Old Blue Is My Home

Gr 1-4–Old Blue is the van where the unnamed protagonist lives with her mother, father, sibling, dog, and cat. The family (depicted as white with pale skin tones) goes everywhere in their home, from the mountains to town to school. Old Blue has everything they need: a place to sleep, family room, library, hammock/closet, tools, outdoor kitchen, and even a hanging shower. As a home, it is filled with warmth and love, but sometimes the protagonist feels like she’s “from everywhere and belongs nowhere,” especially when she goes to school where her schoolmates can be unkind. Luckily, her mom is there to offer insight about Old Blue and her place in the world. Depicting warm and hazy details, nature, love, and joy, Judge’s watercolor and colored pencil illustrations pair perfectly with the spare text while capturing the feel of life in and out of the van. An author’s note reveals that this story is based on personal experience, while a section on housing insecurity is geared toward adults and older children.