“Living tiny means we can own fewer things and have more experiences,” is quoted in Sissy Goes Tiny by local co-authors Rebecca Flansburg and BA Norrgard. This new picture book will have you and your kids thinking about your house and your stuff and what it means to own fewer things and go smaller or tiny.
Sissy Goes Tiny book tells the story of a young girl, Sissy, loving her big comfy bed, her house and life feels good. Her parents tell her they are moving to a tiny house and Sissy discovers what living in a tiny house on wheels is really like.
In the process, she finds she needs to say goodbye to many of her things. Sissy and her parents learn that “stuff is just stuff” and living tiny has “big possibilities, adventuring, and learning.” In the end she discovers her life in the tiny house is good.
It’s a perfect story if you want to teach your kids about owning less, being content, or starting the process of giving away or sharing their toys and stuff with others. It will teach you about downsizing your life.
My husband and I have been downsizing our life and house and have had a few garage sales to empty the nest. I can tell you there is nothing like feeling a sense of extra space with no stuff. It’s a process to empty your house as the book describes. Everyone should learn to clean out their house and make space.
Authors
Authors, Flansburg and Norrgard are both locals in the Brainerd Lakes area in Minnesota. The two bring their experiences together to write this book.
Norgard has lived in and traveled 14,000 miles with her own tiny house. She named it “Sisu” which is a Finnish word for brave/grit or determination. This is how they got the name, Sissy.
Flansburg is an author, freelance writer, consultant, and blogger. Their friendship, ideas, experiences, and talents brought this book together.
Watercolor computer illustrations by Penny Weber capture the text on each page. Kids will have no doubt in their mind what lies ahead in moving to a tiny house.
If a family is planning on living tiny in the future than Sissy Goes Tiny, will teach the process of living tiny and the emotions along the way. If you want to downsize, live tiny or simply learn more about tiny living than this book should be the book you grab for your kids this season.
How to order book
You can order this book at Audrypress.com, IndieBound, and Amazon.
This project was supported by Five Wings Arts Council with funds from the McKnight Foundation.
Tiny house living facts:
- Most tiny homes are 300 square feet.
- Tiny house communities are mostly women in their 40s-50s.
- Tiny houses are becoming more common with families.
- Everything you own/need should fit in your tiny house on wheels.
- Tiny houses can be moved to a community permanently or can be pulled around to see the country for shorter stays.
Sign up for Dabillaroundthetable email to receive tips and recipes and links to blogs each month. See
