the journey francesca sanna

The Journey

“I look up to the birds that seem to be following us. They are migrating just like us. And their journey, like ours, is very long, but they don’t have to cross any borders.”

What is it like to have to leave everything behind and travel many miles to somewhere unfamiliar and strange? A family sets out on such a journey; one filled with fear of the unknown, but also great hope.

Published by Flying Eye Books in 2016, The Journey has been translated into more than 20 languages.

48 pages | 27 × 23 cm | Hardback | 6 – 10 years

Winner of the 2017 Ezra Jack Keats New Author Honor and New Illustrator Honor Awards Selected as an ALSC notable children’s book of 2017 NOTABLE CHILDREN’S BOOK OF 2017 Selected for the 2017 USBBY Outstanding International Books List Included in CCBC choices 2017 A  The New York Times ‘ Notable Children’s Book of 2016 A Wall Street Journal’s Best Children’s Books of 2016 A  Publisher’s Weekly ‘s Best Books of 2016 A  Kirkus Reviews ‘ Best Picture Books of 2016 A  School Library Journal ‘s  Best Picture Books of 2016 A Guardian’s Best Children’s Books of 2016 A New York Public Libary’s Best Book for Kids 2016

“[Francesca Sanna’s artwork] is both realistic and fantastical, done in a striking, graphic style. “The Journey” will be a wonderful teaching tool for those who are welcoming refugees into their community.” – New York Times

You can buy a signed copy of The Journey in my shop, or at your favorite local independent bookshop.

• ★"Given the ongoing refugee crisis in Europe and immigration debates in the U.S. and abroad, Sanna's story is well poised to spark necessary conversations about the costs of war." – Publishers Weekly, Starred Review ★"Simultaneously heartbreaking, scary, and brightly hopeful, this timely tale with simply captivating artwork will spur little ones to ask questions that lack easy answers." – Booklist, Starred review ★"A necessary, artful, and searing story." – Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review ★"Gorgeously stylized, spare and powerful" – Shelf Awareness, Starred Review ★"The crisp blend of realistic and fantastical illustrations in Sanna's debut picture book impart as much content and emotional depth as its carefully woven text narrated by an anonymous child. [...] Based on a compilation of immigrant interviews, this selection is timely and beautiful, appropriate for use with young children given the continuing situation of refugees around the world made particularly visible in recent years." – School Library Journal, Starred Review ★"Sanna's stylized illustrations, with gargantuan villains and swirling inky black, are both captivating and unsettling." – The Horn Book, Starred Review

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The Journey: 0 Hardcover – Illustrated, 1 April 2016

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“I look up to the birds that seem to be following us. They are migrating just like us. And their journey, like ours, is very long, but they don’t have to cross any borders.”

What is it like to have to leave everything behind and travel many miles to somewhere unfamiliar and strange? A mother and her two children set out on such a journey; one filled with fear of the unknown, but also great hope.

Based on her own interactions with people forced to seek a new home, and told from the perspective of a young child, Francesca Sanna has created a beautiful and sensitive book that is full of significance for our time.

With haunting echoes of current affairs 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.

From the author: The Journey is actually a story about many journeys, and it began with the story of two girls I met in a refugee center in Italy. After meeting them I realized that behind their journey lay something very powerful. So I began collecting more stories of migration and interviewing many people from many different countries. A few months later, in September 2014, when I started studying a Master of Arts in Illustration at the Academy of Lucerne, I knew I wanted to create a book about these true stories. Almost every day on the news we hear the terms "migrants" and "refugees" but we rarely ever speak to or hear the personal journeys that they have had to take. This book is a collage of all those personal stories and the incredible strength of the people within them.

• Reading age 3 - 7 years
• Print length 48 pages
• Language English
• Grade level Reception - Pre-school
• Lexile measure AD630L
• Dimensions 28.73 x 1.09 x 21.59 cm
• Publisher Flying Eye Books
• Publication date 1 April 2016
• ISBN-10 1909263990
• ISBN-13 978-1909263994
• See all details

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Based on her own interactions with people forced to seek a new home, and told from the perspective of a young child, Francesca Sanna has created a beautiful and sensitive book that is full of significance for our time. --From the Back Cover Through beautiful and powerful illustrations, 'The Journey' vividly explores the universal story of all those who have had to leave behind the place and people they love. --The Guardian, The Best Children's Books of 2016

From the Back Cover

About the author, product details.

