I Don't Want to Move

When sharing stories with my children; grandchildren now. I like their selections and favourites but I love to push the boundaries and get onto subjects that have a practical place in their lives and experience.
Like: Going to the Dentist; Being a big brother or Going on a bus.
Moving home or changes in general are hard to raise and prepare kids for. That is why I was drawn to this title. "I don't want to move".
We often expect the rest of the family to get behind such decisions. It can be a struggle at any age but for younger school aged kids it can be their first major upheaval.
This book therefore presents the issues and offers some 'solutions' for overcoming those difficulties.
Printed in the USA - don't let this put your off.
I liked that the parent voices "I love my old house." The issues are then clearly given from a child's perspective. Moving to a bigger house and a new school only means leaving friends and strating a new school.
Well written and supported by bright colourful illustrations.
Loved the idea of a shared experience and how we make friends and use new skills to our benefit and for the advantage of others
I think we'll grow to like Charlotte through her story of making new friends and gain confidence through the support she was offered and the new friends she ultimately made.

A beautiful book that could help kids who have had to move quite a lot. I loved the illustrations as well as how well paced the book was. I love reading children’s books to help my inner child and this quenched that thirst for me.

Watkins has crafted a story that may at first seem like a situational tale, good for only one specific circumstance but can actually be used a wide variety of moments where a child is going through a major life change. Starting over can be a scary thing for children to think about and it can trigger big emotions as they go through the rollercoaster ups and downs of building new relationships and transitioning to a new life. With a message about seeing adventure and opportunity in all changes and trying to look at the positives of a challenging and emotional situation, this is a great book for school counselors and families to read to students.

Charlotte is unhappy, and very scared, when she is told by her parents that they are moving. She is upset about leaving her friends behind and having to start going to a new school. She will be "the new kid" at school and is shares her journey of how she adjusts and adapts while making new friends. Any child who has been 'the new kid' will relate and understand and this is a book that can help students who have not been in that position develop empathy for new students in their classroom and reach out to be a better friend. With underlying themes of acceptance and inclusion, this is a must read.

I Don't Want to Move by Carolyn Watkins - 5/5

As a family who moves every few years, I needed to read this book. It was helpful to read a book about moving and there be a happy ending. It shows them that moving can be a big scary thing, but there are also good parts that can shine through. This is a beautiful story that can ease a lot of big feelings kids experience when they get the news they are moving to a new place. I loved the illustrations within the story, you can see her emotions on her face throughout.

This will be the book I refer back to when our next move comes up. I would recommend.

A heartwarming and faith affirming story that will act as inspiration for children and parents alike, Carolyn Watkins' "I don't Want to Move", makes for a very positive and optimistic read. Little Charlotte's parents are moving, and this means parting with her trusted set of friends, bidding goodbye to her lovely old school and getting acclimatized to a totally different set of friends and a "silly new" school. A pizza party followed by a sleepover with her friends gives Charlotte only a few temporary hours of relief. However, a combination of supporting parents, a proactively friendly classmate Janelle, and some wise words of the school counsellor ensures that all's well that ends well for Charlotte and her family.

Using exquisitely created illustrations, courtesy, Emily Hercock, Carolyn Watkins demonstrates how children can be assisted to come out of their comfort zone and explore new possibilities and experience new potentialities. Even though an ultra slim book primarily catering to kids, "I Don't Want to Move" is an ennobling addition for parents as well.

Interesting story that shows how difficult it is to accept changes in our lives and how we must embrace the new.

I read and shared this book with my kids. We have moved before and they understand the nervousness and emotions Charlotte is going through. I read this on my Kindle and I must add the format was a bit wacky. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a copy.

This is Charlotte's story, 'I don't want to leave my friends or my school. I love my teacher. She understands me'.

But Charlotte 'decided to be brave' and starts to enjoy her new school life, with the help of a guidance counselor. Also the fact another new girl has started 'I wasn't the new kid any longer', the teacher says 'be 'be proud of yourself for making she new girl feel welcome'.

