Hello, everyone! Yes, it is time for another book review by our panel of diminutive critics.
The book of the week is… Journey, by Aaron Becker.
First, a bit of stage setting: Journey has pictures but no words, which might make you think that it’s not my kind of book. But you’d be WRONG! I love this book because the pictures are so carefully thought out (and beautifully drawn) that they tell the story without needing words to help at all.
But it’s not my opinion you’re looking for. Let’s see what the kids had to say.
Journey starts with a little girl who is all alone and is looking for company.
Alden: This picture looks like she’s really sad because nobody wants to play with her.
Kato: She’s like “Oh, I’m sad because no one wants to play with me.”
Alden: She’s like, “Mom, can you play with me? Dad, can you play with me? Sister, can you play with me?”
Kato: And they’re all like, “No, no, no!”
Alden: And then, she’s like “What’s that,” and she finds a magic crayon and she’s like, “Maybe I should draw something on the wall.” And then, “Maybe I’ll draw a magic door.” And then she steps through the magic door and sees the lanterns and pretty trees.
Kato: And then she saw some water and drawed a boat and then she rowed in it.
Alden: There was a big castle, and she went in.
Kato: And then she was waiting for all the other people who were waiting for her.
Alden: But then she rode a hot air balloon and her boat falled and she rode the hot air ballon.
Kato: It was super, super awesome!
Alden: And there was the bird.
Kato: The purple bird.
Alden: And then she was like, “That bird must be in trouble. “ And then she was like “I’ve got to save that bird.”
Kato: And then she was like flying to something in the sky. And she ran and she ran and she ran and she climbed up the ladder and she got the bird and then she let the bird free and then she got captured and then one of the guards threw her crayon down and now she was trapped.
Alden: And then she was like, “Aw! Now I can’t draw anything!”
Kato: And then the bird got her crayon and she said “Thank you very much.”
Alden: And then she drew a flying carpet and then she rode on it and then she finally got to the door.
Alden: And she flew and she flew and the bird showed her a door and she went in it and she saw a boy and the boy is like running to her.
Kato: The girl said, “Uhm, do you want to play with me.”
Alden: And the boy said, “Yes.”
Kato: And the girl drew a circle.
Alden: And the boy made a circle.
Alden: And they made a bike together.
Kato: And they rode off to play.
It sounds to me like Alden and Kato liked the book, and we’ll get to that in a second, but can we take a moment to ask one important question: if this book had no words, then where did all those WORDS that Alden and Kato were saying COME from? There were no words to read, and yet they were able to tell me the story of the book with no problem. Think about that for a minute. It’s pretty cool, I think.
Also: Did you notice that incredible castle? This is castle week, after all.
As for our critics’ opinions.
Robbi: What did you think of that book?
Alden: LOVE IT!
Kato: Castles.
Robbi: What else do you have to say?
Alden: Her crayon to make things. It was cool. It was awesome.
Kato: I don’t like it. Because the guards took the little girl. That was so mean.
Robbi: Was there anything else you didn’t like?
Kato: Nope.
Robbi: But that one thing makes you not like it?
Kato: Yep?
Robbi: What was your favorite picture?
Kato: None.
Robbi: How about you, Alden?
Alden: The picture with the bike. Because they are best friends. Like me and Mary Jane.
Kato: I like the whole thing, actually?
Robbi: Do you give it a thumb’s up?
Kato: Yep.
Robbi: What made you change your mind?
Kato: Me!
And there you have it.
I was just about to end this post when another critic (on the rookie circuit) decided to weigh in (you might recognize him from the photobomb above).
He read carefully.
He seemed to be enjoying himself.
This particular critic loves balloons. As far as he’s concerned any book with a balloon is Pulitzer material.
The verdict: Thumbs up. I would like to show you a photo of his thumbs in the air, but before I could take one, the critic fell asleep.
Kato would like to send you off with another shot of the amazing castle from Journey.
You know, in honor of castle week.
I know I don’t get to vote, but I think Journey is an amazing book, a wonderful book, a fantastic book. A must-have for any family’s picture book collection. If I had three thumbs, Journey would get all three.
This is just fantastic. Thanks for sharing Kato and Alden!
Aaron Becker, is that really you!?!?!?!?
How exciting!!! We are BIG FANS of your book and read it all the time!! It is BEAUTIFUL!!
I’m sure you’ve heard all of those sentences before, but I figure one more time won’t hurt. Thanks for stopping in. Alden and Kato are SO EXCITED to hear from a REAL illustrator! (Obviously, I don’t count).