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Journey (Aaron Becker's Wordless Trilogy, 1) Hardcover – Picture Book, August 6, 2013

4.8 out of 5 stars 2,122 ratings

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A New York Times bestseller!
A
Wall Street Journal 20 Best Children’s Books of the Past 20 Years Selection
A 2014 Caldecott Honor Book


Follow a girl on an elaborate flight of fancy in a wondrously illustrated, wordless picture book about self-determination — and unexpected friendship.


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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From the Publisher

"A masterwork."

The New York Times

Journey
Quest
Return
The Tree and the River
The Last Zookeeper
Customer Reviews
4.8 out of 5 stars 2,122
4.8 out of 5 stars 577
4.9 out of 5 stars 790
4.8 out of 5 stars 55
5.0 out of 5 stars 35
Price $10.77 $10.81 $14.28 $12.69 $16.29
Read all the wordless picture books by award-winning creator Aaron Becker! A Caldecott Honor Book! A lonely girl draws a magic door on her bedroom wall and escapes into a new world. When she is captured by an emperor, only an act of courage and kindness can set her free. Can it also lead her home and to her heart’s desire? Read the thrilling sequel! Two children are caught up in a quest to rescue the king and his kingdom from darkness, while illuminating the farthest reaches of their imagination. The much-anticipated finale! Failing to get the attention of her busy father, a lonely girl returns to the fantastic world of the first book. This time, it will take something truly powerful to persuade her to return home. A beautiful time-lapse portrait of humankind — and our impact on the natural world. This mighty tree stands on the banks of a winding river, bearing silent witness to how human civilization affects the world around us. The Earth has flooded, and tender-hearted robot NOA has found purpose as caretaker of the abandoned zoo animals. Bracing for the next storm, NOA builds an ark in search of new land and a new home, only to discover something even more profound.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Amazon Best Books of the Month, August 2013: The influence of Harold and the Purple Crayon is unmistakable, but rather than a cheap imitation, Journey is a beautiful homage to the classic. Aaron Becker’s balance of color and immaculately detailed illustrations capture the eye and effortlessly tell the story of a lonely girl who uses a red crayon to draw her way into a magical adventure. As the journey comes full circle, a purple bird--the work of another imagination--leads the way to the best adventure of all: friendship. Journey is an incredible work of storytelling through art that will appeal to readers of all ages. --Seira Wilson

From School Library Journal

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, CTα(c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Candlewick; 1st edition (August 6, 2013)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 40 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0763660531
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0763660536
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 3 - 6 years, from customers
  • Lexile measure ‏ : ‎ NP
  • Grade level ‏ : ‎ Preschool - 3
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.1 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 11 x 0.37 x 9.75 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.8 out of 5 stars 2,122 ratings

About the author

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Aaron Becker
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Born in Baltimore, Aaron Becker moved to California to attend Pomona College where he scored his first illustration job designing t-shirts for his water polo team. Since then, he's traveled to Kenya, Japan, Sweden, and Tahiti backpacking around while looking for good things to eat and feeding his imagination. He now lives with his family in Amherst, MA where he's busy at work on his next book project. You can find out more about what he's been up to lately at storybreathing.com.

Customer reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars
2,122 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers praise the book's visual quality for combining colorful natural environments and its ability to tell a nice story without words, with each reader creating their own narrative. The book is excellent for 4 to 6-year-olds and serves as a great way to introduce young readers to storytelling. Customers find it thought-provoking, with one noting it encourages observation and thinking, and many consider it a take-your-breath-away unforgettable experience that's worth every penny. Customers appreciate its heartwarming nature, with one mentioning how it fosters sharing and friendship.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

298 customers mention "Visual quality"294 positive4 negative

Customers appreciate the visual quality of the book, noting its beautiful, colorful natural environments and intricate details. One customer mentions how the pictures inspire their children, while another points out the architectural elements in the illustrations.

"...It is a work of literature, stunning in its artistry, poetic in its imagery, minimalism, and allusions...." Read more

"What a breath of fresh air. The art is very nice with an emphasis on architecture and larger forms, the story is simple and adventurous with good..." Read more

"...The illustrations are incredible -- so detailed and just completely transport you into this magical world...." Read more

"...It is marvelous and magical. It is enchanting and engaging. It is accessible and just plain awesome. This was Aaron Becker's first book...." Read more

248 customers mention "Story quality"248 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the story of this wordless book, describing it as an amazing adventure with beautiful illustrations, and appreciate that the narrative unfolds differently each time it's read.