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Flying Eye Books; Illustrated edition (1 April 2016)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 48 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1909263990
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1909263994
• Reading age ‏ : ‎ 3 - 7 years
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 28.73 x 1.09 x 21.59 cm
• 5 in Exploring the Middle East for Children
• 64 in Fiction About Death & Dying for Children
• 67 in Children's Historical Fiction on Military & Wars

About the author

Francesca sanna.

FRANCESCA SANNA is an award-winning illustrator and children’s book author based in Zurich, Switzerland.

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Customers find the illustrations in the book very smart, beautiful, and sensitively done. They also say the storyline is interesting and creates lots of discussion. Readers say it has an important place in sharing with children.

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Customers find the illustrations in the book beautiful, sensitive, and stunning. They also say the book is a real eye opener with a compassionate message depicted in a way that could be deciphered. Overall, customers describe the book as fantastic and a powerful message.

"...This book is beautifully written and illustrated . And it has also now inspired a friend of mine’s research topic in her Children’s Rights Masters!" Read more

"...takes a tough subject and deals with it within a very smart book full of beautiful illustrations - it doesn't sugar coat this issue and has an..." Read more

" Great illustrations that provides more detail to the story. Gives children an insight to the journey that many refugees have to make...." Read more

"...I like the colourful illustrations of birds and animals which show the hope that the family have as they search for a safe place and a new life." Read more

Customers find the storyline interesting and say it creates lots of discussion. They also say it gives children an insight into the journey that many refugees have to make.

"...- it doesn't sugar coat this issue and has an important place in sharing with children either in schools or in the home to raise awareness." Read more

"Great illustrations that provides more detail to the story . Gives children an insight to the journey that many refugees have to make...." Read more

"...This book is useful for introducing young readers to the concept of refugees and why they have been forced to leave their homes...." Read more

"...sensitively done, the illustrations are stunning and there's so much depth to the story . Gorgeous" Read more

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The Journey Hardcover – Illustrated, Sept. 13 2016

Purchase options and add-ons.

• Reading age 5 - 7 years
• Print length 48 pages
• Language English
• Grade level Kindergarten - 2
• Lexile measure AD630L
• Dimensions 28.73 x 1.09 x 21.59 cm
• Publisher Flying Eye Books
• Publication date Sept. 13 2016
• ISBN-10 1909263990
• ISBN-13 978-1909263994
• See all details

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From the inside flap, from the back cover, about the author, product details.

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Flying Eye Books; Illustrated edition (Sept. 13 2016)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 48 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1909263990
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1909263994
• Item weight ‏ : ‎ 1.05 kg
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 28.73 x 1.09 x 21.59 cm
• #136 in Exploring the Middle East for Children
• #162 in Children's Books on Emigration & Immigration
• #242 in Children's Historical Fiction on Military & Wars

About the author

Francesca sanna.

FRANCESCA SANNA is an award-winning illustrator and children’s book author based in Zurich, Switzerland.

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The Journey Hardcover – Illustrated, 1 July 2016

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“I look up to the birds that seem to be following us. They are migrating just like us. And their journey, like ours, is very long, but they don’t have to cross any borders.” With haunting echoes of current affairs 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.

• Reading age 5 - 8 years
• Print length 48 pages
• Language English
• Grade level Kindergarten - Preschool
• Lexile measure AD630L
• Dimensions 28.73 x 1.09 x 21.59 cm
• Publisher Flying Eye Books
• Publication date 1 July 2016
• ISBN-10 1909263990
• ISBN-13 978-1909263994
• See all details

Frequently bought together

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Product description

From the back cover.

Based on her own interactions with people forced to seek a new home, and told from the perspective of a young child, Francesca Sanna has created a beautiful and sensitive book that is full of significance for our time.

About the Author

Product details.

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Flying Eye Books; Illustrated edition (1 July 2016)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 48 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1909263990
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1909263994
• Reading age ‏ : ‎ 5 - 8 years
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 28.73 x 1.09 x 21.59 cm
• 5 in Exploring the Middle East for Children
• 17 in Emigration & Immigration Studies (Books)
• 37 in Children's Books on Death & Dying

About the author

Francesca sanna.

FRANCESCA SANNA is an award-winning illustrator and children’s book author based in Zurich, Switzerland.

Customer reviews

Review this product.

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THE JOURNEY

by Francesca Sanna illustrated by Francesca Sanna ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 13, 2016

A necessary, artful, and searing story.

