What do you think?
Rate this book
Traveling Man: The Journey of Ibn Battuta, 1325-1354
Ibn Battuta was the traveler of his age - the fourteenth century, a time before Columbus, when many believed the world to be flat. Like Marco Polo, Ibn Battuta left behind an account of his own incredible journey from Morocco to China, from the steppes of Russia to the shores of Tanzania, some seventy-five thousand miles in all.
James Rumford has retold Ibn Battuta's story in words and pictures, adding the element of ancient Arab maps, maps as colorful and as evocative as a Persian miniature, as intricate and mysterious as a tiled Moroccan wall.
Into this arabesque of pictures and maps, James Rumford has woven the story not just of a traveler in a world long gone but of a man on his journey through life."
James Rumford has retold Ibn Battuta's story in words and pictures, adding the element of ancient Arab maps, maps as colorful and as evocative as a Persian miniature, as intricate and mysterious as a tiled Moroccan wall.
Into this arabesque of pictures and maps, James Rumford has woven the story not just of a traveler in a world long gone but of a man on his journey through life."
34 pages, Hardcover
First published September 24, 2001
24 people are currently reading
401 people want to read
About the author
James Rumford
76 books35 followersI have been writing, illustrating, and designing children's books since 1996. I am on the verge of self-publishing through books that are printed on demand and via the internet. For more on my children's books, see my website: http://www.jamesrumford.com. I also have a blog about writing and illustrating children's books at http://www.calabashcat.blogspot.com. Besides commercially published books, I run a private letter press company and do limited-edition, handmade books. See more at http://www.manoapress.com. I am interested in foreign languages and in poetry. See my blog "Horace et al." at http://www.jasrumford.blogspot.com. I live in Honolulu with my wife.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
September 24, 2020
Author/illustrator James Rumford, whose many wonderful picture-book biographies include
From the Good Mountain: How Gutenberg Changed the World
and
Sequoyah: The Cherokee Man Who Gave His People Writing
, turns here to the story of the fabulous journey of Ibn Battuta, the famed Moroccan traveler who covered over 75,000 miles during the course of his 14th-century wanderings. Setting out from his home he travelled across northern Africa, through Egypt and into the Levant. From Jerusalem he went south to Mecca, and from there to Baghdad and then Isfahan (in Persia). He traveled through Central Asia, along the silk road, spent time in India, and then sailed to the Maldives, Sri Lanka and modern-day Bangladesh. His voyages took him to Sumatra, and eventually to China, where he reached Cambaluc (Beijing). Eventually, after thirty years of wandering, he headed for home, where his incredible adventures were set down in writing...
Although long familiar with Italian explorer Marco Polo, whose twelfth-century travels from Europe to China did much to open up Europe to trade with Asia, I was unfamiliar with the figure of Ibn Battuta before picking up Rumford's book. I am so glad to have that rectified, as I found Traveling Man: The Journey of Ibn Battuta, 1325-1354 both informative and beautiful. The text is fairly simple, giving an outline of its main figure's adventures, along with quotations in Arabic and Chinese, from various sources, including Ibn Battuta's own narrative. The artwork is lovely, featuring deeply colored pages with panels of text and gorgeous paintings. Rumford also makes use of Arabic maps of the period, and Arabic calligraphy, resulting in a beautiful book! I did have one moment of doubt, when Rumford depicted Ibn Battuta's father wearing eyeglasses, but after digging around and learning that eyeglasses are attested to as early as 1290, in northern Italy, it is possible they made their way to Morocco by the early 1300s, when Ibn Battuta was a boy. There is an afterword here giving more information about Ibn Battuta, the people and places he encountered, and a map of his travels. I do wish a list of further reading had been included, but I guess I can track down more information myself. To start with, I'll be adding the full adult narrative of Ibn Battuta's travels to my to-read shelf, as they are fascinating! Recommended to young biography and history lovers, and to picture-book readers looking for stories about explorers.
