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With haunting echoes of the current refugee crisis this beautifully illustrated book explores the unimaginable decisions made as a family leave their home and everything they know to escape the turmoil and tragedy brought by war. This book will stay with you long after the last page is turned.
Francesca is an Italian illustrator and graphic designer who moved to Switzerland to follow her dream to work as an illustrator. She graduated in 2015 from the Lucerne School of Art and Design with a Master of Design with focus on Illustration. The Journey is her first picture book.
Francesca is an Italian illustrator and graphic designer who moved to Switzerland to follow her dream to work as an illustrator. She graduated in 2015 from the Lucerne School of Art and Design with a Master of Design with focus on Illustration. The Journey is her first picture book.
44 pages
First published April 1, 2016
7 people are currently reading
2596 people want to read
About the author
Francesca Sanna
21 books71 followersFrancesca Sanna is an Italian illustrator and graphic designer based in Switzerland. After she finished her studies in Cagliari, the main city of her beloved Mediterranean island (Sardinia) she said goodbye to her family and her cat (Berta) and moved to Germany before and Switzerland after, in order to follow her dream and be able to work as illustrator. She graduated with honors in 2015 the Lucerne School of Art and Design, with a Master of Design with focus on Illustration.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 705 reviews
November 18, 2025
I don't want to get all political on you, but if we could all know the stories and feel the pain of just a few of the folks making their way up Mexico to the US border as we do in this lovely picturebook, we would not be fearing them and demonizing them as potential terrorists, sending 10-15 K troops with weapons down to the border to scare them back to where they were unable to live, or sending masked thugs to terrorize folks who are already here, if we were to treat them with the compassion they deserve as refugees, as needful of our help, as human beings living on planet Earth, the world would be a better place than it currently is. I know, I know, the richest person on the planet says empathy is a bullshit, made-up thing, we have to learn to be crueler, and we are doing that via some Project 2050 guidelines for Hell on Earth, but it is not the way I want to see life as we know it on the planet ending.
Sanna met a couple girls who were refugees and began this book, creating a composite from the stories of many people she subsequently talked with. May a thousand picture book flowers bloom such as this one.
Sanna met a couple girls who were refugees and began this book, creating a composite from the stories of many people she subsequently talked with. May a thousand picture book flowers bloom such as this one.
September 17, 2022
2.5 stars. This one didn't work for me, the illustrations are lovely but I feel that the story line would be confusing and all together too scary for the young, which this book, with a line or two of simple text on each page, seems to be aimed at. The story shows a happy family who enjoy everyday life until war comes, their father is taken and they have to leave their country. Their father isn't seen again. There are some scary characters and scenes of their mother crying alone in the woods whilst giant guards reminiscent of creatures from film the Yellow submarine look down from the sky. There is a boat crossing where wave droplets become fairies and then the family are on a birds neck migrating with the birds. I didn't like the mix between reality and fantasy, I think if I were a child reading this I would feel confused which parts of the book actually reflected the experiences of the refugees, and as this families situation is scary enough anyway, I think their could be better ways to explain this. I could imagine some children would find this upsetting.
April 4, 2016
An extremely beautiful tale told through the eyes of a family who need to uproot from their home and travel a long distance to find safety.
The book as a whole is a stunning thing to behold - the paper quality and binding alone had me all of a flutter! As for the plot - it encompasses the story of the countless refugees who fight everyday to cross lands and borders to hopefully reach a place that is promised to be safe. The family in this book look up into the sky and see a flock of migrating birds that do not face the barriers that they do, it's a beautiful yet saddening little story. I urge everyone to pick up this picture book - the illustrations are one of a kind, truly breath-taking! I'm very picky when it comes to art-styles that I enjoy and this just ticked all the boxes!
The book as a whole is a stunning thing to behold - the paper quality and binding alone had me all of a flutter! As for the plot - it encompasses the story of the countless refugees who fight everyday to cross lands and borders to hopefully reach a place that is promised to be safe. The family in this book look up into the sky and see a flock of migrating birds that do not face the barriers that they do, it's a beautiful yet saddening little story. I urge everyone to pick up this picture book - the illustrations are one of a kind, truly breath-taking! I'm very picky when it comes to art-styles that I enjoy and this just ticked all the boxes!