A timely, powerful picture book about refugees.

Although the setting’s time and place are unspecified, the story of a widowed mother fleeing a war-torn homeland with her two children reverberates with the real-world experiences of contemporary Syrian refugees and others crossing the Mediterranean to reach Europe. The family members have black hair and pale skin, and the mother takes advice from a friend who wears the hijab, though her own hair is uncovered. They travel by car, by bicycle, hidden in the backs of trucks, and on foot until they reach a wall, where a border guard prevents them from crossing. Here, expressive, posterlike art renders the guard a monstrously tall, red-bearded man who towers over the wall and sends the family back into the forest. In a heart-rending spread, facing pages depict the mother cradling her children on the verso as the child narrator confides, “In the darkness the noises of the forest scare me,” while on the recto the child continues, “But my mother is with us and she is never scared”—with a picture of the family in the same huddled pose but with the children now asleep and tears streaming from the mothers’ eyes. After a dangerous sea crossing, the family moves with hope toward a safer place, though there is no certain happily-ever-after resolution.

Pub Date: Sept. 13, 2016

ISBN: 978-1-909263-99-4

Page Count: 48

Publisher: Flying Eye Books

Review Posted Online: July 1, 2016

Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2016

CHILDREN'S ACTION & ADVENTURE FICTION | CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

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THE WILD ROBOT PROTECTS

From the wild robot series , vol. 3.

by Peter Brown ; illustrated by Peter Brown ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 26, 2023

Hugely entertaining, timely, and triumphant.

Robot Roz undertakes an unusual ocean journey to save her adopted island home in this third series entry.

When a poison tide flowing across the ocean threatens their island, Roz works with the resident creatures to ensure that they will have clean water, but the destruction of vegetation and crowding of habitats jeopardize everyone’s survival. Brown’s tale of environmental depredation and turmoil is by turns poignant, graceful, endearing, and inspiring, with his (mostly) gentle robot protagonist at its heart. Though Roz is different from the creatures she lives with or encounters—including her son, Brightbill the goose, and his new mate, Glimmerwing—she makes connections through her versatile communication abilities and her desire to understand and help others. When Roz accidentally discovers that the replacement body given to her by Dr. Molovo is waterproof, she sets out to seek help and discovers the human-engineered source of the toxic tide. Brown’s rich descriptions of undersea landscapes, entertaining conversations between Roz and wild creatures, and concise yet powerful explanations of the effect of the poison tide on the ecology of the island are superb. Simple, spare illustrations offer just enough glimpses of Roz and her surroundings to spark the imagination. The climactic confrontation pits oceangoing mammals, seabirds, fish, and even zooplankton against hardware and technology in a nicely choreographed battle. But it is Roz’s heroism and peacemaking that save the day.

Pub Date: Sept. 26, 2023

ISBN: 9780316669412

Page Count: 288

Publisher: Little, Brown

Review Posted Online: Aug. 26, 2023

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2023

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S ACTION & ADVENTURE FICTION

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CHARLOTTE'S WEB

by E.B. White illustrated by Garth Williams ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 15, 1952

The three way chats, in which they are joined by other animals, about web spinning, themselves, other humans—are as often...

A successful juvenile by the beloved New Yorker writer portrays a farm episode with an imaginative twist that makes a poignant, humorous story of a pig, a spider and a little girl.

Young Fern Arable pleads for the life of runt piglet Wilbur and gets her father to sell him to a neighbor, Mr. Zuckerman. Daily, Fern visits the Zuckermans to sit and muse with Wilbur and with the clever pen spider Charlotte, who befriends him when he is lonely and downcast. At the news of Wilbur's forthcoming slaughter, campaigning Charlotte, to the astonishment of people for miles around, spins words in her web. "Some Pig" comes first. Then "Terrific"—then "Radiant". The last word, when Wilbur is about to win a show prize and Charlotte is about to die from building her egg sac, is "Humble". And as the wonderful Charlotte does die, the sadness is tempered by the promise of more spiders next spring.

Pub Date: Oct. 15, 1952

ISBN: 978-0-06-026385-0

Page Count: 192

Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins

Review Posted Online: Sept. 14, 2011

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 1952

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

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by E.B. White & illustrated by Maggie Kneen

by E.B. White illustrated by Fred Marcellino

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The Journey

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The Journey

Francesca sanna. flying eye (consortium, dist.), $18.95 (48p) isbn 978-1-909263-99-4.

