Bottner offers a heartwarming story of a young girl moving to a new house and a too-empty room. Rosa’s new room looks enormous and empty. She spends the week unpacking her belongings; her crayons go in the desk, her doll on her bed, her tea set on her table. But still, the room seems empty. It seems a little better with a poster her new teacher gives her, the books she borrows from the library, and a new bedspread she and her mother make together. But still, the room is missing something. Finally, after a week, she discovers what’s missing while she’s drawing a picture of the view outside her window. She goes out and returns with Lili, a new friend who fills the emptiness. Spiegel’s softly colored watercolors are the perfect complement to the text, showing the transformation of both Rosa and her room. Rosa’s facial expressions eloquently capture the feelings of a child who is unsure of her new surroundings, and are sure to resonate with children who have recently moved. A welcome addition sure to calm the worries of youngsters facing a similar situation. (Picture book. 3-8)
