A Space for Me

Review
By Booklist

Alex finds it hard to share a bedroom with his noisy, rambunctious little brother, Lucas. Using tape on the floor, he divides their room in two, but Lucas forgets and ignores the border. So Alex finds a spot in the backyard and, using fallen branches, a broom, a broken chair, and an old towel, creates a space of his own. While he enjoys daydreaming there, it’s distracting to see his lonely brother watching him sadly from their bedroom window. So Alex helps Lucas make his own space in the yard. Happier now, they sometimes do things separately and sometimes together in the room and backyard they share. Falwell highlights a common source of contention between siblings and shows one boy’s solution, based on empathy as well as desperation. Written from Alex’s point of view, the first-person narrative unfolds in short sentences and realistic dialogue. The expressive cut-paper collage illustrations contrast the boys’ cramped, toy-strewn bedroom with the small but green and inviting backyard that becomes their haven. A simple story that will resonate with many children.