Place for Us

A poignant wordless picture book about a homeless boy and his mom, by Children’s Literature Legacy Award winner James Ransome

When a little boy’s mom picks him up from school, his day seems a lot like any other kid’s. He and his mom go out for some fast food and then head to the library. But when they stay there till closing time, and then go to the park, we learn more. Through the lens of Ransome’s evocative illustrations we see that they ate out because they don’t have a kitchen to cook in. They went to the library because they don’t have a quiet space to do homework. And at night, they settle in to sleep on a bench in a city park because they don’t have a home.

The next morning, they are awakened by the rising sun, Mom’s bag is full of clean clothes, and there’s a fountain for washing up—and finally they are ready for the walk to school. His classmates may or may not know about his living situation, but what shines throughout the story is the deep love he and his mom have for each other.