"...Absolutely stunning. Brilliant in every way. Please, do yourself a favor, spend the fourteen or fifteen bucks and get this. Cherish it...." Read more

"...very nice with an emphasis on architecture and larger forms, the story is simple and adventurous with good morals, and the book is a great way to..." Read more

"...Without words, it tells the story of a little girl using a red crayon to enter a magical world, beginning with an enchanted forest lit by lanterns...." Read more

"...It is enchanting and engaging. It is accessible and just plain awesome. This was Aaron Becker's first book. I can't wait to see what he does next." Read more

68 customers mention "Book for kids"66 positive2 negative

Customers find this book excellent for 4 to 6-year-olds and great for any age, noting it's a wonderful way to introduce young readers to storytelling.

"This is, in my opinion, an essential book for parents and non-parents alike...." Read more

"...and larger forms, the story is simple and adventurous with good morals, and the book is a great way to have kids to put their own words to a story...." Read more

"This book has really captivated my 5 year old, and, to be really honest, me too...." Read more

"...The students were so proud of their work; I helped with vocabulary development ,descriptive words, reading interest; they owned their work with..." Read more

50 customers mention "Thought provoking"50 positive0 negative

Customers find the book thought-provoking, with one mentioning it encourages observation and thinking, while another notes its rich and full world with many nuances.

"...This is a book I would, as a teacher, work into units from kindergarten through graduate school. How many books can you say that about? Incredible." Read more

"...story is simple and adventurous with good morals, and the book is a great way to have kids to put their own words to a story...." Read more

"...It is marvelous and magical. It is enchanting and engaging. It is accessible and just plain awesome. This was Aaron Becker's first book...." Read more

"...book that tells a fantastic and cleverly imaginative story, values like kindness, friendship, and perseverance are here...." Read more

23 customers mention "Enjoyment"23 positive0 negative

Customers find the book engaging and take-your-breath-away unforgettable, with one customer noting it's great for discussion.

"What a breath of fresh air...." Read more

"...It is marvelous and magical. It is enchanting and engaging. It is accessible and just plain awesome. This was Aaron Becker's first book...." Read more

"...It’s fun!" Read more

"...my toddler and I to explore the images and story unfolding, in an interactive, didactic manner...." Read more

14 customers mention "Value for money"14 positive0 negative

Customers find the book to be worth every penny and wonderful.

"...Worth every penny!" Read more

"...It is worth every penny." Read more

"...My 5 year old son immediately read it to himself on first look. Wonderful, and should be a part of everyone's library." Read more

"...This book has a wonderful and clear tale, with gorgeous pictures and a happy ending...." Read more

10 customers mention "Heartwarming"10 positive0 negative

Customers find the book heartwarming, with multiple reviews noting how it encourages sharing and leads to friendship, while one customer mentions it serves as a bonding bedtime read.

"...a fantastic and cleverly imaginative story, values like kindness, friendship, and perseverance are here...." Read more

"...breathtaking, the story is really fun - filled with magic,adventure, friendship, good guys and bad guys...." Read more

"Love this book for teaching perspective taking, social skills, and communication. I’d love it to be twice as long then it would be perfect...." Read more

"...what was happening on each page, which resulted in a more active level of engagement." Read more

116 customers mention "Word count"75 positive41 negative

Customers have mixed feelings about the book's wordless nature, with some appreciating that it says volumes without words, while others find it difficult to understand the story without text.

