Searching for Home - Story Snug

Searching For Home by Chantal Bourgonje

Searching for Home is a beautifully illustrated, gentle story about friendship. We read lots of picture books but this is the first we’ve read with a house sprite as the main character 🙂

The Story: Lonely house sprite, Noa, can find most things but he’s never been able to find a friend. When he can’t find one he decides that what he needs to help him is to find a new home. As Noa travels he meets a variety of animals who join him on what turns out to be a long and eventful journey. Finally they find the perfect house but Noa’s reaction to the house surprises everybody. Can his new friends persuade him to stay there?

As Noa travels to find his perfect home he rescues a bear and meets a ferret and a wolf. We love the way that the seasons change from winter to spring which shows just how long their journey takes.

Chantal Bourgonje’s whimsical illustrations are beautiful and perfect for this heartwarming story. Noa enjoys the companionship of his fellow travellers and it’s only when they find the house at the end of the story that he realises that the journey has brought him the one thing he’s been looking for all along.

Searching for Home could be used to stimulate the creation of a class book in Reception or Key Stage one. Children could create their own animal characters to accompany Noa on his journey and talk about their own friendships and what is important to them in a friend.

Age Range: 3 +

Author / Illustrator: Chantal Bourgonje

Thank you to Suzy Senior and Beaming Books for sending a review copy of this beautiful book.


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10 responses to “Searching For Home by Chantal Bourgonje”


  1. Kim Carberry avatar

    Aww! How lovely! This looks like such a beautiful book. x


    1. Catherine avatar

      It is really gorgeous 🙂


  2. Carol avatar

    What a sweet story – I love the whole idea of searching for a home. The illustrations are enchanting. #MMBC


    1. Catherine avatar

      They’re absolutely gorgeous illustrations 🙂


  3. Lisa | Handmade in Israel avatar

    What a sweet story. I love the name Noa. If I had had a girl, that’s the name I would have chosen for her.


    1. Catherine avatar

      I didn’t realise that Noa was an actual name, I’d never heard it before!


  4. Donna Gwinnell Lambo-Weidner avatar

    I think my house elf would enjoy this book!


    1. Catherine avatar

      I’m sure that Noa would love to meet your house elf. He loves making friends 🙂



    1. Catherine avatar

      It’s a beautiful book and the illustrations are adorable 🙂