March 12, 2017
القصة موجعة والرسومات عظيمة، بطاقة تعبيرية هائلة ومفعمة بالبراءة.
February 19, 2017
I found this title listed on the longlist for the Kate Greenaway Medal for illustrated children's books. I enjoy finding new illustrators even when the books are aimed for children. The visual style of Francesca Sanna is so appealing, you can find some of her work here-
The authors note reveals :
The Journey is actually the story of many journeys and it began with the story of two girls I met in a refugee centre in Italy. After meeting them I realised that behind their journey lay something very powerful. So I began collecting stories of migration ...
The resulting work is stunning and with a simplistic storyline, it is a perfect aid to explain the current refugee crisis to younger children or even adults.
The publisher of this book is Flying Eye Books, the children's imprint of the awesome Nobrow Press. They have three children's books nominated for this medal and hopefully I might review those as well.
The authors note reveals :
The Journey is actually the story of many journeys and it began with the story of two girls I met in a refugee centre in Italy. After meeting them I realised that behind their journey lay something very powerful. So I began collecting stories of migration ...
The resulting work is stunning and with a simplistic storyline, it is a perfect aid to explain the current refugee crisis to younger children or even adults.
The publisher of this book is Flying Eye Books, the children's imprint of the awesome Nobrow Press. They have three children's books nominated for this medal and hopefully I might review those as well.
April 4, 2016
Oh, my. This book. What a beautiful, heartbreaking, hopeful, necessary book. A young refugee’s view of their world as it descends into the darkness and loss of war and then into a journey across unknown lands and waters to seek safety, The Journey is ultimately a superbly-done, empathic tale of the plights of too many people in our world right now. The fairy tale-like setting and touches of the fantastical makes a deeply serious story resonate at just the right tone for young readers, and Sanna’s richly detailed art is haunting and graceful, a perfect complement to her poetically moving text. Every child, every adult, should read this book, immediately.
February 10, 2017
This is an utterly beautiful picturebook that addresses what it feels like to be a refugee in ways that naturally build empathy but never get too explicit for a young child. It isn't modelled on any specific refugee crisis in the world, but rather on the way it feels to a young child when their world comes apart, and they have to leave everything behind and flee to a distant hope of safety.
I think it's probably aimed at ages 5+ - I'm not sure that my 3-year-old picked everything up - but he still asked for me to read it to him twice in a row in the bookstore today, and then he chose it as his book for the week. He found it engrossing and exciting and scary but not too scary (it's a delicate balance in this kind of picturebook, and I think the author/artist manages that balance perfectly - the art is gorgeous and expressive but not overwhelming), and there is a hopeful (but not unrealistic) ending. With an older child, it would be very easy to naturally launch into conversation with them afterwards about the real-world refugees looking for new homes right now.
This would make a perfect addition to any school or classroom library. It would be a lovely book at any time, but it's particularly timely and necessary right now.
I think it's probably aimed at ages 5+ - I'm not sure that my 3-year-old picked everything up - but he still asked for me to read it to him twice in a row in the bookstore today, and then he chose it as his book for the week. He found it engrossing and exciting and scary but not too scary (it's a delicate balance in this kind of picturebook, and I think the author/artist manages that balance perfectly - the art is gorgeous and expressive but not overwhelming), and there is a hopeful (but not unrealistic) ending. With an older child, it would be very easy to naturally launch into conversation with them afterwards about the real-world refugees looking for new homes right now.
This would make a perfect addition to any school or classroom library. It would be a lovely book at any time, but it's particularly timely and necessary right now.
October 9, 2019
Stunning artwork by the author highlights this tale about refugees that packs a punch.
Edgy, disturbing, and thought-provoking - the book should engender many conversations.
Edgy, disturbing, and thought-provoking - the book should engender many conversations.
November 3, 2019
من بهش پنج ستاره ميدم، اما مشكلش اينه كه مناسب بچه هاي زير 7 سال نيست. نقاشي هاش شايد بترسونتشون. اما بچه هاي بزرگ تر هم بهشون بر ميخوره اگه كتاب گنده تصويري بهشون بدي. درنتيجه شايد محتوا و نقاشي ها مخاطب مشخصي نداشته باشن و براي مني كه براي لذت كتاب كودك ميخونم، مناسب تر باشه.
