Journey by Aaron Becker
Swashbuckling adventure. A heart-stopping rescue. An army on the hunt. And yet, despite it all, a quiet book. Aaron Becker, the author-illustrator of the book has pulled off the seemingly impossible—reconciling two contradictory elements to make a story that sweeps the reader along on a fantastically magnificent journey. And all this, without a single word on the page.
A young girl wanders out of the sepia-toned world of neglect and boredom into a journey of her own creation. Her imagination is the vehicle, the red maker (chalk?) the tool. Think of the opportunities this provides for conversation. The young girl:
—travels the world,
—creates beautiful stories,
—paints her life in glorious color,
—lives fearlessly, not trapped by circumstance.
We can talk of living fearlessly, of choice, of responsibility, and go wherever else the conversation flows. This is a book that encourages talk.
In books we read the words. In a wordless book we read pictures, and learn to spot and decode the minutest details. Aaron Becker offers his readers a book brimming with details that add depth to the story, contained within art that could grace the walls of any home.
This is a book that definitely belongs in all schools and libraries.