Reviewed on: 07/11/2016

Genre: Children's

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joy murray art~stories~life

The Journey by Francesca Sanna Review

I was so pleased to see that The Journey, by Francesca Sanna, made the Publisher’s Weekly list of Best Children’s Books of 2016.  It’s a gorgeous, deeply moving book.  I found myself wishing that it could be mandatory reading for everyone since it presents the plight of war refugees with such clarity and insight.

In this past year, we’ve been subjected to so much political simplification about this matter, it’s brilliant to see a picture book restore the humanity and complexity to the story.  It looks at the situation through the eyes of a child.

The book’s author’s note says:

Published by Flying Eye Books , The Journey is beautifully bound and presented.

I appreciate Flying Eye for taking a risk on this book, since it’s not a happy children’s story.  And it doesn’t offer solid closure.  In fact, it reads like a poem to what is lost when war tears a country apart.  The illustrations are both simple and complex, and very moving.

I’ve shared this book with more adults than children.  The children I do share it with are over 10, watching the news, and listening to what is being said about refugees, immigrants, and the disenfranchised.

It’s been hard for me to see so much hatred and distrust rise up in the upcoming presidential elections.  It’s particularly hard to see the children I work with exposed to this kind of fearmongering for the first time.

The discussions The Journey has inspired haven’t been easy.  What causes a war?  What is a border?  Why don’t people help each other more?

The children I work with haven’t had sheltered lives.  Since most of them have been in the foster care system, they know exactly what it means to lose everything.  Their journey has been harrowing but none of us has seen actual war in our country in our life time.

One of my 11 year old friends said, when he gets big, he’s going to try to make it easier for people to find a place where they will be safe.

I hope one day he gets that big.  I hope we all do.

I know for now that The Journey is book that will make our hearts bigger, even if that growth feels painful.

Blessed are the peacemakers.

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4 thoughts on “ the journey by francesca sanna review ”.

Been having trouble finding your latest book recommendations within the public library system – so I have recommended them for purchase (there is an online form to fill out). Just found out today that 10 copies of ‘The Journey’ have been ordered and will be distributed throughout the Auckland public library system! Thank you for sharing your knowledge of books – and hooray for public libraries 🙂

P.S and hooray for librarians too, of course!

Thanks for asking the library for the book! It’s a great way to make sure it gets read. I’m pleased to see it’s getting lots of attention. And yes! Hooray for librarians! I learned practically everything I know from the library.

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Worlds of Words

International collection of children’s and adolescent literature, mtyt: the journey.

The Journey by Francesca Sanna is a picturebook about a family’s journey of refuge after their country is unsafe after war. The family bonds are powerful in both the illustrations and the words. This book discusses refugee struggles and what happens to families that are refugees. It also provides conversation about how to help refugees in America today.

Jessica: This breath-taking, meaningful story is about a family that leaves their home. After their town is struck with war and it takes their father’s life, their mother hears of a faraway country where many travel to for safety and decides that they will also leave. What begins as a family adventure turns into escape, then survival.

The illustrations and storyline work to show the physical, mental and emotional toll on refugees similar to this family. The author shows a happy time, before the war, when all members are present and enjoy a family tradition. Although darkness is present in this scene, the family is unaware of it.

The war, as a dark creature, chases the family from their happy moment and throughout their entire journey. One part of this family’s story in The Journey is the continuous appearance of new challenges. As soon as the family reaches safety, another task presents itself. After the family gets over the wall, they must board a boat. Once the family finally reaches land, they must board a train. We don’t see the family reach their final destination, which shows that a refugee’s journey may never end.

Although the family finds temporary refuge along their journey, they never feel safe. When the mother shows her children pictures of their destination, the pictures surround them and make them feel safe. This feeling of safety is never shown again.

As the family reaches the wall, there is a powerful guard that tells them to leave. The guard’s size represents his power as he towers over the small family. My biggest emotional connection is when the family sleeps in the forest outside the wall because there is nowhere else to go. It is difficult to see a mother hold her two children tightly among the wild plants, but it is harder to see the mother weep as her children finally fall asleep peacefully.

I also find it interesting when they receive help over the wall. Their helper is such a negative, scary image. You expect the person who helps them to be pleasant. Perhaps this is a warning. Negative experiences can happen, so the reader still understands that to accept help is a risk.