May 9, 2023
I almost cried while I read this book in the middle of the fucking store. Cuz it's real, honest but despite of light telling, it's heavy.
I know there are 'humans' out there hate immigrant or refugee, maybe not hate but don't want them in their 'own' country, I know their (immigrant or refugee) negative influences, I do have some complaints as well, and I do know politics let and keep these people suffer, or die.
Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, Venezuela, Myanmar, Mexica, Asians, Africans, these days Ukraine... List is too long. As in the story, I know you say 'oh how sad' when you see desperate people on the news, as much as I know that u want to switch channel hastily, when you watch wrecking ships with people packed like sardines, dead children on shores, fathers cries in front of debris once called home. We know these but REMEMBER those people that we colonized, bombed their city, overexploited their land, slaved in our labor,,, list. is. long.
So consider again when you look with irritation at any immigrant or refugee, like, in a store.
Artwork is amazing nothing much to say. I'll buy this one day.
I know there are 'humans' out there hate immigrant or refugee, maybe not hate but don't want them in their 'own' country, I know their (immigrant or refugee) negative influences, I do have some complaints as well, and I do know politics let and keep these people suffer, or die.
Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, Venezuela, Myanmar, Mexica, Asians, Africans, these days Ukraine... List is too long. As in the story, I know you say 'oh how sad' when you see desperate people on the news, as much as I know that u want to switch channel hastily, when you watch wrecking ships with people packed like sardines, dead children on shores, fathers cries in front of debris once called home. We know these but REMEMBER those people that we colonized, bombed their city, overexploited their land, slaved in our labor,,, list. is. long.
So consider again when you look with irritation at any immigrant or refugee, like, in a store.
Artwork is amazing nothing much to say. I'll buy this one day.
June 26, 2016
* I was sent this for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review *
This is a beautiful illustrated children's book which is all about how it feels to be forced out of your country and to become a refugee. The story is told with small amounts of text accompanied by vast sprawling imagery and the images help to represent some of the fears, excitement and emotions which accompany the journey...
What I really liked about this was that it's full colour pages and the artwork is beautiful and gets the emotion across really well. Some of the spreads are full of dark looming figures and these stand as metaphors for what's happening to the family in the story. With that said, this book itself isn't scary, but it does make you sympathise with how refugees might be feeling.
The tone of the story is simple, told through the voice of the children in the tale. It's a nice approach as it makes the story easy to understand, and it worked well with the simple, yet beautiful artwork.
On the whole, a lovely book and one which I think would be excellent to read with children. 4*s
This is a beautiful illustrated children's book which is all about how it feels to be forced out of your country and to become a refugee. The story is told with small amounts of text accompanied by vast sprawling imagery and the images help to represent some of the fears, excitement and emotions which accompany the journey...
What I really liked about this was that it's full colour pages and the artwork is beautiful and gets the emotion across really well. Some of the spreads are full of dark looming figures and these stand as metaphors for what's happening to the family in the story. With that said, this book itself isn't scary, but it does make you sympathise with how refugees might be feeling.
The tone of the story is simple, told through the voice of the children in the tale. It's a nice approach as it makes the story easy to understand, and it worked well with the simple, yet beautiful artwork.
On the whole, a lovely book and one which I think would be excellent to read with children. 4*s
October 4, 2020
From a collaboration of many stories of refugees fleeing from their homes, this children’s book illustrates the flight of two children and their mother to safety from a war-torn country. A child tells of her adventure traversing by vehicle, bicycle, foot, ferry, and train using muted colors and sweeping graphics. I loved that animals and birds were featured throughout.
According to UNICEF by 2018, there were almost 31 million children who “have been forcibly displaced”, 13 million were refugees, about one million were seeking asylum, and approximately 17 million had been “displaced within their own country by violence and conflict.” In 2019, per Amnesty International, who endorsed this book, two-thirds of all refugees were from Syria, Venezuela, Afghanistan, South Sudan, and Myanmar. The crisis continues.
According to UNICEF by 2018, there were almost 31 million children who “have been forcibly displaced”, 13 million were refugees, about one million were seeking asylum, and approximately 17 million had been “displaced within their own country by violence and conflict.” In 2019, per Amnesty International, who endorsed this book, two-thirds of all refugees were from Syria, Venezuela, Afghanistan, South Sudan, and Myanmar. The crisis continues.