"...Without words, it tells the story of a little girl using a red crayon to enter a magical world, beginning with an enchanted forest lit by lanterns...." Read more

"JOURNEY is a wordless picture book, so there is no text to write about, but there very much is a story. And the story is wonderful...." Read more

"...What you have here is a wordless storybook. It is, I would suggest, more a work of art, a collection of linked paintings that tell a story...." Read more

"A wordless book that tells a fantastic and cleverly imaginative story, values like kindness, friendship, and perseverance are here...." Read more

Courage, drama, connection--and lush illos
5 out of 5 stars
Courage, drama, connection--and lush illos
This is a gorgeous story, well-told through intimate detail and one's own imagination. It is delightfully refreshing to experience personal (and gifted) artwork that intellectually and spiritually surpass the two-dimensional lifeless cartoons and sassy one-liner characters that glut store shelves these days. It's clear this was a "passion project" and we get to be the richer for it. Journey is a smart STORY that allows children space to think without interruption, a rare commodity these days. The illustrations are stunning, the journey limitless. My 4yo and I are already eager for the next lush title, and anticipate well-deserved Caldecott consideration for Becker. A fantastic gift for the 3-8 year old dreamer in your life, and the adults who share books with him or her. This is a priceless gift of imagination and wonder. Highly recommended by this former elementary school teacher.
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on September 11, 2013
    This is, in my opinion, an essential book for parents and non-parents alike. It is a work of literature, stunning in its artistry, poetic in its imagery, minimalism, and allusions.

    What you have here is a wordless storybook. It is, I would suggest, more a work of art, a collection of linked paintings that tell a story. Our main character (nameless), seeks refuge from her disconnected life in the adventures she creates with her red crayon. Sound like a book we've all read and loved? Stay with me. She journeys, with her crayon, into a beautifully imagined world and an adventure. I really don't want to ruin the BRILLIANT (boy how I wish FB would let me italicize) twist ending, but I will say that this is so much more than an homage to HAROLD AND THE PURPLE CRAYON, it is an extension of it, a tribute to it, a joining of worlds.

    I read this book with my three-and-a-half-year-old son last night and he was enthralled. In spite of the fact that there were no words, he was gripped. Why? The lack of a defined way of telling this story allowed us to tell it ourselves. Tonight, when we read it again, it will be slightly different. New words will be used to give voice to the story told through the images. Every time we read this book, it will become new. That is special.

    I can't speak highly enough of this book. Even as an adult I read it and appreciate what it does. Absolutely stunning. Brilliant in every way. Please, do yourself a favor, spend the fourteen or fifteen bucks and get this. Cherish it. Because your child (or you) will read it at 3, at 5, at 10, at 16, at 30, at 80. This is a book I would, as a teacher, work into units from kindergarten through graduate school. How many books can you say that about? Incredible.
    162 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on August 20, 2017
    What a breath of fresh air. The art is very nice with an emphasis on architecture and larger forms, the story is simple and adventurous with good morals, and the book is a great way to have kids to put their own words to a story. Loved it instantly!

    Minor spoilers follow. The real reason I wanted to write a review, however, is to provide a counter to the reviews that raise concerns over the philosophy of the book. As the father of two daughters, I find them totally baseless. Two themes stuck out to me from the negative reviews: the 1950's style domestic mom on the intro pages, and the rescue of the heroine.

    As for the mom, the introductory pages are designed to show an imperfect family. The faults of the home (workaholic dad, electronics obsessed sis, overly domestic mother) are there for a reason: for the flaws! It's anecdotal, but my daughters caught on instantly and "read" the family as flawed. In short, the mom is a not a person to be emulated, so there is no problem.

    Regarding the heoine's rescue, I almost didn't buy the book because I was concerned over a knight in shining armor riding in to save the day; I dislike that particular deus ex machina. Nothing could be farther from the truth. In the story, the heroine saves a magical creature from the cage, who in return rescues the heroine when she is captured while rendering said assistance. I'm sorry, I have no idea how anyone construes helping others and accepting their help in return as negative...

    I hope this helps new buyers on the fence. Not everyone is going to like the art, or the price, or the lack of words, but the story and morals are just fine for young children.
    108 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on January 9, 2018
    This book has really captivated my 5 year old, and, to be really honest, me too. Without words, it tells the story of a little girl using a red crayon to enter a magical world, beginning with an enchanted forest lit by lanterns. I've sometimes struggled when reading wordless books with my children, but this one really just tells the story itself. The illustrations are incredible -- so detailed and just completely transport you into this magical world. The architecture of the castle, the waterways, and rich sense of place are just amazing. My son loves carefully examining the castle and waterways and magical flying machine. There is real plot here and most definitely bad guys, though they have not scared my 5 year old, who recently got scared of the cat in Disney's Cinderella. But I've chosen not to read this yet with my 2.5 year old.

