Libby Gleeson

When Clancy moves from his old house - a small, cozy bungalow - to his new house - a tall, urban townhouse - he does not share his parents' enthusiasm for this new abode. Everything seems too big to him, and he thinks longingly of the spaces in his old home that made him feel safe and comfortable. Eventually going outside, he begins to play with some of the empty boxes left over from the move, and encounters Millie, the girl from next door, who introduces herself and asks to join his game. As the two play make-believe, Clancy forgets to be unhappy, and begins to adjust to the idea of this being his new home...

Talented Australian author/illustrator team Libby Gleeson and Freya Blackwood, who have also collaborated on such titles as Half a World Away (originally Amy & Louis in Australia), Look, a Book!, and many other titles, join forces again in Clancy & Millie and the Very Fine House. A sensitive examination of the emotional difficulties involved in moving house, it presents a hopeful vision of that experience, emphasizing the opportunity for new friendships and experiences, as exemplified by Clancy's games of make-believe with Millie. I like stories that emphasize the inner resources of the child, and Gleeson's tale here does just that. The accompanying artwork from Blackwood, who is one of my favorite contemporary Australian illustrators, is charming, and is particularly skillful in the scenes in which Clancy compares his former home to his current one. Recommended to picture-book readers looking for stories about moving and/or about imaginative play, and to fellow fans of Freya Blackwood.… (mere)