The Voyage

Reviewed By  Janet Mawdesley       October 12, 2019

 

Author  Andrea Edmonds: Illustrations Robert Vescio

Distributor:      EK Books
ISBN:                 9781925820034
Publisher:         Exisle Publishing
Release Date:   October 019  

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Pared back to a single word on an illustrated page The Voyage is a powerful story of immigration, of people forced to flee from their homes, their countries because of war and persecution; people who look at the challenges before them and take the most dangerous pathway of all, in the hope that they and their children will have a future free from war, destruction and devastation.

Robert Vescio and Andrea Edmonds capture the huge challenge that a small family choose when they leave their home, board a small boat and cross the sea to what they hope, is a bright new future.

Fear, calm, danger, memories and so many more emotions have been captured in the beautiful illustrations, which makes this a book suitable for a wide range of readers and ages, as in this instance, the picture is far more powerful than any word could ever be, at portraying the immensity of what people face when they feel this is their only choice in life.

Over the past sixty years and more, Australia has taken in many refugees from a wide range of countries, as have many other countries of the world, adding a variety and diversity of culture to what back then was a very British country, still young, still growing, still adaptable to change.

That there should be such a need in today’s world was something never foreseen, but is sadly still an ongoing issue, with people seeking a safe haven from the horror their country, their home, has become.

The Voyage reaches out with compassion and understanding, offering a beautiful way to help educate people, regardless of their age, to the plight of these people from many different lands, as they try to make a new life for their families in a land that is very different to the land they left behind.

As this is primarily aimed at children it will certainly make a very interesting topic for discussion, helping with understanding and forming the foundations of kindness towards those who may look and behave in a different manner to them.

Beautifully done!