For a Little while or For Always
by Janine PetracekPublish: Aug 11, 2026Children'sBook Overview
The children never came with suitcases. They came with garbage bags — one small bag, holding everything they owned.At the house with the red door, thirty foster children found the things a scared heart needs most: supper at the same time, a nightlight that stays on, and someone who is still there in the morning. Some children, like six-year-old Mia, go home again when their families find their way back — and that is a happy ending too. But one February, a baby boy arrived who was just one day old, wearing a little blue outfit and no socks. His name was Gabe. He came for a little while — and stayed for always.
Told in the warm, honest voice of the family who kept the door open, For a Little While or For Always is a true story that gently helps children ages 4–10 understand foster care: why children come into care (and why it is never, ever their fault), what reunification means, and how adoption can turn a foster child into a forever son. Paired with soft watercolor illustrations and the real photographs of the boy behind the story, it offers comfort to children in care, insight for the classmates and cousins who love them, and encouragement to every family who has ever wondered whether to open their own door.
Because some children need a home for a little while. Some need one for always. And all of them need someone who will be there in the morning.
