A Terrible Place for a Nest

by Sara Levine, Erika Meza (Illustrator)

Overview

A child learns to settle into a new home in this lyrical and stirring picture book perfect for fans of MEMORY JARS and EVELYN DEL REY IS MOVING AWAY.

Juno and his mom have just moved into a new home, and he hates everything about it - the new school, his new classmates, his new room.

Just outside his window, Juno notices a family of mourning doves have started a nest atop the fence, and they seem to be struggling to make it work, too. Sure enough, Juno concludes this new place is a terrible place to build a nest.

But, as winter turns to spring and the doves grow, so does Juno. And while this new place may be scary and sometimes lonely, they will all make it work, together.

Lyrical and hopeful, A Terrible Place for a Nest is a tender and uplifting tale about facing new experiences with empathy and courage.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781250861221
Publisher:	Roaring Brook Press
Publication date:	07/30/2024
Pages:	40
Sales rank:	989,115
Product dimensions:	10.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.35(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Sara Levine is a veterinarian, an educator, and an award-winning author of science-focused picture books, including Bone by Bone: Comparing Animal Skeletons, A Peek at Beaks: Tools Birds Use, and The Animals Would Not Sleep!. A Terrible Place for a Nest was inspired by a couple mourning doves who did, in fact, build their nest in an inconvenient location. Sara and her daughter have had to move more times than they would have liked in recent years and are currently settling into a new nest in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Erika Meza grew up in Mexico and moved houses more often than she had birthdays. Having studied illustration in Paris, she now lives in London—her thirty-sixth address—where she paints, writes her own stories, and practices her uncanny ability to pack efficiently. Erika loves exploring, learning about many different places and cultures, and finding joy in the people who allow you to be yourself.

Editorial Reviews

03/25/2024

When Juno and his mother lose their home and have to move, his mom likes the sounds of the mourning doves that greet them at their new address. But for Juno, who feels the change keenly, “this is a terrible place to build a nest!” When one of the family’s movers inadvertently smashes the mourning doves’ nest and eggs, things hit an emotional bottom for Juno: “I told you it was a bad place for a nest!” Over time, though, Juno makes a friend and unpacks his room, and the birds make another nest, as Meza’s palette warms subtly from chalky, washed-out blues and browns to cheerful saturated hues. The slow but steady transformation that Levine traces from upset to familiarity and joy feels real and satisfying as the family lavishes care on the mourning doves and, in the process, on making a new home for themselves. Juno and his mother have brown skin; other characters are portrayed with various skin tones. Ages 4–8. (May)

Publishers Weekly

"A feel-good ode to resilience." — Kirkus Reviews

"The...steady transformation that Levine traces from upset to familiarity and joy feels real and satisfying." — Publishers Weekly

"A reassuring story for any child coping with a difficult move." — Horn Book Magazine

From the Publisher

2024-02-17
A young boy must adjust to a new home after a recent move.

It isn’t clear why Juno and his mother “lost their home,” but it’s obvious that the little boy is feeling overwhelmed. When they arrive at their new house, they are welcomed by the song of mourning doves, but Juno isn’t impressed. Big changes mean lots of worries: His new room doesn’t feel like his, the grocery store doesn’t stock his favorite cereal, and the kids at his new school don’t talk to him. Finally home again, Juno lets out his frustration: “This is a terrible place!” His yelling startles the neighboring mourning doves from their poorly placed nest atop the gate. The following day, movers accidentally dislodge the nest. Juno tries his best to rebuild it and bring the mourning doves back. They return but stay away from the nest. As time passes, Juno begins to settle into his new home. Then one day, he spots a bird in the nest and, with some help from his new friends, works hard to keep them safe. Created with charcoal, pencil, and Adobe Photoshop, the realistic illustrations work in harmony with the straightforward text. The art makes effective use of texture and angles to amplify Juno’s emotions. This steadily paced story will reassure young readers that change is scary—but not always bad. Juno and his mom are brown-skinned.

A feel-good ode to resilience. (Picture book. 4-8)

Kirkus Reviews