Meaningful Picture Books About Moving to a New House

If you’re moving to a new house, help your kids prepare for this big life transition by reading stories about other kids who’ve moved homes, too. Bibliotherapy! Read books about moving houses to answer questions and encourage conversations.

When we moved houses, my youngest daughter was four. She told me, “I’m just sad that I have to leave my toys at the old house.” WHAT!?! I’m so glad she told me her misconception so I could clarify for her what to expect. Since, of course, she didn’t have to leave her toys.

I hope these picture books help your children with a move to a new home.

Picture Books About Moving Houses

The Many Colors of Harpreet Singh by Supriya Kelkar, illustrated by Alea Marley
A relatable story about feelings, moving homes, and finding a friend. Harpreet loves colors and expresses his feelings with the colors of his patkas (a kind of turban) that he wears each day. When his family moves to a new home, he wears blue for feeling nervous, then gray for feeling sad, and white for feeling shy. Harpreet picks white when he’s at his new school. Then one day, he finds a lost hat and when he returns it, he makes a new friend. A friend makes a big difference, and Harpreet beings wearing colors again– red, pink, and yellow. In fact, now he wears different colors for different occasions, including white for hanging out with a new friend.

When You Are Brave by Pat Zietlow Miller, illustrated by Eliza Wheeler
What is being brave? “Brave is a bird that steps from its nest hoping to soar through the sky.” As the author shares what brave looks and feels like, a little girl and her family leave their house with boxes and suitcases and travel in the car through the city and country to a new home. “Because once you find your courage, it’s easy to use again and again. The next time life seems scary or you start something new, you can remember when you were brave.”

A New Home by Tania de Regil
Parallel stories show a little girl and a little boy who are nervous about moving cities, one is moving from Mexico City to New York City and the other is moving from New York City to Mexico City. They each share the fun things they’ll miss about their home. As they do, we notice how fun each city is and feel reassured that they’ll probably love their new, fun home. Simple, clear text such as “But what if there is nowhere for me to play in my new city?” accompanies charming illustrations that give voice to these children’s experiences.

Ten Beautiful Things by Molly Beth Griffin, illustrated by Maribel Lechuga
This is a beautiful story where sorrow and beauty co-exist as a little girl sits in the back of her grandma’s car, traveling to her new home. As they drive, her grandma asks her to look for ten beautiful things along the way. Heartfelt and emotionally resonate.

Southwest Sunrise by Nikki Grimes, illustrated by Wendell Minor
A little boy is sad to leave New York and move to New Mexico where he observes the beauty of the natural landscape in a multitude of sensory details that show the desert’s beauty. “Hot red firewheel flowers! Their tips flame yellow-orange across the canyon.” I absolutely ADORE Grimes’ writing and recommend it for any classroom as a mentor text. You’ll be transported to the boy’s new home and be glad you got to experience it.

Home Is a Window by Stephanie Parsley Ledyard, illustrations by Chris Sasaki
Beautiful metaphors about moving houses and knowing that your home is your family. “Home is one more hide-and-seek before bath” and “home is washing, rinsing, and drying, and whenever a dish gets broken, someone to help you sweep.”

Moving House by Mark Siegel
The Foggytown fog prevents Joey and Chloe from seeing anything – the stars, streetlamps, and each other. Daddy and mama want to move but the kids don’t want to leave their beloved house. So, the house gets up and trots, hops, skips, and runs out of the fog on the top of a hill. The house is joined by the rest of the buildings and when they wake up the next day, they can see for miles and miles.

Dreamers by Yuyi Morales
With exquisite artwork, go on a journey with a mom and child traveling to a new place to live. This story celebrates their loving bond and how books helped them develop their voices in a new country. Also on: Children’s Books about Immigration

Bad Bye, Good Bye by Deborah Underwood, illustrated by Jonathan Bean
It’s “bad bye” when you’re moving. Then it’s “good bye” when you make a new friend and are saying good-night. Underwood perfectly captures the emotional and physical landscape of a move in two-word phrases. We really enjoyed this picture book.

Double Happiness by Nancy Tupper Ling, illustrated by Alina Chau
Written in poems, this is a bittersweet story about siblings moving from their home, saying goodbye to family and favorite things, and traveling to a new, colder home. Throughout, Gracie shares her feelings and her observations as well as her wonderful imagination. The text is simple but meaningful. Wonderful!

Lenny & Lucy by Phillip C. Stead, illustrated by Erin E. Stead
At first, Peter feels like his new house is cold and unfriendly. But he problem-solves in creative ways to feel welcome at his new house in the big woods.

Boomer’s Big Day by Constance W. McGeorge, illustrated by Mary Whyte
A moving story from the perspective of a dog. No one walks Boomer or plays with him because his people are moving. He notices things like his ball is missing and that strangers are in the house. Then, he travels to the new, empty house where he sees a backyard full of possibilities. Simple and sweet.

El Cucuy Is Scared, Too! by Donna Barba Higuera, illustrated by Juliana Perdomo
Ramón isn’t scared of El Cucuy anymore (the boogieman) because he’s more worried about his first day of school. And El Cucuy feels the same — he misses their old home and the desert. Ramon reassures El Cucuy that they’ll both get used to it and make new friends, and that El Cucuy is strong and brave; they both are. It’s a sweet story of friendship with colorful, vibrant illustrations.

Goodbye, Old House by Margaret Wild, illustrated by Ann James
Use this picture book as a helpful guide for children moving homes. First, you must realize that it’s your last time doing things at your old house. “This is the last time I’ll sleep in this house.” Then, you can say goodbye to everything. “Goodbye, living room. Goodbye, big bedroom. Next, you’ll be at the new house and can embrace what’s new and say hello to the new things in your house. This picture book teaches children that closure and new beginnings are part of the moving process.