Ellen Rooney

Key Selling Points A boy is excited that his uncle, after years of being unhoused, is moving in with him and his mom so they'll all be under one roof. A gentle and compassionate story about an unhoused family member that shows how homelessness can happen to anyone, including the ones we love, which encourages empathy and open-mindedness. This book serves as a springboard for deeper conversations about why people live on the street and why there is a housing crisis in many cities and towns.
It will help kids who see houselessness and tent cities understand more about who might be living there. A follow-up to the picture book The One with the Scraggly Beard, which shows the boy trying to understand why his uncle is unhoused. This book gives another installment to the story, based on the true story of the author's experience with her brother (who is now living with her and her family).
Ellen Rooney's bright, assured art is the perfect match for this personal story, bringing to life the environments of the urban landscape but also the warmth of the family dynamic.