The Journey ‘s simple story that is easy for younger readers makes it an excellent addition to classrooms. Its metaphorical illustrations also encourage deeper, critical thinking in older audiences. This book offers the reader as much meaning as they take away from it. The story begins with a happy moment, then shows darkness that breeds struggle until we leave our characters in a hopeful situation. There are positive and negative stories about how today’s refugees end their journeys. Therefore, it works well that this book doesn’t show the end. The book closes with the symbolism of birds; it is sad, but also gives the boy hope for the future.

Janelle: The creator of The Journey shares the origin story of two sisters she met in a refugee center in Italy. Francesca Sanna collected other refugee stories, and with her own illustrative talents created what she says is a collage of the personal journeys of these people.

The end pages are images of what the book holds. The illustrative techniques of color, placement, symbolism and metaphoric images are powerful in telling this synthesis of stories. The text is simple, but behind the simplicity are stories told by the art. These are stories of loss, fear, challenges, physical journeys and hope.

Parts of The Journey story are not new to me as a reader, but Sanna’s art engages one in new ways. I relate to the happy family on the first page that play at the beach, although the dark ocean waters on the far right predict not-so-happy times ahead. The next page shows the claws of war destroy the town they love and eventually take the father. Happier times contrast war and the troubling journey. While there is hope, its strangeness is still prominent in the child narrator and the dangers prominent in the mother’s actions and appearance.

The family begins with belongings that they cherish, but “the further we go, the more we leave behind,” and by the end have only memories. Both in literature and the news there are ongoing journeys that seem endless and even impossible when they are refused the right to cross borders. While not all refugee journeys are such a combination of challenges, the average reader and citizen of the US does not often hear the whole story, even those who care enough to read and inquire.

Sanna’s unique artistic style reflects the emotions of this story in the concluding feeling of hope shared of the narrator, who observes the migrating birds. As with Flight , the search for a new home is not resolved. There is hope for the family, but I wonder what I can do for real families in our country that hope to find a safe home. I hope that young readers realize the difficulties and strength of those who do make it. I hope they are sensitive when discussing the refugee situation within the global community.

Title: The Journey Author: Francesca Sanna Publisher: Flying Eye Books ISBN: 9781909263994 Date Published: September 13 2016

This is the fourth installment of November 2017’s My Take/Your Take. To follow these continuing conversations,  check back every Wednesday .

• Themes : francesca sanna , Janelle Mathis , jessica edwards , Journey
• Descriptors: Books & Resources , My Take/Your Take

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The University of Arizona

The Journey – Planning Overview

Written by Dan

Last updated December 14, 2023

Let’s take a virtual journey together, shall we? What if I told you this journey could have transformative effects on all your students? Well, it can – and that’s why our destination today is The Journey by Francesca Sanna.

This captivating picture book does more than tell a gripping story of a young immigrant’s voyage for safety – it is an essential teaching tool for helping students understand the human experience and build empathy.

With the proper guidance from you, teachers, it’s sure to create meaningful learning moments that will stay with your classrooms long after you turn the last page.

In this blog post, we’ll give you an overview of how to plan for using The Journey effectively in your lessons.

Related : For more, check out our article on  Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters by John Steptoe.

Table of Contents

Outline of “The Journey” by Francesca Sanna

Introduction.

• Introduce the main character, a mother and her two children.
• Set the scene of their home country, which has become unsafe due to war and conflict.
• The family decides to leave their home and embark on a journey to find safety.

The Journey Begins

• Describe the family’s journey through different landscapes.
• Highlight their challenges, such as hunger, exhaustion, and danger.
• Show how the mother tries to keep her children safe and calm amidst the chaos.

Meeting Other Refugees

• The family meets other refugees who share their stories of fleeing violence and persecution.
• They form bonds with some individuals, while others are too traumatised or scared to connect.

Arrival in a New Country

• After a long and treacherous journey, the family finally arrives in a new country where they hope to find safety and start a new life.
• However, they are met with suspicion and hostility from some locals who view them as outsiders or even criminals.

Settling In

• Despite these challenges, the family begins to settle into their new surroundings.
• They make friends with other refugees who have also found sanctuary in this new place.
• They also encounter kind-hearted locals who offer support and assistance.
• The story ends optimistically as the family begins to rebuild their lives in this new country.
• However, there is an underlying sense of sadness for all that they have lost along the way.
• The story serves as a reminder of the resilience of refugees and the importance of empathy and understanding towards those forced to flee their homes.

