On the surface, this is a kid's-eye-view of a neighborhood, with maps highlighting neighbors' houses, the school, library, and beloved places - and the interior of the narrator's house. At the end, it becomes clear this is a generous gesture from someone who has moved away so that whoever is moving into the house can already begin to know the heart of the neighborhood. The playful illustration style and bright colors draw the reader in, and notes on the maps detail what makes the places special.

 

A young cartographer leaves a one-of-a-kind gift behind for the kid moving into his old house. He’s drawn and annotated maps of all the neighborhood places of interest—no playground, reading nook, or chicken coop left uncharted. During a big move, a child can feel a lot of pressure to be excited for the future, to open their heart to the place they’re headed. But the roads they’ve been down hundreds of times, the familiar faces, and the house where they know every noisy pipe and leaky faucet all deserve care, too. A Book of Maps for You honors the homes we leave behind and the ones we haven’t met yet, reminding us that they may just be two sides of the same coin. Lourdes Heuer’s attentive text speaks volumes in each word, and Maxwell Eaton III’s signature detail-rich illustrations call for re-reads to drink in and explore every page