Home for Margaret

     

Home for Margaret Denise Davy & Berengere Delaporte 

                    

 

The book opens with a vignette of a snow-covered birdhouse, where two birds peck at a small scattering of seeds. Nearby, a squirrel with ruffled fur approaches hesitantly, appearing uninvited. Positioned on the outside looking in, the squirrel seems excluded from both the warmth of the birdhouse and the shared meal, creating an immediate sense of isolation and longing. This opening image is especially compelling because the book centers on a character who is experiencing homelessness. The squirrel's position outside the shelter and separated from the food foreshadows the themes of exclusion, insecurity, and the search for belonging that the story goes on to explore.  

 

This double-spread, full-bleed illustration places the reader at ground level with the characters, creating an intimate perspective. The visual juxtaposition between the mother and Margaret is especially striking. The mother's soft gray winter hat contrasts with Margaret's uncombed, cold gray hair. Her fitted yellow coat stands in opposition to Margaret's oversized yellow coat, which clearly appears to have belonged to someone else before her. Likewise, the mother's purple mittens, which neatly cover her long fingers, contrast with Margaret's bare, cold fingers peeking out from the sleeves of her oversized coat. These visual contrasts subtly emphasize the differences in the characters' circumstances while reinforcing Margaret's vulnerability and the instability of her living situation. 

 

Margaret's mother is a social worker who gently explains to her daughter that circumstances such as job loss or health issues can lead to homelessness. Inspired by her mother's compassion, the young girl chooses to spend her own money on a scarf and mittens for Margaret. These gifts match the color of the book's endpapers, creating a meaningful visual connection that invites the reader to pause and reflect. It is almost as if the book begins and ends with the warmth needed to move forward.

I especially appreciate that the story does not present the scarf and mittens as a complete solution or a tidy ending. Instead, they represent the beginning of a relationship. Their connection starts not with a gift, but with the simple act of saying hello and asking Margaret her name. Throughout the story, the young girl observes a woman experiencing homelessness while also watching her mother model empathy, respect, and meaningful action.

Although the book concludes with Margaret obtaining housing, it avoids suggesting that individual acts of kindness alone solve homelessness. Instead, it leaves young readers with two important ideas: they have the power to show compassion and build relationships with others, and lasting solutions also require broader systemic changes that address the root causes of homelessness.