Accidentally Kelly Street by Briony Stewart

 

A new family arrive at a new house on a new street in a new neighbourhood. Being new can feel lonely, but on Kelly Street the neighbours are warm and welcoming, and small acts of kindness go a long way. Soon enough, strangers have become friends, and a new house becomes a home. Affirm Press

The tiny details in the illustrations found inside this book bring me such joy – mum is sewing red polka dot fabric – we have seen her daughter in clothes made from this material but then mum gifts the same sweet outfit to the child of a neighbour. This is a gentle and generous surprise for the reader and for the mother of the toddler. The little girl finds a paper aeroplane and talking about this with the kids over the fence sets up her first new friendship – all of this can be surmised from the illustration. Generous neighbours give the new family an old lounge and a dining table and chairs. There are also small hints that this is an Australian story – a magpie in a tree, the Streets ice cream sign and the name of the band Frente outside the shop. 

I also appreciated the small cultural references – shoes placed near the door to their house, the woven rug on the back of the lounge, and the desperately sad image of mum and dad reading letters from home and watching the dreadful news on their tiny television. You can see a picture of their extended family on the ledge behind the tv echoing the sacrifices involve with coming to this new land – we can only guess why – but their meagre possessions and the image of the young girl playing with a boat filled with tiny figures shows clearly that this is a family of refugees. 

I was not a teenager in the 1990s so I missed this 1992 song. I did not expect to like this book because I thought knowledge of the song would be essential, but it is not! I really love the way the illustrations in this book tell a completely different, but related, story. The end papers are perfect. I do wish, however, the book designer had moved the ‘celebrity’ endorsements onto the back cover – they are a distraction and will be of no interest to the target audience. 

Coming back to the song – the title of this book is also perfect this family are so lucky to have accidentally found their home in Kelly Street – a street that is a joyous celebration of everything a community should be. The illustrations move beautifully between full page spreads, half page and unframed vignettes I love the sunflowers and daisies – yellow for sunshine and happiness. And there is a hint of another story on the final page. 

This story helps readers appreciate the universal big feelings that come with starting in a new place. It also allows children to walk in the shoes of not only the newcomer, but to see through the lens of someone that is already part of the community, actions they can employ to help welcome others. Reading Opens Doors

Here's a door and here's a window
Here's a ceiling here's a floor
The room is lit like a black and white movie
The T.V's on that's what it's for
And if you walk real slowly
You can feel the planet breathe
There's no need to feel so lonely
Now that we've all learned to give
Chorus:
Accidently Kelly Street
Where friends and strangers sometimes meet
Accidently Kelly Street
I never thought life could be so sweet
In the garden birds are singing
The sun is shining on the path
The wind is talking to the flowers
And dogs and cat all take a bath
And if you stop that talking
You can hear the traffic sigh
Throw away those keys start walking
And watch those tiny things go by
(Chorus)
It's Sunday everyday
There's no need to rush around
Inside of everybody
There's sun and laughter to be found
It seems that we're on Holidays
And sleeping in is not a sin
All the house work done by tea time
And feeling good about the way I've been
Perhaps this optimism will crash on down
Like a house of cards
I know that my decision to change my life
Is not that hard
(Chorus)
Accidently, accidently,
Accidently Kelly Street I never thought life could be so sweet