Journey (13) #1
A lonely girl draws a magic door on her bedroom wall and through it escapes into a world where wonder, adventure, and danger abound. Red marker in hand, she creates a boat, a balloon, and a flying carpet that carry her on a spectacular journey toward an uncertain destiny. When she is captured by a sinister emperor, only an act of tremendous courage and kindness can set her free. Can it also lead her home and to her heart’s desire? With supple line, luminous color, and nimble flights of fancy, author-illustrator Aaron Becker launches an ordinary child on an extraordinary journey toward her greatest and most exciting adventure of all.
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SeriesJourney Trilogy: Wordless
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ManufacturerHardcover
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PublisherPenguin Random House LLC
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Publisher or imprintPenguin Random House LLC
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AuthorBecker, Aaron
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ISBN-13978-0-7636-6053-6
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FormatHardcover
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Size10 1/2" x 9 1/2"
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Reading InterestPreK,K,1,2,3
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# of Pages40
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Reviews / Awards NotedYes
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Date Published2013
A lonely girl draws a magic door on her bedroom wall and through it escapes into a world where wonder, adventure, and danger abound. Red marker in hand, she creates a boat, a balloon, and a flying carpet that carry her on a spectacular journey toward an uncertain destiny. When she is captured by a sinister emperor, only an act of tremendous courage and kindness can set her free. Can it also lead her home and to her heart’s desire? With supple line, luminous color, and nimble flights of fancy, author-illustrator Aaron Becker launches an ordinary child on an extraordinary journey toward her greatest and most exciting adventure of all.
Book Reviews:
"This captivating wordless story has all the elements of a classic adventure: 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, Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc." -School Library Journal. "*Starred Review* Becker sweeps readers away on the very best kind of journey, allowing a complex color scheme, intricate fantasy environments, and a stirring sense of adventure to tell the story without a single word. Becker's background in movie animation is apparent in his sense of pace, motion, and action; his extraordinary detail work; and his sharp visual cues: objects of imagination and escape. But through elements that reverberate with the power of Crockett Johnson's Harold and the Purple Crayon (1955), Maurice Sendak's Where the Wild Things Are (1963), and Barbara Lehman's The Red Book (2004), he clearly has a deep understanding of his literary antecedents, too. Laudable for its adventuresome female protagonist, scope, and sense of fun, this title will draw girls and boys back to it again and again. Grades 1-4. --Jesse Karp." -Booklist. "A masterwork." -The New York Times. "An imaginative adventure story whose elaborate illustrations inspire wonder, careful examination and multiple reads."-Kirkus Reviews (starred review). "Wonder mixes with longing as the myriad possibilities offered by Becker's stunning settings dwarf what actually happens in the story. Readers will be both dazzled and spurred on imagined travels of their own." -Publishers Weekly (starred review). "[An] auspicious debut... [a] captivating wordless story... By the turn of the last page, children will immediately begin imagining the next adventure." -School Library Journal (starred review). "We live in a time with a lot of flash and beep and tweets. Mr. Becker has made a beautiful reminder that there are times we need to turn it off. It's so well done." -Erin Stead, 2011 Caldecott Medal Winner for A Sick Day for Amos McGee. "I fell into this breathtaking adventure and didn't want to leave. This is a book of extraordinary magic and beauty." -Julie "Jules" Danielson, Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast. "First-time author Becker sweeps readers away on the very best kind of journey, allowing a complex color scheme, intricate fantasy environments, and a stirring sense of adventure to tell the story without a single word. ... Laudable for its adventuresome female protagonist, scope, and sense of fun, this title will draw girls and boys back to it again and again."-Booklist (starred review). Dreamlike... the child discovers that she can use a crayon to make an imaginative escape -- and what an escape it is! ... Dazzling. -The Wall Street Journal. [A] wordless tour de force... Completely original. ... Becker's breathtaking urban and bucolic scenes map out a visual narrative that reflects the girl's journey--both external and internal. -Shelf Awareness for Readers (starred review). This absolutely gorgeous wordless picture book is a testament to the skill of author/illustrator Aaron Becker. As Journey ends, you'll want to immediately return to the beginning to experience it again. -NPR Books. Becker's wordless masterpiece is both timely and timeless. -The Huffington Post. Talk about making your own adventure! ... [E]xtraordinary kindness and a couple of crayons produce an ending so original and satisfying you can't but shake your head and smile. This gorgeous, wordless book is a gem. -Redbook. [A]n absolutely magical tale... Becker's picture book is one of the finest get-lost-in-your-own-imagination tales of loneliness, escape, adventure, and, ultimately, new friendship that I've read in quite some time. -USA Today Online. Becker launches readers into a wordless adventure amid exotic lands and narrow escapes. Some stories, including this one, don't need words to fire the imagination. -The Boston Globe. With its fine attention to detail and jaw-dropping storyline, Becker has created a modern day classic in the midst of an overpopulated genre. ... I don't get to use this word very often when I'm talking about books for young children but I'm going to dust it off and use it now: Beautiful. There's no other way to describe Journey. -Betsy Bird, A Fuse #8 Production (SLJ Blog). A 2014 Caldecott Honor Book . Follow a girl on an elaborate flight of fancy in a wondrously illustrated, wordless picture book about self-determination