October 2, 2017
This is a gripping story about a family of refugees on their journey to safety. It invites the reader to imagine what the experience of fleeing your home country would be like and understand the characters' feelings.
November 28, 2016
Visually lush with a powerful story about families forced to leave their homes because of war.
October 12, 2018
I was introduced to this book in the first year of my degree and I really enjoyed it and the important and relevant message it held. This picture book is based on Sanna's own experiences with immigration from refugee's she has met through out her life. It focuses on a family whose country becomes war ridden meaning they have to flee. Focusing on their journey to freedom until they finally get to safety.
The contents place the reader in the position of the child who is escaping war, helping to create empathy, a useful trait for children to pick up on using books. The way in which the pictures within the book seem to flow to the next page, is a really effective representation of the long and tiresome journey that millions of refugee's have to experience yearly. The end has a particular influence on the reader as it shows how their journey may never end, which is a familiar situation to many around the world. This picture book would be particularly useful within the classroom, in order to break down those negative stereotypes about refugees seen in the media, promoting discussion in KS2 classroom.
The contents place the reader in the position of the child who is escaping war, helping to create empathy, a useful trait for children to pick up on using books. The way in which the pictures within the book seem to flow to the next page, is a really effective representation of the long and tiresome journey that millions of refugee's have to experience yearly. The end has a particular influence on the reader as it shows how their journey may never end, which is a familiar situation to many around the world. This picture book would be particularly useful within the classroom, in order to break down those negative stereotypes about refugees seen in the media, promoting discussion in KS2 classroom.
September 29, 2016
Πρόκειται για ένα παραμύθι όπου μιλάει για τον πόλεμο κ Τους φόβους που φέρνει αυτός στα μικρά παιδιά αλλά κ στους γονεις.. Δείχνει το ταξίδι μίας οικογένειας προσφύγων Που φεύγουν τη χώρα τους. Παρόλο που είναι μικρό Σε έκταση είναι πολύ συγκινητικό και έχει ιδιαίτερη εικονογράφηση.
November 1, 2018
تمتدّ أيدي الحرب وتتلاعب بالذكريات والأماكن وتُغيّب الوجوه والألوان والحكاية. هذه القصّة بجماليّة رسوماتها وعمق معانيها وإنسانيّة ثيماتها أتت مؤثّرة للغاية. تتعدّى كونها مجرّد حكاية للأطفال تحكي عن الحرب واللجوء والأمومة. لأنّها بغضّ النظر عن كل ذلك فالنص والحوار والرسومات تتكامل لتوصل للقارىء الأفكار والمشاعر بطريقة فنّيّة فعّالة قلّما توجد في كتب الأطفال.
كتاب مميّز وممتع أثّر بي وأبكاني.
كتاب مميّز وممتع أثّر بي وأبكاني.
November 12, 2016
Beautiful illustrations tell the simple story of one family who must leave their home after war takes their father and set them upon a journey.
June 22, 2017
An important story and stunningly beautiful artwork.
July 2, 2020
‘The Journey’ follows a family whose home country is taken over by war. The story follows the family through their journey to a new home where they can be safe.
The illustrations within this picture book are wonderful, and quite fairy-tale like, which contributes the the story as for the central character I would imagine that this journey feels unreal.
This story would be good to help children understand the life of a refugee and the struggles they go through just to find somewhere safe to live.
The illustrations within this picture book are wonderful, and quite fairy-tale like, which contributes the the story as for the central character I would imagine that this journey feels unreal.
This story would be good to help children understand the life of a refugee and the struggles they go through just to find somewhere safe to live.
May 17, 2021
Ilustráciami je to krásna kniha, ale ako množstvo iných detských kníh týkajúcich sa utečenectva, chýba jej nápad. Je to príbeh úteku, ktorý má toľko metafor, že dieťa ich nechápe, zároveň nemá žiadny konkrétny nosný bod, ktorý by dieťa zaujal.