Nicely told but the most enjoyable part of this book is the beautiful illustrations which are done by Emily Hercock they are utterly depressive on their own so a child can follow the story alone.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for giving me a complementary digital copy of this ebook in exchange for a honest review. All views expressed are completely my own..

This is a perfect book to read if you have a big move coming up and a child that is apprehensive about moving.

The reference to Keller Williams was cool because that’s actually a real estate firm near me. Curious if the author has any connections there.

The illustrations were cute and the message was good too.

used to moving a few times when I was a kid, I understand why Charlotte hesitated to move. this book showed that moving wasn't a scary thing and it might be fun. I liked this story.

We all know, even as adults, how difficult and stressful it is to move to another town. In this book, Little Charlotte's parents are making a move and this means Charlotte has to leave her friends and her familiar surroundings. Charlotte ends up being the new kid on the block, but embracing it and shares that journey with us. The illustrations are beautiful!!

This is such a cute book about moving and would be great for any kid to read if their family is getting ready to move. I will definitely recommend it to people with kids.

I don't Want to Move is a special story about the a little girl, Charlotte, who doesn't want to move. But her parents help her understand that all will be ok. Very beautiful illustrations, and a cute story.

I Don’t Want to Move by Carolyn Watkins is a very cute book about moving and finding new fiends at a new school. The illustrations are nice. She got to have her old friends come over and have a sleepover than another girl came to the school and she was not the new student any more. She could show the new girl around and she would both become best friends as they were both the new kids.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for making this available..

I feel like this could be such an important book for children. It’s tough moving to a new house let alone a new school and area. This book will definitely help kids transition with change!

As a teacher, it's so nice when I can recommend a book to my students. This is great to adopt for all of my students that are just moving to my school. Everyone needs a Janelle in their life... she is the friend that is the FIRST one to help and give a smile when our main character walks into her new school!

Thank goodness for the great teachers that help students feel at home too. I always think about what a tough decision moving can be for parents, and this a way to explain that to kids too!

Moving can sometimes be an inevitable part of life, but that doesn’t make it any easier for kids to understand. This one provides a story about little Charlotte, who discovers her family is moving. She is immediately terrified and doesn’t know what she will do at a new school – but in due time, she ends up growing and loving her new school, even managing to become a school ambassador, and welcoming other kids into the new school. A relatable, easy to digest tale about how sometimes new and scary things can bring us some of the most rewarding adventures in our lives.

Charlotte represents all the children who have just moved in and have to adapt to a new environment at a new school and it must be really hard. I loved the story and how Charlotte slowly started to adapt with the help of a new friend and a chancellor. The illustrations are beautiful

Charlotte's family is moving to a new house. She's nervous about having to go to a new school and make new friends. Charlotte grows as a character from being apprehensive to showing the school's newest arrival around.
This book is easily relatable for any child who is moving and doesn't want life to change from how it is now.

Thank you NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for a copy of this book! Below is my honest review.

Summary of plot:
Charlotte and her family are moving to a new home, and Charlotte doesn't want to leave her school, her friends, etc. She learns what it's like to be the new girl at a new school.

Pros about the book:
✔️ Adorable and colorful illustrations
✔️ Very relatable story (I wish I had this book when I was younger!)
✔️ Diverse set of characters
✔️ Mentions a guidance counselor and one method used to be less anxious

Cons about the book:
❌ None!

Would I recommend this book? Yes.

Moving is hard for adults. But what adults usually don’t realize the depth of sadness a child feels about moving. Adults adapt much faster so kids need the extra emotional support from the adults around the child - not just parents. Good ideas on helping kids get used to their new surroundings.
I received a free copy from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.

Perfectly decent look at a girl anxious about being moved to a new home and school by her well-intentioned mother. It will be picked from the shelves as a lesson-giver more than as entertainment, but it's colourful, and the text conveys the fretting of the girl at having no friends and too much that is new all at once (even if the otherwise more than decent art is a little too wooden in portraying such heightened emotions). And in (spoiler alert) holding attention on the girl until someone else turns up as a newbie and needs a helping companion, it spreads the whole pay-it-forward philosophy, so that whole classes at a time can see the benefit given of being friendly to fresh arrivals. A strong four stars.