Main Themes and Characters in “The Journey” by Francesca Sanna

The refugee experience.

• This is the central theme of the story. “The Journey” explores what it’s like to be a refugee, forced to leave your home due to war or persecution and embark on a dangerous journey in search of safety.
• The story highlights refugees’ challenges, such as hunger, exhaustion, danger, and discrimination.
• The mother is the main character in the story. She is a strong and determined woman who does everything she can to keep her children safe during their journey.
• The story emphasises mothers’ sacrifices for their children, even in the most challenging circumstances.

Empathy and Understanding

• “The Journey” also touches on themes of empathy and understanding towards refugees.
• It reminds us that refugees are people like us who have been forced to flee their homes due to circumstances beyond their control.
• The story encourages readers to put themselves in the shoes of refugees and imagine what it would be like to leave everything behind.

Characters:

• The mother is a strong, brave character who prioritises her children’s safety.
• She is willing to do whatever it takes to protect them from harm, even if it means risking her own life.
• The two children in the story represent innocence and vulnerability.
• They rely on their mother for protection and guidance throughout their journey.

Other Refugees

• Throughout their journey, the family meets other refugees who have also been forced to flee their homes.
• These characters represent resilience and solidarity among refugees.
• Finally, there are also locals in the story who represent both kindness and hostility towards refugees.
• Some locals offer support and assistance, while others view refugees with suspicion or fear.

“The Journey” by Francesca Sanna encourages empathy and understanding towards refugees in several ways:

• Humanising Refugees: The story portrays refugees as people forced to leave their homes due to war, persecution, and violence. It shows they have the same hopes, dreams, and fears as anyone else.
• Depicting the Refugee Experience: The story shows the many challenges refugees face during their journey, such as hunger, exhaustion, danger, and discrimination. This helps readers understand why refugees need our support and compassion.
• Encouraging Perspective-Taking: “The Journey” encourages readers to put themselves in the shoes of refugees and imagine what it would be like to leave everything behind. This perspective-taking can help build empathy and understanding towards refugees.
• Highlighting Resilience: Despite all the challenges they face, the refugees in “The Journey” show remarkable resilience and strength of character. They band together to support and create a sense of community despite their difficult circumstances.

Teaching Opportunities

“The Journey” by Francesca Sanna is a rich text that offers several opportunities to teach literary devices. Here are some examples:

• Symbolism: The journey itself can be seen as a symbol of the refugee experience. The physical and emotional challenges the characters face on their journey represent the refugees’ struggles in real life.
• Imagery: The story is full of vivid imagery that helps to create a sense of place and emotion. For example, the illustrations of the dark forest, stormy seas, and barbed wire fences all contribute to the mood and tone of the story.
• Foreshadowing: There are several instances of foreshadowing throughout the story, such as when the mother tells her children to keep their eyes closed during a dangerous part of their journey. This creates suspense and tension for readers.
• Characterisation: The characters in “The Journey” are well-developed and complex, offering opportunities for teaching characterisation techniques such as direct and indirect characterisation.
• Theme: As mentioned earlier, “The Journey” explores themes such as motherhood, empathy, understanding, resilience, and survival. These themes can be analysed using literary devices like symbolism or imagery to deepen students’ understanding of how they are conveyed in the story.

Imagery in The Journey

Imagery is an influential tool authors use to create a vivid picture in the reader’s mind and evoke emotions. In “The Journey” by Francesca Sanna, imagery plays an essential role in creating the mood and tone of the story.

For example, the dark forests the family travels through are described as “endless” and “mysterious,” creating a sense of danger and uncertainty.

The stormy seas they cross are depicted as violent and unpredictable, adding to the feeling of peril. The barbed wire fences that they encounter symbolise imprisonment and oppression.

All these images contribute to the story’s overall mood of fear, desperation, and uncertainty. Readers can feel the tension building as they turn each page, wondering what new obstacle will appear next on this treacherous journey.

Additionally, imagery creates moments of hope and beauty amidst all this darkness. For example, when the family reaches a city where people speak their language and offer food and shelter, it is described as a “paradise.”

This momentary relief from their struggles creates a palpable joy for both characters and readers.

Overall, the imagery in “The Journey” contributes significantly to its mood and tone by creating vivid mental pictures for readers while also conveying complex emotions such as fear, hopelessness, relief, or joy.