November 5, 2018
This is a stunning story in which Sanna places the reader into the eyes of a child escaping a war and allows you to enter her thoughts, feelings and emotions. You follow the journey of their departure and learn about the hurdles they meet. The story stems from a true story Sanna heard when meeting two refugees in Italy, which she then further investigated through interviewing people from other countries. I think this makes the story all that more special as it makes it seem so raw and real. I particularly love the ending where the child relates their journey to the birds above that are migrating. This glimmer of hope is touching and such a lovely comparison. This is an excellent book to introduce children to the topic with all the current negativity within the media about the refugee crisis at the moment. It is a lovely way of increasing their awareness and provoking them to ask questions and research more into the area.
February 7, 2017
The Journey begins with a young girl, the narrator, introducing her happy close-knit family living in a city near the sea, until war arrives and bad things began to happen. But when the war takes her father, her mother decides it is time to leave their homeland despite the dangers, and to try and reach a country where they can live without war and fear. So the family packs up what belonging they can and leave. But the journey is difficult, and little by little they begin to leave belongings behind to lighten their load and make traveling easier.
And they face all kinds of obstacles - a high guarded wall, a sea that stretches far and wide, a scary ferry boat ride, followed by a long train ride, all in search of a home where the family can begin their story all over again.
Sanna used a collage of migration stories from different people she interviewed at a refugee center in Italy to create The Journey, inspired by the story of two girls she met there. Using simple language, and folk art style illustrations, Sanna has written a book that really captured what it is like to be a refugee, to be fleeing friend, family and home for your life with no idea how it will all end. Kids who may have heard about the ongoing problems in Syria this year may greatly benefit from this book, not because it will help them understand the politics of what is happening, but because, on a more personal level, it will help them understand what being a refugee means.
This book is recommended for readers age 5+
This book was purchased for my personal library
This review was originally posted HERE
And they face all kinds of obstacles - a high guarded wall, a sea that stretches far and wide, a scary ferry boat ride, followed by a long train ride, all in search of a home where the family can begin their story all over again.
Sanna used a collage of migration stories from different people she interviewed at a refugee center in Italy to create The Journey, inspired by the story of two girls she met there. Using simple language, and folk art style illustrations, Sanna has written a book that really captured what it is like to be a refugee, to be fleeing friend, family and home for your life with no idea how it will all end. Kids who may have heard about the ongoing problems in Syria this year may greatly benefit from this book, not because it will help them understand the politics of what is happening, but because, on a more personal level, it will help them understand what being a refugee means.
This book is recommended for readers age 5+
This book was purchased for my personal library
This review was originally posted HERE
October 9, 2018
I chose this book as a focus for a plan for a half term project. The book is about a child refugees journey from their home country into the unknown but with the promise of finding a safe place. I think it is so relevant to modern day as it allows children to empathise with the refugee character which broadens their cultural awareness and understanding. It could be a great class project due to the brilliant writing and illustrations. This would also be a good class read to fit in with a global week in school or a theme in which the children might have preconceptions on from the news or from home.
February 19, 2017
Enjoyed this illustrated childrens' book, which I read as part of the Read Harder Challenge.
Despite being short, it has some heavy themes and ends in a way that makes you hope for the safety of the narrator. Given the world we live in and the knowledge we have as adults, the happiness and innocence that the narrator feels at the end, may not be long lived!
That said, a book also about over coming challenges so fingers crossed!
Despite being short, it has some heavy themes and ends in a way that makes you hope for the safety of the narrator. Given the world we live in and the knowledge we have as adults, the happiness and innocence that the narrator feels at the end, may not be long lived!
That said, a book also about over coming challenges so fingers crossed!
February 7, 2017
This gorgeously illustrated book shows how a child's life is disrupted by war. It begins with a peaceful day at the beach, then war, the father is murdered, and they must flee. The book provides a perfect introduction to what it's like to be a refugee.
March 24, 2017
Gorgeous illustrations and a refugee story that blends many stories of this most difficult journey so many unfortunate people and children have to undertake. Gentle, emphatic and hopeful!
May 31, 2017
MORE THAN FIVE STARS. I can't even begin to talk about how beautiful this is.
February 14, 2023
تصویرگری بسیار زیبا
June 11, 2019
Este libro fue simplemente maravilloso! No le puse 5 estrellas porque no supera las 50 páginas, pero así y todo en tan poco espacio logra transmitir sumamente bien el mensaje y logra que sientas empatia por los refugiados! Las ilustraciones son muy bellas !
Displaying 1 - 30 of 705 reviews