Lily is upset when her mom tells her the two of them will be moving from the United States to Taiwan so that her mom can help take care of her Ah Ma. Lily has a litany of things she will miss and doesn’t want to leave behind, including fireflies, her best friend, the Strawberry Hill Farmer’s Market, and school. “Please try to be understanding,” says Lily’s mom. But “Lily was not understanding.” In Taiwan, nothing feels right or familiar to Lily, and she doesn’t know the language. “This is not my home.” Her mom is sympathetic, but she also explains that Taiwan is her home. “And it can be ours.” It’s a turning point for both Lily and the story as a series of wordless page spreads shows the passage of time, with the unfamiliar gradually becoming familiar and friendly. At a family gathering at story’s end, Lily tells her mother in Chinese, “This is my home.” The marvelous text, told mostly in brief dialogue, and skillful panel illustrations in which Lily’s feelings are always expressively apparent work together beautifully to tell this heartening story about moving, change, and family. (Ages 4-7)

A humorous and heartfelt reverse immigration story that will resonate across cultures and show us how a place can become home.



This is not my backyard barbecue.

This is not our car, these are not my fireflies.

This is not my farmer's market and...

This is not my home.



When Lily's mom announces their family must move back to Taiwan to take care of her elderly Ah Ma, Lily is devastated to leave behind her whole life for a place that is most definitely not her home. But Lily soon realizes, through the help of her family and friends, what home means to them. And perhaps someday--maybe not today, but someday--it might become her home too.