All books A Year Far From Home in Utah

A Year Far From Home in Utah

A bilingual family picture book in English and German · Ages 4 to 8

Front cover of A Year Far From Home in Utah, a bilingual English and German children's picture book
Back cover of A Year Far From Home in Utah with the story blurb in English and German

The story

The only true story on our shelf. When Svenja was fifteen, she flew alone from Germany to Utah to spend a school year in America, and every bit of it really happened.

Svenja meets her big host family, makes a friend called Graciela who arrives at the same door with her own suitcase, rides the yellow school bus, and floats in a lake so salty she cannot sink. Some nights she is homesick, and the book says so honestly, because that is part of going far from home. By the last page her heart holds two homes, and it feels just right.

Where this story comes from

Svenja's real exchange year, told to us for years until it became a book.

About this book

Reading together this week? Our free Words and Wonder activity pack has matching games, counting and family words in English and German.

More books from our family