imperium and on Dillweed's Revenge by Florence Parry Heide. She has illustrated a number of books for kids including The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart, The Composer Is Dead by Lemony Snicket, and The Wildwood Chronicles by her husband, Colin Meloy. She uses her colours sparingly, browns, greys, greens and reds to great effect as we follow a little bird - a migrator free to travel anywhere - around the world (both real and imaginary) to places we may never visit.