Two Homes

Author: Claire Masurel
Illustrator: Kady MacDonald Denton

Many families are separated: unable to eat dinner together, unable to spend weekends together, unable to do all the things you and I love together as a single unit. This book written by Claire Masurel targeted towards 3-6 year olds addresses this, telling an optimistic and child centered story of family separation.

The protagonist, Alex, has a separated family where his two parents do not live together. The environment of these two homes are largely different: with his mother, Alex has a soft cushioned chair; with his father, a hard rocking chair. Having to switch between homes on almost a weekly basis can be a confusing experience- where is truly home? There will never be a correct answer to Alex’s question. But as many children of separated families know: time and experience provide the best answers. Yet before these answers are discovered, there is no need to feel lost, or confused, or even angry.



Based on a true story, ‘Two Homes’ address the issue of separation as a whole, not explicitly specifying the circumstances faced by Alex’s parents. This open ended nature makes the book relevant and adaptable to many situations far too common in society today.

Though the book leaves the eventual growth and change of Alex’s character to the reader’s imagination, it nevertheless spreads a heart-warming message of reassurance. In fact, with twice the number of homes, twice the number of families, Alex found that he received twice the amount of love. With this story, regardless of our family situation, we can learn that we must be grateful for what we have and know that the irreplaceable bond of family trumps all else.