The Book's Title
Despite not having a home after their mother abandoned them, the main characters hope, pray, and search for a homecoming. Even if they wanted to, they couldn't have a homecoming with their mother because she left them. She also wanted nothing to do with them even if they were able to locate her.
Mother
The children's mother purported to love them, yet abandoned them in the parking lot of a mall that they weren't familiar with and in a place they didn't know particularly well. People who love other people - particularly parents who love their children - don't abandon them and certainly don't leave them in vulnerable situations where they could be hurt or killed.
The Children
The children hide from the authorities, despite the fact that the authorities would help them eat and have shelter over their heads. The children think that the authorities are looking to harm them and split their family up even more, not help them. To that end, they do everything they can to prevent them from falling into the hands of the authorities and of Child Protective Services.
Massachusetts
The children are reasonably well-educated and intelligent, yet do not realize how far Massachusetts is from Connecticut. They are originally from Connecticut, but their mother drove them to and abandoned them in a parking lot in Massachusetts after driving for several hours.
Family
Despite having family members that love them, the children do not initially contact their family members for a place to live. They know that, if they live with their parents, they won't be split up, which is one of their biggest fears. The children acted in a way that is incongruent with their feelings and intentions; they ultimately acted unexpectedly.
