So You're the New Kid (or Pup) in Town

March 08, 2009

by Amy Rees

Nothing upsets the social order of things like a big move -- the house is all in boxes, toys can't be found, parents are losing their minds, and your little one is trying desperately to make sense of it all. 

Remember:  these children are still in the midst of or at least close to their basic separation struggles.  Peekaboo and its mysteries of object permanence aren't such distant memories, after all.  And now we ask them to glide along through a moving day upheaval.  Yikes! 

New friends, new space, new school, perhaps.  How bewildering! 

You may remember that we are big fans of Eric Carle's masterful A House for a Hermit Crab to ease the pain of moving.  And now we must add to our "musts" on the topic a brand new book that speaks straight to little ones as they sort through these big, big changes. 

Opus and the Red Chair is the darling story of a cross-country move told from a furry, four-legged perspective.  (And know that we say with fathomless affection that we think toddlers and doggies are pretty much tied in how upside-down a move must feel for them!)  But of course, Opus weathers the many "new"s that are presented to him, and he comes to love his new home, especially once his trusty red chair gets delivered safely.  Substitute any one of your dependents and any one of his/her/its red chair equivalents, and the story will ring true. 

Savor this charming book, and be especially pleased to note that profits from the book go directly to the Animal Cancer Foundation!

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