Kids books about moving are essential when moving from one house or one city to another. These are our favorite moving themed picture books!
Kids Books About Moving Help Children Handle Big Changes
There has been so much flux this year. And if we’ve seen one thing as a result of the crazy and often frightening days of 2020 and 2021, it’s that people learned they can work from anywhere, which has resulted in many families facing that harrowing “M-word.”
Moving.
To some, moving is fun! A chance to start fresh, in a new space you can make your own, sometimes in a new neighborhood you can’t wait to explore.
But kids don’t always view moving with excitement. Instead, moving to a new home, whether it’s just across the neighborhood or to a new city all together, can be fraught with anxiety and overwhelming emotions.
Kids books about moving can help.
There are several fabulous kids books about moving that address the different emotions a child is likely to feel when leaving one home for another. Fear, anxiety, sadness, trepidation, and loneliness are all common, and the brilliant stories below tackle these challenging feelings.
It is so helpful for kids to see their situations in stories, to know that their feelings are valid and their experiences common. We hope these kids books about moving bring your family comfort, help ease nerves, and encourage excitement about the big move ahead.
Good luck!
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Our Favorite Kids Books About Moving
Evelyn and Daniela are best friends. Even cooler? They live in twin apartments across the street from one another. But then the day comes that Evelyn, her mami and her papi are moving away, and the two girls must say goodbye. This is such a tender book, and its text and illustrations are spot on. Every page resonates, and readers can feel the beauty of the girls’ friendship, the anticipation of the move, the sadness that comes with saying farewell and the hope inherent in promises to keep in touch. A perfect book for any child who is moving!
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This is another of my absolute favorite books about moving. I simply adore the way this child centered story authentically follows a young kid savoring his last moments in his old house and neighborhood before saying hello to his new home and new experiences. It is both tender and accessible, but what I love most about it is the way it manages to show that saying goodbye is tough, but saying hello can be so joyful. It never feels maudlin and instead maintains an upbeat energy, as the child feels hopeful and excited for all that is to come. This book is special, and it is simply fantastic for beginning a conversation about change, moving and looking ahead to new adventures.
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This is a wonderful kids book about moving that I love for younger readers! In this book, a little girl in Mexico and a boy in New York City are each getting ready to move to the other’s location. Both children ponder common questions asked repeatedly before a big move: will I make friends? Will our new home be like our old home? Where will I sleep? Though each feel some anxiety and trepidation, it becomes increasingly clear that the two cities are more alike than the kids initially think. A perfect moving-themed picture book for littles!
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This is one of our new favorite kids books about moving! The story centers around Shanti and her family who have moved from India to the United States. Life is not the same in America, and Shanti continually finds herself “in between” her old world and her new one. While her family’s apartment feels like home, outside is different – everything from ballet class to the books she reads. Shanti is constantly straddling her two worlds, her new American culture and her old Indian one. How will she define home in America?
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We just adore this book about two kids who go on adventures in their brand new home. There’s a lot to discover among those new walls, and with tons of boxes and their furniture and belongings in every which place, imaginations set soar! Find out what happens when this duo sails the high seas, tours a fancy museum, and rockets through outer space — all within the safety of their new home. This imaginative read is such a delight, and we just love the way it celebrates moving, unpacking, and getting settled in a new home.
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This is a story all about how… Destiny’s life got turned upside down! When Destiny moves into a new house in a brand new neighborhood, life looks pretty different. But Destiny has a plan to help her solve her new challenges and make new friends. With some help from her family, she is ready to jump on in to her new community!
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During challenging times that make us feel scared and small, it’s not always easy to find our courage. But this beautiful book shows how a young girl, leaving one home with her family and moving to another, finds her inner spark and lets it shine brightly as she embarks on a new adventure. Beautiful rhyme, beautiful illustrations and a beautiful story capture one child’s courage in the midst of a daunting time. We love how she is able to embrace her inner light to help her feel brave as she moves to a new home!
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Friendship comes with its ups and downs, of course. But one of the hardest parts of finding a best friend is having to one day say goodbye to that friend. This beautiful story by a favorite author shows two friends saying hello and goodbye to various things including the difficulty inherent in saying goodbye to a friend when she has to move away. Sensitive, gentle and profound, Doerrfeld conveys to readers that even the most difficult goodbyes open us up to brilliant new hellos — and though it may take time to heal, a new day with many new hellos is always on the horizon.
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When Zola moves into the neighborhood, her new neighbor is too shy to go introduce herself and say hello. After all, Zola has an elephant to play with, so why would she need a new friend? Things aren’t always what they seem though, and sometimes, the things we imagine may not be reality. By summoning a bit of courage, two little girls embark on a new friendship that leads to an imaginary world they can discover together. Zagarenski’s stunning art will forever be a Happily Ever Elephants’ favorite!
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A young girl moves with her family to a new home. Outside her window, the child sees kids playing in a treehouse, but she is too timid to say hello. With nothing else to do, she picks at a torn piece of wallpaper in her room, and a fantastical journey suddenly ensues. What happens when she discovers a monster on her journey? She’s scared, of course, until she realizes the monster simply needs a friend. And he may be just the creature to give her the important dose of courage to survive her new circumstances.
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Callie’s family is moving, and it seems their entire house is in their front yard! They can’t stay in their home and have to downsize to a smaller apartment, so lots of their stuff must go. This means it’s time for a yard sale — and selling off so many of their belongings isn’t easy. Moving is often challenging, and this wonderful book addresses a lesser discussed (and often more difficult) topic about this tough type of move with both sensitivity and tenderness. Most importantly, it reminds all of us that home is not what you have or where you live, but you are with that matters most.
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This is such a touching book! Ben and Mia are best friends who do everything together. They especially love making paper planes and dream of one day making a plane that can fly across the whole lake! One day the two friends get terrible news. Ben’s family is moving so far away. Will they be able to stay friends after the big move? Will they be able to build their dream plane? This tender book is such a beautiful story of love and connection, and it explores emotions common to children when moving far away from their closest friends.
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A gem for anyone who has moved! This beautiful book centers around a boy and his dad who have lived in the blue house forever. But their neighborhood is changing, and houses are being knocked down to make way for shiny new buildings. Leo and his dad aren’t happy about moving, so they scream and rage and dance out their feelings. They are so sad to leave when the time comes, but as they settle into their new home, they make sure their beloved blue house is still very much alive with both of them. This is a beautiful and emotionally resonant picture book about moving that addresses loss, connection, and starting over in a new place.
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Moving isn’t easy, and sometimes it helps to have a beloved toy or stuffy when things feel particularly tough. In this tender kids book about moving, Ella and her stuffed monkey board a big ship for New York City with their Mama. Even though Papa is waiting for them across the ocean, Ella and Monkey are nervous to leave Holland and must battle seasickness, new kids in the playroom, and even fish for dinner – they hate fish! Will it finally feel like home when they arrive in New York? Children who cling to stuffies or other special toys will especially relate to this one when moving from one home to another!
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When Maia’s best friend suddenly moves away, Maia is crippled by sadness. How on earth will she get through her days without her closest confidante by her side? Ever so slowly, Maia’s pain eases as she breaks out of her comfort zone and takes chances on new experiences, including new friends and even hobbies. This is a tender exploration of loss and recovery, and it so beautifully tackles the notion that embracing new people or passions in your life in no way means you have to let go of the old.
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