February 26, 2017

Module 6: Picture Books

Book Cover:







Book Summary:
This book is told through pictures of a girl who finds a red item (crayon? marker?) and draws things in the picture to make something happen which makes something else happen until finally at the end she helps a bird escape a cage who ends up helping her.

APA Reference of Book:

Becker, A (2014). Journey. London: Walker Books.


Impressions: 
This reminded me a lot of Flotsam or Tuesday by Weisner and Harold and the Purple Crayon combined together.  While the pictures are good I didn't like them as much as Weisner's art. The pictures were not as clear or crisp which is probably deliberate because it looks a lot like a dream. I like the idea of the girl using the red drawing to advance the story and it worked for the most part.

Professional Review:

School Library Journal July 2013
Gr 1-4-In this auspicious debut picture book, a lonely girl escapes the boredom of a sepia-toned world by drawing a doorway to a magical realm. Harkening back to Crockett Johnson's Harold, this child uses a red crayon and a lot of imagination to venture across a Venice-like kingdom, fly among a fleet of steampunk airships, and take off on a magic carpet ride. When an act of compassion and bravery lands the heroine in a cage, it's her magic crayon and a bit of help from a new friend that save the day. This captivating wordless story has all the elements of a classic adventure: unknown lands, death-defying stunts, and a plucky lead. Finely detailed pen-and-ink line drawings combine with luminous washes of watercolor to create a rich and enchanting setting. Becker builds a sense of suspense by varying colorful full-page spreads with smaller vignettes that feature the girl and her red crayon surrounded by ample white space. The final page shows the youngster and her new friend riding a tandem bicycle pointing onward. Endpapers spotlight all manner of transportation: ships, trains, cars, and even space shuttles. The strong visual narrative makes this an appealing choice for a wide range of ages. By the turn of the last page, children will immediately begin imagining the next adventure.–Kiera Parrott, Darien Library, CT

Library Uses:
I would use this for writing a story or story telling. You could also have the students draw a picture and add their own own red drawn item and girl.  

My Rating: ***

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