*A Book of Maps for You by Lourdes Heuer

A Book of Maps for You introduces very young children to the concept of mapping, and to all the places of home.

*A Book of Maps for You by Lourdes Heuer, illustrated by Maxwell Eaton III. Neal Porter Books (Holiday House), 2025. 32 pages.

• Reading Level: Picture books, ages 4-8
• Recommended For: Ages 0-10

“I made a book of maps.” 

On the title page, we see a boy drawing at a spare table in his attic room. The room is almost empty: one table, one chair, one rolled-up rug with one sleeping cat. The boy is the “I”, but who is the “You”? We won’t know that until the end, but before then there’s a lot to see, including the town, the street, the neighbors – who keeps chickens, who puts up scary decorations on Halloween. There’s also the school, the library (plus teachers and librarians worth knowing), the park (which has an actual hedge maze!), and Main Street, where all the stores are. Including the art store, which our narrator knows by heart. And just for fun, here’s a pirate map with buried treasure.

Finally, a map of the house, with suggestions on where to put furniture to get the best view through the skylight. By now we have the full picture: this kid is moving away from all he’s ever known. But, “These maps are for you, so you’ll find your way in your new home.” On the final page spread, a girl is looking them over while stacks of boxes wait to be unpacked. Anyone who’s moved a lot will feel a pang of melancholy over those left-behind places in our hearts. But there’s also a palpable sweetness captured beautifully by the friendly, soft-colored, childlike drawings. After turning the last page, pre-readers will enjoy going back to pore over the diagrams, possibly imagining their own special places that constitute “home.”

Bottom Line: A sweet and whimsical tribute to a child’s ever-widening world.

*indicates a starred review, the best of the best in its field

Recommended Reading at Redeemed Reader

• Review: The Boy Who Loved Maps is a perfect complement to this book.
• Reviews: Building one’s own home is an unforgettable experience! See New House, New Home and (though we haven’t reviewed it), Building Our House. We did interview the author, Jonathan Bean.
• Reviews: To broaden a 5-8 year-old’s interest in this fascinating subject, let them pore over Maps (by the Mizielinskis – note age-appropriate cautions), City Atlas, Indescribable Atlas Adventures, and Manhatten: Mapping the Story of an Island.

You may purchase A Book of Maps for You from Amazon