Sometimes I see a book in the bookstore and instinctively know there’s a high probability it will be coming home with me. Home in the Woods by Eliza Wheeler was one of those books.

But I have to be honest. After I picked it up and opened it, I almost didn’t keep reading because the artwork style of the faces on the opening page isn’t something I normally warm to. But I kept reading because I thought I would like the story.

I’m glad I did. This is a wonderful addition to my picture book collection and Homeschooling with Cozy Books.

Home in the Woods is the story of a family that must move into a tarpaper shack in the northern woods of Wisconsin during the Great Depression. It is based on the childhood experience of the author’s grandmother.

I won’t tell you why they must do this. You’ll have to read the story.

They have no money so they must work hard to survive through the various seasons.

Every member of the family plays an important part.

They pull together as a family and make the most of every resource they have access to where they are.

Starting with the summer when they move in, the book goes through the various seasons during the first year they live in this tumbledown shack in the woods.

The family makes the most of every situation, infusing joy whenever possible.

Home in the Woods is a lovely book about a loving close-knit family, working hard, the seasons, and making the best of a difficult situation. I’m so glad I gave it a chance and brought it home. I highly recommend it. ♥

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