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The Home That Love Built

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Book Synopsis

This is the wind that whipped and whirled.

This is the lightning that zipped and zapped.

This is the thunder that bombarded and blasted.

And these are the animals… all soggy and sad.

When a terrible storm tears through the forest, everything seems lost.

Trees are toppled.

Nests, nooks and burrows are destroyed.

The animals are left with nothing but ruins.

But then, a new home begins to grow – not an ordinary home, but one built from the efforts of every single animal in the forest.

A home made not just of twigs and leaves, but of kindness, courage, and love.

Told in a rhythmic, cumulative style and paired with breathtaking illustrations, The Home That Love Built is a powerful celebration of friendship, teamwork and rebuilding after loss.

Children and adults alike will be drawn to its rich, poetic language and its empowering message of resilience.

Perfect for fans of Our Tree, also by Jessica Meserve, Our Tower by Joseph Coelho, and The Invisible String by Patrice Karst, this touching tale is ideal for classrooms exploring big emotions like fear of change, sadness and grief.

It’s also a gentle, comforting story for bedtime snuggles – reminding children that even in their hardest moments, they are part of a community and held by those who love them.

Our Review Panel says...

The Home that Love Built is a beautifully illustrated story about kindness, perseverance and hope, and it could be used across a range of subjects, as well as making a wonderful story book in any classroom or library. The repetition and rhythm of the wording used throughout the book make it memorable and accessible for readers to join in. The repetition also helps to tell and build the story as it progresses, demonstrating how each effort made to rebuild after the storm by the animals makes a difference, regardless of how big or small the action taken is. There are other literary features used, including the use of alliteration, which children would have much fun performing aloud as part of an oracy or drama lesson. The wonderful illustrations help to tell the story too, not only in terms of the colours used linking carefully to the words on each page, but also the characterisation on the animals’ faces and through their actions taken to rebuild. In particular, the front and back endpapers, one showing the storm incoming and the other after it has passed, could make for an interesting discussion or writing point. Overall, this is an enjoyable story with a powerful underlying message about what can be achieved when we work together.