Home at Last

A sweet yet engaging story. Adorable and realistic

Terrifying scene where one of the adoptive dads screams at the newly adopted child for being afraid to sleep in his bed - then everything goes back to normal. Abusive.Scary ideas for kids who may already be afraid of bedtime: “What if somebody comes and takes me away right in the middle of the night? What if bad people come really quiet on tiptoes, or what if they fly in and you don't even hear them?"On another page, it describes how the child’s parents both died in a bad car crash, & his grandma got too old & sick to care for him. Reading this would make my children worry that something similar would happen to us.I was looking forward to reading a story where gay parents are portrayed in a positive light, but I had to stop reading it aloud to my kids after a few pages. I read it to myself and wishes there had been a warning on it!

Lester is adopted by Daddy Rich and Daddy Albert, who pick him up with their dog Wincka once the adoption is formalized. They head home, put Lester’s new clothes away. But when Daddy Albert tries to put Lester’s suitcase in the attic, Lester shows them that it is full of his action figures and insists that they have to stay right in the suitcase in his room. Lester is happy during the day, playing with his toys and spending time with his new fathers. At night though, he packs up his suitcase and stands near his fathers’ bed. This happens night after night, despite cocoa and toast, singing songs, and explanations that Lester is safe. Finally, one of the fathers loses his temper with the situation and then Lester really opens up about what he is worried about. A solution to the problem is found by Wincka, the dog, who was listening to Lester’s story too.This was the book that Williams was working on when she died. Raschka had been involved from the beginning with the book and completed the vision that Williams had shared with him. Williams captures the deep-seated fear that adopted children can have, the understanding at one level of newfound family love but also the change that comes at night where fears become larger. Williams also shows two loving gay men, both delighted to be fathers and each different from the other. The two of them together parent Lester with kindness and concern and deep love.Raschka finished the book, basing his art on sketches by Williams. His large colorful illustrations have a loose feel that ranges across the page, capturing both the mayhem of a family short on sleep but also the warmth of that family too. His watercolors convey deep emotions from the frustrations of sleepless nights to the power of coming together afterwards. All is beautifully shown on the page.A tribute to adoptive families, LGBT couples who adopt and the importance of love and patience, this picture book is a grand finale to the many books by Williams. Appropriate for ages 4-7.

Talk about a picture book to tug at your heartstrings. This one does that and so much more especially if you really the notes at the end of the book.Lester has had a grief filled life and though he is happy to go to his new adoptive parents, Daddy Albert and Daddy Rich, his fears of being of them being taken away from him in some capacity like his parents and his grandmother keeps him awake at night and not wanting to stay in his own room where the fear takes hold.Though both of his Daddy's cannot figure out to help Lester overcome his fear, their dog Wincka does with a brilliant plan than only a dog could come up with.Beautifully written and illustrated by dear friends, the late Vera B. Williams and Chris Raschka.Published by Greenwillow Books.#PB #adoption #fears #loss #family #love #mustread

The story contains a scene of domestic violence which is treated as normal. In a very disturbing scene vulnerable little Lester has a toy knocked from his hand, is pulled down the hall and screamed at by his new father. "Lester started to cry. He was suddenly very very frightened by the angry screaming face of his new Daddy Albert." Daddy Albert then turns soft again. Anyone who has suffered from domestic abuse knows this is the "crazy cycle" of abuse: terror then nice-nice.

Marvelous! Its time someone wrote a story devoted to gay couples and their children. A lovely story. A gift to all families everywhere.