Review of I Don’t Want to Move! written by Carolyn Watkins and illustrated by Emily Hercock.
This is an amazing children’s book, which targets a very tricky topic in many children’s lives! Moving houses, towns, and even countries!
The book tells a story of a young girl named Charlotte, who is told she is going to move from her current home. Her life is then turned upside-down once she realizes she will have to leave her house, room, school, and friends!
The illustrations are very impressive. I believe, this is worth mentioning, as half the value of a children’s book is the art, as well as the words!
As a grown-up reader, I only noticed one narrative flaw and it's that it never really gets clear when the family moves. Some scenes feel ‘rushed’ when they need to be more descriptive (for example, when exactly the family move), and some feel very ‘broad’ when they need to be on point and maybe have one or two sentences. This is why I will give 4 of 5 stars!
A very beautiful message is expressed by the plot –one of the importance of support from friends and family! This book will be an amazing read for all children and parents struggling with the fear of the new!

I really liked this book. It's such an important topic that gets overlooked sometimes. The illustrations were colourful and vibrant. The main character touched my heart with how she reacted to someone similar in her situation. A fantastic read.

Moving can be very difficult for young children. Can cause anxiety and affect performance at school and home. Charlotte learned she was moving to a bigger house and a new school. She was not impressed and she knew how difficult it would be. Her story covers all that she felt and how others helped her. She learned a valuable lesson when later a new girl arrived at the school. She was able to be there for her and help her adjust just like she was helped.

If you are moving, this will be a good resource for your student to get the help they need.

A special thank you to Books Go Social and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.

Great book to help kids get over the anxiety of moving and starting a new school. It also teaches them to be kind to each other as being new can be overwhelming.

This is a very cute story about what it is like when your family is moving. I really like how the author had the old friends from the old neighborhood sleep over before the main character started her new school. It shows that even if you move, you can still see your old friends. I would recommend this book to any child that is moving so they can connect to the main character.

Thank you NetGalley and Books Go Social for the opportunity to read "I Don't Want To Move" in exchange for my honest review.

This is a wonderful tool for educators and parents to use if they are moving and children are expressing their worry about the move or going to a new school. Charlotte is sad about moving - she loves her house and doesn't want to leave her friends, school and teachers for a bigger house and a big new school. She is told that she can keep her old friends but she will make new ones too. Even though she has all her old things in the new house she feels alone. She has a sleep-over to invite her old friends over to see her new room. She's happy to see her old friends but sad at the same time.

She's very nervous about her new school - she doesn't know anyone and she worries about making friends. A girl named Janelle is the only one to say "hi" to her and she's the only one to sit with her at lunch. She plays alone on the playground. Her family meets with the school counselor and they come up with some strategies for Charlotte. These techniques can help any child. When they are sad or frustrated they can hold their breath for a count of 5 and they will start to relax and feel better. Soon Charlotte is making new friends with a lunch group. Then a new girl comes to the school and Charlotte is no longer the "new kid". She happily shows the new girl around the school because she remembers how hard it was to be new.

I received a copy of this book through Netgalley. This is my honest review.

This is a story about a young girl who has to move to a new house. Now I must confess I'm a little confused about how far from the old house she's moving because in the story, it seems like it's close enough to continue seeing her current friends, but it does land her in a new school. That's a somewhat foreign concept for me because when I moved as a teenager, I couldn't still see my old friends regularly. And yet if we moved three miles away from where we live now, my kids would be in an entirely different school district. In any case, she isn't going to have friends in her new school and that makes her sad. One girl at the new school shows her around and tries to be her friend from the get go, but Charlotte is still sad until another new girl joins the class. Then she makes sure to make her feel welcome so she won't feel the same way Charlotte did.

The illustrations were bold and Charlotte had beautiful, vibrant red hair. That's what really stood out to me overall from my short time reading the book about the illustrations at least. It was really well done I thought. This book would definitely be worth a read for anyone with smaller children that are facing a move to maybe help ease their fears some. Overall I give it 4.1 out of 5 stars.

