Parents' Guide to

Journey

By Patricia Tauzer, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 5+

Enchanting art, wordless fantasy lead kids to tell story.

Book Aaron Becker Picture Book 2013
Journey Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

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age 3+

Based on 1 parent review

Batfan7
Batfan7 Parent of baby and 1-year-old
May 27, 2017
age 3+

Beautiful and fun

First, this is a wordless book, so a "reader" has to make up their own words to this story (if reading it aloud, which I am doing with my kids). But the action is clear and it is easy to narrate even without words, although a second or third read-through might make it easier since you are more likely to catch the foreshadowing after you know what's coming. I think this book would work best with a 3-year old and older, but my almost-two-year-old enjoyed it a lot and asked for several re-reads while we had the book (it was from the library). Since it is wordless, any child could enjoy it, regardless of reading level.

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What's the Story?

A young girl escapes her lonely, sepia-tone world by drawing a door that leads into an enchanted world tinted with color, adventure, and, ultimately, friendship. She takes quite a JOURNEY in this completely wordless picture book, with her magical red crayon as the key. In a little red rowboat, she sails along the canals of a golden-domed city. In a bright-red hot-air balloon, she escapes one near-misadventure and heads toward another. Finally, she lands in a cage after an encounter with a sinister crew and an exotic purple bird, and, as the crayon falls from her hands, all seems lost. Bravery, and a little help from the loyal bird, lead her to further adventures a bit closer to home, where she finds she's not the only one with a magic crayon and an imagination.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: (1 ):
Kids say: Not yet rated

A kid brings meaning and adventure to the world using imagination and a crayon; it’s a familiar premise, but Becker's magical, complex artwork and charming story take it into new territory. He creates enchanted, imaginative backdrops galore, but it's the little girl's simple lines, the bright red of the things she draws, the bird's purple feathers, and the fascinating twist at the end that make the story.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about what stories the pictures tell. With no words, Journey can become whatever adventure readers create together. Kids can tell it to parents, parents can tell it to kids, and it can change with each telling.

  • How does Becker use color to help tell the story? What do the sepia tones convey? How about the red crayon or the bright red of the things the little girl draws? What would have been different if she'd had a green crayon? Or a blue one?

  • How do you feel about books that have no words? How can an artist tell a complicated story using only illustrations? Do you like the freedom it gives you to make up your own words when you look at the book?

Book Details

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