We're Moving House

It’s evident from the outset that the small child narrator has completely misunderstood what his mum meant when she tells him they’re moving house.

Eagerly anticipating the move he conjures up images of his present home being lifted up and taken elsewhere, a task that will require several cranes working in sync. He hopes that the family will remain in situ during the move so he can wave at people through the window. With such an enormous object being moved, the logistics of so doing will cause some inconvenience to others and likely the relocation of certain items of street furniture. Then there’s the possibility of encountering water – a river with a rickety bridge maybe, in which case the loan of a boat or two might be required. And so his imagination continues to run riot with the house being dangled beneath a helicopter or loaded onto a train as freight. Then once the house itself has been moved, it will need securing into the ground, essential services will have to be reconnected and at last there’ll be a welcome from neighbours. All these ideas are playfully captured in Rashin Kheiriyeh’s detailed scenes before we learn the boy has had a chat with his mum and now realises that he’d got in a muddle and perhaps this move isn’t what he wants after all. But then reassurance that nothing of importance will be left behind in the current house, lifts his spirits once more and award-winning adult author, Mick Jackson’s story ends on an upbeat note.

With the wealth of transportation imagined by the boy, youngsters with an interest in vehicles especially, will love the visuals, even if a house move isn’t imminent.