Home Alone

This picture book has nothing to do with the film Home Alone, but there are some parallels. With stunning illustrations, The House Without Lights does recall the Christmas bedazzlement of Home Alone. Large, decorative and quaint, houses tantalize the eyes like gingerbread and candy. But one dwelling stands empty and dark as if the McCallisters finally remembered to take Kevin. This lonely house longs to be like the others, and a family moves in just in time for Christmas.

As the smell of buttery cardamom fills the air, the sentient house livens with anticipation for the holidays. It tracks the family’s doings for signs that decorating will begin, but only the inner rooms glow with warmth and togetherness. Nothing happens outdoors. House—the main character—experiences a range of emotions as it comes to understand that its new family does not celebrate Christmas. It will have no decorations. Visitors arrive on Christmas day, but only to relieve work-bound parents. Being Muslim, they have thoughtfully agreed to work over the holidays to make it possible for celebrating coworkers to be at home. House is disappointed, but the joy and energy of Huda and her siblings with their relatives fills the vacancy it once felt. As Christmas passes without a string of lights or the full feeling of togetherness, House listens in to the family’s conversation. Christmas, Diwali, and Hanukah aren’t the only holidays in town. There’s also Eid.

On that day, House twinkles and shines and the whole family is together.

A separate word has to be said about the opening spread. Wow. Just wow. And that opening line! Kissy fingers. I wish it had been possible to tell the whole story in the form of the first spread. It’s stunning.

Thanks, Edelweiss, for the advanced reading copy.