Title: The Voyage
Author: Robert Vescio
Illustrator: Andrea Edmonds
ISBN: 9781925820034
Language: English
Publisher: EKBooks
Released: 1st October 2019
Classification: Fiction
Type: Picture Book
Themes: refugees, keywords and meanings, events
What's it about?
Displaced by war and conflict, a refugee family sets out on a voyage into the unknown. Told in only a few words this is the powerful story of a family fleeing their war-torn country and making a dangerous trip across the ocean to a new life in a new land.
This book is relevant particularly in Australia as we have such a multicultural society and refugees make up a significant percentage of people making Australia their new home. Where I live, for example, we have a large population of Karen refugees but historically my city has become home to refugees from Germany and Italy as well. Even if a child is not a refugee themselves, there is a high probability that a classmate will be.
This book would work well during Multicultural Children's Book Day celebrations; while MCBD occurs in late January, before school returns, it could make a great analogy book for a new year. How? Read on.
"Not all of us flee from a conflict/war in the literal sense,
While I have a younger audience primarily in mind for this book I wouldn't rule out using it with older year levels such as grades 6/7. In their case, it would be more about telling a story either about their own journey or creating a story for younger children (great if your school has a buddy-class system).
Art-wise I think the illustrations are beautiful and could be used to study the balance and composition of design with older students. If doing so, I would highly recommend using it alongside another picture book illustrated by Andrea Edmonds, Visiting You.
I may think of additional activities now that I've had a chance to look at the book after my kids took off with it for a week or so. For now, I recommend the book for preschool/kindy to grade 3 with the possibility of using it with older students as well.
Classification: Fiction
Type: Picture Book
Themes: refugees, keywords and meanings, events
What's it about?
Displaced by war and conflict, a refugee family sets out on a voyage into the unknown. Told in only a few words this is the powerful story of a family fleeing their war-torn country and making a dangerous trip across the ocean to a new life in a new land.
This book is relevant particularly in Australia as we have such a multicultural society and refugees make up a significant percentage of people making Australia their new home. Where I live, for example, we have a large population of Karen refugees but historically my city has become home to refugees from Germany and Italy as well. Even if a child is not a refugee themselves, there is a high probability that a classmate will be.
This book would work well during Multicultural Children's Book Day celebrations; while MCBD occurs in late January, before school returns, it could make a great analogy book for a new year. How? Read on.
"Not all of us flee from a conflict/war in the literal sense,
but many will battle other kinds of battles in their life."
Everyone goes through their own journeys in life. Not all of us flee from a conflict/war in the literal sense, but many will battle other kinds of battles in their life. Kids are no exception. This book has minimal text - it doesn't have sentences, just one word per double-page spread. So with that in mind, I can see this being an introductory activity where each student can create their own one-word story (or page if you're pressed for time and make it into a class book) using either the words in the book or their own. If using their own words you may need to do a brainstorming activity first. I am keen to try this activity with my own children so keep an eye out for a post soon of how that goes!
While I have a younger audience primarily in mind for this book I wouldn't rule out using it with older year levels such as grades 6/7. In their case, it would be more about telling a story either about their own journey or creating a story for younger children (great if your school has a buddy-class system).
Art-wise I think the illustrations are beautiful and could be used to study the balance and composition of design with older students. If doing so, I would highly recommend using it alongside another picture book illustrated by Andrea Edmonds, Visiting You.
I may think of additional activities now that I've had a chance to look at the book after my kids took off with it for a week or so. For now, I recommend the book for preschool/kindy to grade 3 with the possibility of using it with older students as well.
Angus & Robertson : Booktopia
A big thanks to EK Books for the ARC
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