Although long familiar with Italian explorer Marco Polo, whose twelfth-century travels from Europe to China did much to open up Europe to trade with Asia, I was unfamiliar with the figure of Ibn Battuta before picking up Rumford's book. I am so glad to have that rectified, as I found Traveling Man: The Journey of Ibn Battuta, 1325-1354 both informative and beautiful. The text is fairly simple, giving an outline of its main figure's adventures, along with quotations in Arabic and Chinese, from various sources, including Ibn Battuta's own narrative. The artwork is lovely, featuring deeply colored pages with panels of text and gorgeous paintings. Rumford also makes use of Arabic maps of the period, and Arabic calligraphy, resulting in a beautiful book! I did have one moment of doubt, when Rumford depicted Ibn Battuta's father wearing eyeglasses, but after digging around and learning that eyeglasses are attested to as early as 1290, in northern Italy, it is possible they made their way to Morocco by the early 1300s, when Ibn Battuta was a boy. There is an afterword here giving more information about Ibn Battuta, the people and places he encountered, and a map of his travels. I do wish a list of further reading had been included, but I guess I can track down more information myself. To start with, I'll be adding the full adult narrative of Ibn Battuta's travels to my to-read shelf, as they are fascinating! Recommended to young biography and history lovers, and to picture-book readers looking for stories about explorers.
June 13, 2022
"Traveling Man: the Journey of Ibn Battuta" by James Rumford was a book I purchased simply bc it was cheap on BookOutlet - but it turned out to be a visual masterpiece!
It is an absolutely gorgeous piece of art: a summarized retelling of Ibn Battuta's travel adventures, alongside illustrations in the tradition of Persian miniature art and classical Arabic calligraphy.
This book is utterly captivating - highly highly recommend!
It is an absolutely gorgeous piece of art: a summarized retelling of Ibn Battuta's travel adventures, alongside illustrations in the tradition of Persian miniature art and classical Arabic calligraphy.
This book is utterly captivating - highly highly recommend!
February 25, 2011
Published: 2001, Houghton Mifflin
Age: 8-11
This is a retelling of a 14th century Muslim boy named Ibn Battuta and his journey to Mecca. It is more about his travels than religion. He was born in Morocco and raised as a scholar. His journey lasted 29 years and we follow him on his travels through Africa, Asia, India, and China. Old world maps are included and one shows his travels from Tangier to Beijing and back. The text is set in beautifully bordered frames, sometimes with text around the frame. When he starts his journey text appears in a bordered white winding road that crosses the illustrations of bright gold, red, and blue and continues throughout the book. Arabic, Persian, and Chinese calligraphy is found on each page. Ibn Battuta told his true story to a Moroccan court secretary, Ibn Juzayy, who wrote it down in Arabic. It is now at the National Library in Paris. A short history of Ibn and a glossary of words, people, places, and things are included in the back. The Ocean of Darkness is the Atlantic Ocean and the Ocean of Ignorance is the Pacific Ocean. This very special book is filled with great information that will provoke further study.
Age: 8-11
This is a retelling of a 14th century Muslim boy named Ibn Battuta and his journey to Mecca. It is more about his travels than religion. He was born in Morocco and raised as a scholar. His journey lasted 29 years and we follow him on his travels through Africa, Asia, India, and China. Old world maps are included and one shows his travels from Tangier to Beijing and back. The text is set in beautifully bordered frames, sometimes with text around the frame. When he starts his journey text appears in a bordered white winding road that crosses the illustrations of bright gold, red, and blue and continues throughout the book. Arabic, Persian, and Chinese calligraphy is found on each page. Ibn Battuta told his true story to a Moroccan court secretary, Ibn Juzayy, who wrote it down in Arabic. It is now at the National Library in Paris. A short history of Ibn and a glossary of words, people, places, and things are included in the back. The Ocean of Darkness is the Atlantic Ocean and the Ocean of Ignorance is the Pacific Ocean. This very special book is filled with great information that will provoke further study.
October 2, 2019
“Traveling - it gives you a home in a thousand strange places, then leaves you a stranger in your own land.” Yes.
September 26, 2020
I was mesmerised to know about this traveller and the powerful words he left behind.
June 20, 2020
Brilliant work & wonderful illustrations👏🏻👏🏻♥️
Engaging for both grownups and children.
DEEPLY fond of these lines..
“Traveling,” I said to myself later. “It makes you lonely, then gives you a friend.”
“Traveling— it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller.”
And many more.. 👌🏻♥️
Engaging for both grownups and children.
