Moving Day

Moving Day by Helen Train Hilles (1954) This is a charming, old, library book, beat up but indestructible, for kids (it says: “Ages 5 to 8”—which seems narrow to me, but what do I know about children's reading levels). It's especially appealing because of these great wood-cut-like illustrations by Jean Tamburine. It's probably meant to be helpful for kids who are going through the weirdness of moving from their childhood home to somewhere new—which is something I didn't go through as a kid—and I'm thankful about that, and also feel a bit like I missed out on something. This family moves from a house into a brand new housing project apartment block. The kids are pretty alienated by the new place, but they adjust. There are a few odd details—this is over half a century ago, after all. When they are packing, they put a lot of odds and ends into some old-fashioned barrels, you know, like wooden barrels—packed with excelsior. Then the movers just take the barrel. This seems to make a lot of sense—that's the hardest part of moving—all the little stuff that doesn't seem to fit in anywhere, but you have to handle it. I wonder why we've gotten away from using barrels for anything?