    I do appreciate that there is real plot here and even the bad guys. I think we've lost sight of the fact that not all children's literature needs to model perfect behavior and that children do need some stories with conflict to better understand kindness and goodness. I would recommend this for ages 3.5/4 and up depending on where your kiddo is with enjoying things with bad guys in them.
    13 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on January 27, 2014
    JOURNEY is a wordless picture book, so there is no text to write about, but there very much is a story. And the story is wonderful. It's pretty simple: A young girl feels ignored by her family, so she creates a door to her own adventure. I don't see this as an indictment against her family in any way; I see this as showing the benefit of allowing children to get bored so that they will use their imagination.

    This book does pay homage to several books, most obviously Harold and the Purple Crayon, but I also saw traces of The Surprising Adventures of Baron Munchausen, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, The Phantom Tollbooth, 1001 Arabian Nights, and just about anything that Jules Verne wrote. The homage feels almost like a love letter to the fantastic children's literature of the past.

    The artwork in this book is heart-stoppingly beautiful. It is marvelous and magical. It is enchanting and engaging. It is accessible and just plain awesome. This was Aaron Becker's first book. I can't wait to see what he does next.
    3 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on November 12, 2023
    A wordless book that tells a fantastic and cleverly imaginative story, values like kindness, friendship, and perseverance are here. On my Kindle, however, I couldn't get the images to zoom! What a loss! The art is so very good, it deserves to be savored in magnification.
    2 people found this helpful
    Report

Top reviews from other countries

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  • Breno P.
    4.0 out of 5 stars Obra sensacional
    Reviewed in Brazil on July 19, 2022
    É um livro sem palavras, então pouco importa o idioma de origem (no meu caso, compramos em inglês). A história é contada por meio de desenhos simples mas ricos em detalhes, e nas primeiras vezes em que lemos, toda vez vimos uma coisa nova. Vale para aguçar a criatividade: cada um dos meus pequenos conta a história de um jeito diferente, do seu próprio jeito. Também é acessível às minhas filhas menores que têm quatro anos na data em que recebemos. É uma trilogia, então vale também comprar os outros, que continuam exatamente de onde o anterior parou. Perde uma estrela pela demora na entrega para o Brasil e por um dano superficial (uma espécie de risco) na capa traseira.
    Report
  • krista jane
    5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful and imaginative
    Reviewed in Canada on August 27, 2023
    This book (and the whole set of three) is so lovely. My son loves that he can ‘read it’ himself. We also love to make up new storylines with it. It’s really well done!
  • Amonk
    5.0 out of 5 stars wunderschön
    Reviewed in Germany on February 26, 2016
    Ein wunderschönes Buch, welches die Honor Auszeichnung der Caldecott Medal, welche jährlich schöne Kinderbuchillustrationen kürt, definitiv verdient hat.
    Die Zeichnungen sind mitreißend und man begibt sich gerne mit auf die Phantasiereise eines kleines Mädchens, welches mit einem Stift eine Tür an die Wand zeichnet und dahinter in eine neue Welt abtaucht. Das Buch erzählt ohne Worte eine fast anrührende (nicht kitschige) Geschichte über Freundschaft. Ich bin normalerweise tatsächlich kein Fan von Büchern ohne Text, aber dieses ist komplett gelungen, denn der Erzählmoment geht hier nicht verloren, trotz der im Vordergrund stehenden Bilder gibt es dennoch eine ebenso tolle Geschichte, die man mit eigenen Worten immer neu gestalten kann. Empfehlenswert für eine große Altersspanne.
  • Cliente de Amazon
    5.0 out of 5 stars Un regalo para los ojos
    Reviewed in Spain on May 21, 2016
    Un regalo para los ojos. Un viaje que invita a soñar. Unas ilustraciones que te envuelven en un mundo fantástico. Una obra maestra de un ilustrador genial. Uno de esos libros que invitan a leer una y otra vez, y en cada una de ellas se descubre algo nuevo.
  • Star291
    5.0 out of 5 stars Un livre plein d'imagination
    Reviewed in France on June 13, 2017
    C'est le livre préféré de notre enfant, demandé fréquemment. Comme il n'y a pas de mots dans le livre, juste des images, chaque nuit, nous lisons qu'il y a une nouvelle aventure. Les images sont magnifiques. Hautement recommandé.