"Before we go home, we go to the store
to buy books, toys and clothes for family.
Mom pushes the door open but the wind
pushes back.
"C-c-cold," Nile says, shivering."
The Caribbean family in this warm and tender tale is making preparations to 'go home' to the place the parents were born. The young narrator and her brother do nor recognize it as their 'home' and express that feeling. As the parents speak to the love they share for their birthplace and the family and friends that still live there, they explain that it is possible to have different home countries. Marlee is not convinced.
Leaving the place where winter can still be felt and seen outside the windows to go to a place of sunshine and warmth offers many opportunities. A shopping trip ensures they have gifts for waiting relatives. Upon arrival, their grandparents provide a happy welcome. There are people everywhere and the sky is filled with starlight they rarely see in the city.
"When we go home, I meet cousins, aunties and uncles. They all stayed up late to meet us. I am so
excited I talk and talk and talk.
"What dat she say?" Gran'daddy asks.
"What did he say," I ask.
Mom explains my words to them and their sing-song words to me.
We all laugh because our words sound so different."
As days go by, the children have a wonderful time. There are so many things to see and do. They spend days at the beach drinking from green water coconuts, flying kites, finding seashells, and listening to ocean waves lap the shore. The food is delicious, the music is full of rhythm, and the company of family makes each day sweeter. It isn't long until Marlee is feeling comfortable and content in her 'home away from home'.
Using 'when we go home' repeatedly in the story's arc is a gentle reminder that her dad knew what he was talking about when describing their journey. The rich colors and Caribbean setting add to the book's appeal.
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