A simple book with a story kids who have to move to a new school will empathize with. Modeling of friendly, positive behaviors are modeled to and used by a girl who overcomes her fear of a new school and helps a new friend fit in in turn. Illustration help young readers make better sense of new words. A quick read to assist kids in realizing who makes up their emotional support network.

This picture book tells the story of a young girl who does not want to move to a new house and attend a new school and shares some of the things that she did to help adapt. First, her parents suggest that she invites her friends from her old school over to have a sleepover and together they talk about ways to stay friends. When she starts at her new school she tries to make friends, but also says negative things about the school and feels lonely when she doesn't know who to play with. Eventually, with the help of the school counsellor she makes friends and then before she realizes, another new student becomes the "new kid" and now she has the opportunity to help them adjust. I liked the strategies covered in the story, especially the importance of staying connected with her group of friends from her old school and the advice she was given about trying to be open to making new friends. I didn't really understand why the author had the friend suggest she go to the school counsellor, that might be a better parent or school staff suggestion, and also the counsellor sat with them at the lunch table the next day, which definitely could happen, but is unusual. I like that the author included this strategy because as a teacher, I do know that it can be challenging for students, especially ones experiencing anxiety or trying to adjust to a new situation, to ask for help from an adult, it just seemed a little weird the way it was included in the story. More of a pet peeve than a real issue! Over all the book was really well written. The font is large enough and clean and easy to read. The illustrations are bright and beautiful and help tell the story. I could definitely see myself recommending this story to families or teachers of students in the age 4-9 range, especially for those who may be switching schools. Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for giving me the chance to read and review this book.

Moving house is such a hard thing for everyone, but young children especially can’t always express their emotions. This book helps them to acknowledge and express the emotions that they are feeling. Nice shoutout to school counselors! Highly recommended.

The illustrations in this book are spot on and very appealing to look at. This is the story of Charlotte and her move to.a big new house and school. Charlotte is thinking to much of what she will be loosing, like friends, her old school. She thinks about this so much she is not opening herself up to ,making new friends, while still keeping the old ones in her life. It is hard for children especially when there is a move. This book deals with it in an honest and open way. I highly recommend this book.

I like how this book broke down the process of moving and presented a few things that I totally forgot about.

This would be a great book for a parent to read to their child if moving is in their future. A great way for preparing them .

I Don't Want to Move is a great book for families when they are planning a move as well as for classrooms when they are going to be welcoming new students. Charlotte's family is moving to a new house in another part of town. She will be attending a new school and she is very sad. She will miss her friends and her teacher that she loves. First, her mother assures her that she will be keeping her old friends, but will make new ones. Her new teacher pairs her up with a buddy, who helps her adjust and recommends that she meet with the school counsellor for strategies. (Not sure if this is available at all schools). As she adjusts and meets new students she relaxes and when another new girl arrives in their class, she is happy to be her class buddy, show her around the school and be her friend. With wonderful illustrations adding to the story and showing emotions and feelings, this is a good book to help with that "New Kid" event.

Charlotte is a young girl who learns the lessons so valuable of resilience, adaptability and most important empathy when she moved to her new home and school.

As it is said that it always takes a first step and rest follows. She too overcome her fear of losing old friends and neighbourhood but when she entered her new school she realised that it was all dilemma in vain.

She adopted new place and get it become her new comfort zone.

I Don't Want to Move is a lovely story explaining to children the process of moving home and helping them to understand and deal with their emotions at this time. My 6 year old son and I really enjoyed it.

Thank you to NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for my copy.

A nice short story about moving house and school. Helps children understand that their worries are usually only temporary. Nicely illustrated and by two girls enjoyed it.

Thanks netgalley and booksgosocial for the arc in exchange for a review.
A cute looking book, I enjoyed this story and the pictures helped too.
Fun way to help children process change. Great delivery of an important message.

My daughter loved it, We had to unexpectedly moved soon after this so this book definitely come in handy.