Review: Where The Heart Is


Mouse is perhaps one of the most beguiling pervaders of FOMO you're ever likely to encounter. He resides in a cosy house in a field as big as the entire world within the warmly hued pages of Where The Heart Is by uber-talented Shirley Marr and Michael Speechley. And fortunately for us, is brave enough to share his tale about friendship and loss and fear of missing out.

Each autumn Mouse farewells not just the summer and its lively glow but also those friends he made then: the Monarch butterflies, the swallows, the geese. All depart to mysterious southern climes much like we humans seeking solace from winter's grim countenance. When the last leaves settle and the last wings flutter out of sight, everything is still and empty, like Mouse's heart. He yearns to seek the wild wide blue skies for himself so packs up his things and sets off, after lunch as it were.

At first the thrill of something new, heading into the unknown is the adventure he always thought he wanted and believed he needed. The further into his expedition he goes, the more excited he becomes; soon he'll meet up with his friends and together they'll be on holiday. 

But as Mouse pauses for reflection and a few well aimed selfies, he feels an odd tug back to that which is not new and daring. He is inexplicably pulled back towards the familiarity he knows, in his heart, is where he ought to be, where he wants to be. And he is content.

Oftentimes, it's the build-up, the expectation of something deeply desired and looked forward to that gives us the most satisfaction. Whether young or old, when expectations outweigh reality, when the destination fails to match the pleasure of the journey, the crush can be colossal. In Mouse's case, venturing from his home and everything he'd always known reversed his FOMO feelings before comparisons were made, for better or for worse.

Where The Heart Is, gently shows young children that the grass may be greener on the other side of the field but not necessarily better. What some feel the need to do and need to be, like migratory animals, is not what every creature is destined to do nor even wants to. 

Like Mouse by his warm fireside, themes of place and sense of self, of acceptance and appreciation nestle snuggly into this simple tale, all exquisitely supported by Speechley's autumnal illustrations. Despite the departure of his summer chums, Mouse's habitat is overflowing with inviting nooks and crannies, warm cheery ambience and enough books to last several winters. It's a home anyone would be happy to hunker down in. Russet golds, burnished reds and serene olives form the main colour palette yet the tone is never grim nor gloomy. Rather Mouse's world is a field of gold and infinite possibility. 

Some of us nurse an unignorable urge to follow the sun, it's true. For everyone else, this story suggests it's really okay to simply be happy with where your heart is. Where The Heart Is a beautiful place from which to explore a sense of belonging and place and invite discussions about what that means for youngsters. 

Title: Where The Heart Is
Author: Shirley Marr
Illustrator: Michael Speechley
Publisher: Walker Books Australia, $27.99
Publication Date: 1 June 2026    
Format:  Hardcover
ISBN:  9781760659783
For ages: 4 - 9
Type: Picture Book

Buy the Book: Walker Books Australia 


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