DEEPLY fond of these lines..
“Traveling,” I said to myself later. “It makes you lonely, then gives you a friend.”
“Traveling— it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller.”
And many more.. 👌🏻♥️
April 17, 2024
Absolutely beautiful illustrations and poetic text. This one is a keeper.
October 24, 2007
This is an historical character about whom I knew nothing until I read this book. I want to read more!
January 16, 2025
The beautiful simplicity of the cover only barely hints at the colorful interior of this book. It takes the words and stories of Ibn Battuta on his travels as a pilgrim to Mecca and beyond, and simplifies these stories for a casual audience. But there are multiple of layers to the story and illustrations in this picture book. We spent about 20 minutes reading it, somewhat quickly, as I compromised with my daughte. But on my own I read the afterward bits with further reading, a beautiful map, and translations of the Arabic writing that look like parts of the beautiful illustrations on each page. And I could spend even more time with it. This author-illustrator is amazing.
November 29, 2025
Beautiful book with poetic text and evocative illustrations plus Arabic calligraphy. Good for elementary students but also could be for middle grade, paired with other information about Ibn Batutta. I enjoyed it as an adult too! Quick read. While the actual word count is small, it definitely gives a sense of the scope of his travels and whets the appetite for more. Read with a map nearby and check the glossary at the back often.
May 11, 2018
His story is amazing but I've never heard such an adventure told so blandly. The design of the book with the words wandering about the pages was pretty cool though. Of all our library books out right now, this is the one I've seen in my kids' hands the least.
December 1, 2018
Beautiful book love the Maps and actual journal entries in Persian, Chinese and Arabic. I had not learned of Ibn Battuta until a few years ago. He traveled throughout Africa and Asia for almost 30 years and then had his stories written.
November 23, 2020
We all know of Marco Polo from the pool game. But, I was not familiar with Ibn Battuta before I found and read this biographical book of a Muslim man who journeyed for 29 years from Africa to Asia and back in the 1300s. Enjoyable and educational.
May 24, 2017
Beautiful illustrations followed with a quote or two from poetic verses. This tale marks a most wondrous journey of Ibn Battuta.
October 29, 2017
因為老公在讀另一本書引敘到這本書, 奉老公之命上市立圖書館查到後借回來的! 才發現是一本繪本書, 這是中東地區的另一個馬可波羅, 在1325年至1352年, 懷著旅行的夢想走了二、三十年, 也到了歐洲,印度,也來到中國!
在繪本中一幅插圖還出現了離鄉偶書:少小離家老大回，鄉音無改鬢毛衰。 兒童相見不相識，笑問客從何處來。突然就有了感動~
在繪本中一幅插圖還出現了離鄉偶書:少小離家老大回，鄉音無改鬢毛衰。 兒童相見不相識，笑問客從何處來。突然就有了感動~
January 19, 2020
I LIKE THIS BOOK. ITS ALLWAYS ABOUT THE JOURNEY 😎
August 12, 2022
A stunning and beautifully written picture book biography for older children of an important scholar and traveler from Tangier. My only complaint is that the lyrical text lacked clear information about his route, but maybe that reflects the truth of his experience.
May 25, 2023
It was recommended to me because of the artwork, which is beautiful. An excellent introduction to children of the great traveler, Ibn Battuta.
February 25, 2024
A pretty unremarkable mishmash of maps and pics in tune with the author’s predilection. There have been other books on Battuta’s travel-maps, much better than this one. Disillusioned.
August 29, 2024
Ibn Battutda does a lot of exciting stuff, but this is written in a very boring way.
August 31, 2020
Ages 8 and up. Not all world explorers came from Europe. The story of Ibn Battuta is brought to life here in beautiful illustrations.
March 14, 2017
I loved James Rumford both books writing & illustrating (Ibn- Battuta) & (Silent Music-A story of Baghdad)!
June 19, 2012
A visual feast beginning with the end papers (the inside covers of a hardback book) which remind one of blue willow ware and illustrate key events or discoveries during Ibn Batutta's twenty-nine years of 14th C travel.
A line of text strings journal entries together like a line on a map connects cities, across and under and around illustrations rich with color and character, and lovely calligraphy, Chinese and Arabic depending on the locale. A philosophy of travel in keeping with Muslim thought of the time develops throughout this brief jewel of a book.
