Mommy's Hometown

I loved Hope Lim’s “I Am A Bird” released earlier this year – so another book from her makes me super excited, and justifiably so!

“Mommy’s Hometown” written by Hope Lim and illustrated by Jaime Kim will hit the shelves in April 2022.

The book begins with a little boy tucked in bed with Mommy. Every night Mommy tells him stories about the place where she grew up – a place with beautiful towering mountains and a sparkling old river where Mommy and her friends used to play, catch fish and splash water on each other. The place was pristine, nestled in lush greenery. The little boy is excited because tomorrow, he would see the place for himself!

The next day when the boy reaches Mommy’s hometown, he notices that it isn’t at all like the place his Mommy had described. An old house, which Mommy says was once the best house, is surrounded by new houses. Instead of mountains, apartment buildings stand tall, pebbled paths have given way to concrete walkways, the old has given way to the new. Nevertheless, the boy and Mommy wade into the river and rediscover its wonders. As the day ends and Grandma calls them to come back indoors, the buildings do not look so uninviting any more, the old house looks welcoming too, the sky has warm hues, and the little boy realizes that while “some things change… some things stay the same.”

This book will appeal to all readers because it is so relatable – after all, we live (in Jhumpa Lahiri’s words), in a ‘hyphenated’ world – straddling our past and our present.

I have already pre-ordered my copy – and hope you pre-order yours too!