My Home Is in My Backpack - by Eugenia Perrella (Hardcover)

About the Book

"'We have left our house behind,' Papa explains, 'but our home is special: it is made from the people we love and the things we love doing.' 'Yes,' says Mama. 'We all carry our special homes with us -- in our backpacks and pockets, and in our hearts.' Clara knew that one day her family would have to leave, just like her aunts and uncles and cousins and so many others. At dawn they join the caravan of people snaking over the hills. Every day they walk a long way. Sometimes they chat and joke, sometimes they hide and are silent. At night they make a village of tents and Clara visits her new friends to hear about their special homes, the things that light up the darkness for them: Juan's singing, Maria's stories, and Tomas's dominos. For Clara, home is drawing, Mama and Papa, her brother Pedro and Almond the dog. One night, Clara wishes on a shooting star. She wishes that their long journey will come to an end, and that someday soon she can put down her backpack and find a safe place for her special home to stay"

Book Synopsis

A Chicago Public Library Best Picture Book of 2025

Clara and her family are forced to leave everything behind in this poignant but hopeful story of forced migration, told through the eyes of a young refugee.

"We all carry our special homes with us - in our backpacks and pockets, and in our hearts."

Every day Clara and her family walk a long way. Sometimes they talk and joke, sometimes they must hide and keep silent. At night, in their village of tents, Clara visits her new friends to hear about their special homes: the things that light up the darkness for them.

But Clara hopes someday soon their journey will end, and she can put down her backpack and find a safe place for her special home to stay.

Review Quotes

A Chicago Public Library Best Picture Book of 2025

'Both poignant and buoyant: a touching tribute to love and the endurance of the human spirit.'--Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review

'A family's forced migration prompts a new way of seeing home in this sensitively rendered tale of change. Arresting.'--Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

'A superb book that evokes empathy for families facing forced migration, examining the topic in an accessible way for children.'--BookPage, Starred Review

'Despite her trying journey, Clara is sweet and soft, and her love of art winds through the book, with her own drawings of the stories of the people she meets intertwining and dancing beautifully with the reality around her.'--The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

'Celebrates family and connections which emerge even from seeing homelessness and nomadic travel, making for a picture book strong in family connections and positivity.'--Donovan's Literary Services

'A fantastic way to show children what migration is or to help children who had to migrate reflect on their journey. This story shows the difficulty of migration while also highlighting the beauty of community and family.'--Adrien Carter, YA Books Central

'Perrella's text and Salerno's illustrations capture the invisible: the things we carry within us.'--Words Without Borders

A tender story... Students who have experienced transition will see themselves in Clara�s story, while others will gain insight into the sacrifices and hopes that come with leaving everything behind. Ultimately, the book affirms that home lives within us, wherever we may go.--Two Writing Teachers

About the Author

Eugenia Perrella is a journalist and children's author from Buenos Aires, Argentina. She specializes in international news and brings her passion for keeping others informed into her writing for children. Eugenia is the author of more than a dozen children's books.

Angela Salerno is a graphic designer and illustrator from Argentina, whose work often highlights social justice issues. Angela has illustrated several children's books. She lives in Valencia, Spain.