There is a lovely map, a glossary and a few notes about source material.
In our homeschool, we combined this book with Benjamin of Tudela by Uri Shulevitz to enrich our study of the Eastern Hemisphere - and compared these travelers, one a Muslim, one a Jew, and the stories of their travel to the more familiar Marco Polo. The picture book format would relegate this to children's shelves - a shame. There is much depth that older children will be able to plumb while thinking they are getting off easy - because it is a picture book!
A line of text strings journal entries together like a line on a map connects cities, across and under and around illustrations rich with color and character, and lovely calligraphy, Chinese and Arabic depending on the locale. A philosophy of travel in keeping with Muslim thought of the time develops throughout this brief jewel of a book.
There is a lovely map, a glossary and a few notes about source material.
In our homeschool, we combined this book with Benjamin of Tudela by Uri Shulevitz to enrich our study of the Eastern Hemisphere - and compared these travelers, one a Muslim, one a Jew, and the stories of their travel to the more familiar Marco Polo. The picture book format would relegate this to children's shelves - a shame. There is much depth that older children will be able to plumb while thinking they are getting off easy - because it is a picture book!
February 12, 2014
illustrations on the inside front and back covers blue and watercolor. (Illustrations throughout the book and layout well-done).
Excellent translation of Ibn Battuta's journal-makes me want to go find some longer versions, in all my free time, ha. I thought as I read, how interesting to go all those places and have all those adventures. But I also thought that would preclude a lot of the everydayness that makes life so wonderful.
Pondering some of the maxims about traveling in this book:
"Traveling," I said to myself later, "It makes you lonely, then gives you a friend."
Traveling--it offers you a hundred roads to adventure, and gives your heart wings!
Traveling--it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller.
Traveling--it offers you a hundred roads. How does a holy man know the one you'll take?
Traveling--it had captured my heart, and now my heart was calling me home.
Traveling--it gives you a home in a thousand strange places, then leaves you a stranger in your own land.
Excellent translation of Ibn Battuta's journal-makes me want to go find some longer versions, in all my free time, ha. I thought as I read, how interesting to go all those places and have all those adventures. But I also thought that would preclude a lot of the everydayness that makes life so wonderful.
Pondering some of the maxims about traveling in this book:
"Traveling," I said to myself later, "It makes you lonely, then gives you a friend."
Traveling--it offers you a hundred roads to adventure, and gives your heart wings!
Traveling--it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller.
Traveling--it offers you a hundred roads. How does a holy man know the one you'll take?
Traveling--it had captured my heart, and now my heart was calling me home.
Traveling--it gives you a home in a thousand strange places, then leaves you a stranger in your own land.
October 18, 2008
This picture book is a beautifully illustrated picture book of one man's journey to Mecca. As a Christian, I appreciated this book for an explanation of the Muslims'a pilgrimage without being inundated with a lot of emphasis on the religion. It was more of a tale of the journey itself, filled with cultural imagery. The illustrations are lovely and creatively show the handwriting, animals, geography, architecture, and other elements of that time period and region.
Read
April 28, 2015This historical fiction book about world traveller Ibn Battuta teaches students about discovering the world before Columbus. I especially like this book because it reads like a story and includes a lot of maps that teach students good geography skills.
July 25, 2015
It got it today. A drawing story book. the line I like the most Traveling , it gives U a home in a thousand strange places, then leaves U a stranger in Ur own land ...
this line of ibn batutah makes me make up my mind.I'm going to stop wandering :(
this line of ibn batutah makes me make up my mind.I'm going to stop wandering :(
October 1, 2020
I reread this possibly for the first time in a decade or so, and was once again delighted by its graceful union of text and image and sinuous display of image, idea, and text.
May 15, 2009
Excellent drawings and very well constructed text.
I read it in my children's class-room during the Hajj season.
For 1-4grades
I read it in my children's class-room during the Hajj season.
For 1-4grades
March 24, 2010
love the way this book is done and how it tells the wonder of Ibn Battuta's journeys. Beautiful pics and I love the way the text winds through the page like Battuta journeyed through the world
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews