A Home for Hope!

“Its lilting, easy rhyme, lovely illustrations by Renée Andriani, and depiction of Hope’s life on the street before she is rescued by a shelter aide and put up for adoption add insights into homelessness and what makes a house a home. . . . Margie Blumberg has gone above and beyond with A Home for Hope!, which lives up to its name in exploring how that home is built on hope, fresh opportunities, and wonderful surprises . . .  Young readers and adults who enjoy rhyming read-alouds and fun, colorful drawings will find A Home for Hope! just the ticket for exploring themes of change and new possibilities in life.” —D. Donovan, Senior Reviewer, MIDWEST BOOK REVIEW

“The uplifting tale deftly demonstrates kindness and love for all creatures. Blumberg’s rhymes are clever and animated (“Squirt, spurt, spout! / Pup is drenched / From tail to snout”), making this an excellent read-aloud choice. Andriani’s illustrations are delightful. . . . A witty, heartwarming, and interactive tale for canine lovers.” —Kirkus Reviews https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/margie-blumberg/a-home-for-hope/

“A Home for Hope!, written by Margie Blumberg and illustrated by Renée Andriani, is a rhythmic children’s book that follows two interconnecting stories that ultimately converge into one. The book begins with a dog who is found on the side of the street, wet from the rain and the passing cars, by a pet shelter rescue worker. The dog is taken to the shelter, given a bath and medicine, and named Hope. While this is happening, a family with two young children is preparing for a move. They are sad to leave their Nana Faye but are promised she’s always just a phone call away. Meanwhile, Hope is still at the shelter but is continually reassured she is safe and will be adopted, even as other pups find families of their own. As the children settle into the home their parents have renovated, they all feel that something is missing…but Hope is on the way for everyone.

“Margie Blumberg writes a lyrical tale with a beautiful message in A Home for Hope! As a family who adopted a cat from a rescue, there was an instant connection to the story between Hope, her new family, and my own. The illustrations in the book are absolutely wonderful and Renée Andriani, an artist in the truest sense, brings every scene to life with vivid, full-color sketches. One thing that stood out to me that I appreciated the most is that the situation Hope is in is not sugar-coated. For young readers who are unaware of the sheer volume of pets waiting for adoption at shelters, rescues, and pounds, Blumberg and Adriani put forward the clear need for animals like Hope to find homes where many children would rather just buy a new puppy or kitten. This is a book that will fit comfortably into our bedtime reading rotation.” —Reviewed By Asher Syed for Readers’ Favorite

“A stray puppy is rescued on a rainy spring day and taken to a shelter. What will it take for this little puppy to find her fur-ever home? In the meantime, a young family moves into a big house that needs a lot of work. They had to leave behind their beloved nana, and the task of cleaning up the dreadful mess of a house seems overwhelming, even for the two children, Chip and Kaye. The children unpack and set up their rooms, but they know something’s missing. Mom and Pop know, too. Once things are tidied up, they realize that something is still missing to make their home complete. Will Nana Faye come to their rescue?

“Margie Blumberg’s picture book story, A Home for Hope!, is a compassionate story of a loving, but sadly abandoned puppy. Hope dreams of a fur-ever home where she can be loved and cared for, warm and safe. The story is told in rhyming verse, beginning with the popular 100-year-old song, “April Showers,” presented as sheet music (with a link to listen to the song online). The colorful illustrations help move this charming story to its hopeful ending. The plot begins with Hope’s sad plight, and the loving shelter worker who befriends her. A parallel story follows the children, Chip and Kaye, as they try to settle into their new and rather frightening mess of a home. There’s lots of room to play at the new house, but also a lot of work to be done first. And, they all realize there’s something missing – Hope. A beautifully told story about a loving and complete fur-ever family.” —Reviewed By Emily-Jane Hills Orford for Readers’ Favorite

“A Home for Hope! is a children’s animal picture book written by Margie Blumberg and illustrated by Renée Andriani. Chip and Kaye were not at all sure they were happy about the big move. For one thing, they were leaving Nana Faye behind. Eventually, they could put it off no longer, and they drove off with their mom and dad to their new house. The new house was dreary, to put it optimistically. Chip and Kaye were not sure their parents would ever be able to get it into shape, but then they had the best idea on how they could help. Meanwhile, at the local shelter, a cheerful little brown and white dog named Hope was wondering when she would meet her forever family. She was sure there was such a family out there; the nice guy who had found her cold and sick at the park assured her that they would come. And if Chip and Kaye’s parents did visit the shelter to find a dog for their family, would they see Hope and decide she was their forever dog?

“Margie Blumberg’s A Home for Hope! is a marvelous story that chronicles a family’s move to a new, big house with a large yard for the kids to play in and plenty of room for a family pet. The story also chronicles the life of a rescue dog and shows how wonderful dogs like Hope are out there waiting at the local shelter for their forever homes. I also love how Nana Faye is such a focal point in her grandchildren’s lives. Renée Andriani’s illustrations also work perfectly with the story. This is a grand story to introduce young readers to shelter pets and begin a conversation about adopting a pet of their own. It’s also written at a level for young readers to try to read — and sing — on their own. The opening and closing poems are designed to be sung to the melody of “April Showers,” and the author even provides the sheet music for those who can read music. A Home for Hope! is most highly recommended.” —Reviewed By Jack Magnus for Readers’ Favorite