Lesson Plan

Lesson plan: teaching literary devices in “the journey” by francesca sanna.

Students will be able to identify and analyse literary devices such as symbolism, imagery, foreshadowing, characterisation, and theme in “The Journey” by Francesca Sanna.

• Copies of “The Journey” by Francesca Sanna
• Chart paper and markers
• Graphic organizers for literary analysis (optional)

Introduction (10 minutes):

• Begin the lesson by asking students if they have ever heard of or experienced a challenging journey.
• Introduce the book “The Journey” by Francesca Sanna and explain that it is a story about a family’s journey to escape their war-torn country.
• Preview the literary devices discussed in the lesson: symbolism, imagery, foreshadowing, characterization, and theme.

Reading & Analysis (30 minutes):

• Distribute copies of the book to students and ask them to read silently.
• As students read, ask them to annotate any examples of literary devices they find in the text.
• After reading, lead a class discussion where students share their observations and evidence of literary devices used in the story.
• Use chart paper or graphic organisers to record student responses.

Extension Activities (20 minutes):

• Ask students to work in small groups to analyse one literary device in the story (e.g., symbolism).
• Provide each group with a different page or section of the book where that device is used and ask them to identify how it contributes to the mood and tone of the story.
• Have each group present their findings to the class.

Conclusion (10 minutes):

• Summarise what was learned during this lesson about how authors use literary devices to create mood, tone, and meaning.
• Please encourage students to look for examples of these devices when independently reading other texts.
• Remind students that understanding these devices can help us become better readers and writers.

Assessment:

Assess student understanding through observation during class discussions and extension activities. Alternatively, provide a written assignment where students analyse one specific literary device used in “The Journey” using evidence from the text.

Website Resources

• The Teaching Couple – This web page on TES provides a 5-week writing unit for teaching “The Journey” by Francesca Sanna to students in Key Stage 2 (ages 7-11). The lesson plans include learning objectives, a starter activity, a main activity that involves reading and discussing the book, and a complete task. It also suggests additional activities for follow-up work. The unit of work is designed to help students develop empathy, critical thinking, and creative writing skills. Link:  https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/-12671231
• Amnesty International UK provides a free downloadable book and activities pack for teaching “The Journey” by Francesca Sanna to children aged 4-11. The pack includes lesson plans, discussion questions, creative writing prompts, and art activities that explore themes of migration, displacement, and refuge. Link:  https://www.amnesty.org.uk/resources/book-and-activities-journey
• Walker Books Australia offers a range of classroom ideas and resources for using “The Journey” in literacy lessons with students aged 8-12. These include comprehension questions, character analysis worksheets, visual literacy tasks, and creative writing prompts. Link:  https://classroom.walkerbooks.com.au/home/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Journey-Classroom-Ideas.pdf
• Children’s Library Lady is a website that provides book reviews and teaching resources for children’s literature. Their page on “The Journey” summarises the book’s plot, discussion questions, vocabulary exercises, and links to related resources such as videos and refugee articles. Link:  https://childrenslibrarylady.com/the-journey/

In conclusion, The Journey by Francesca Sanna is more than just a captivating picture book. It’s a transformative teaching tool that can deeply impact your students’ understanding of the human experience and their ability to empathize with others.

With careful planning and thoughtful guidance, you can create unforgettable learning moments that will resonate with your students long after they’ve closed the book.

Remember, as educators, we have the power to take our students on incredible journeys, both literal and figurative. So, let’s embark on this journey together and watch as our classrooms become spaces of empathy, understanding, and growth.

FAQs: The Journey as a Teaching Tool

1. how can i use the journey in my classroom.

You can use The Journey as a springboard for discussions about immigration, empathy, and the human experience. It’s also an excellent resource for teaching narrative structure and visual literacy.

2. What age group is The Journey appropriate for?

While The Journey is a picture book, its themes are universal. It can be used effectively with a wide range of age groups, from primary school students to teenagers.

3. How does The Journey help build empathy?

The Journey tells the story of a young immigrant’s voyage for safety. By sharing this story with your students, you’re providing them with a window into someone else’s experiences, which can help foster empathy and understanding.

4. Can The Journey be integrated into other subjects?

Absolutely. The Journey can be incorporated into a variety of subjects, including social studies, language arts, and even art classes for discussions on illustration and storytelling.

5. What kind of activities can I plan around The Journey?

The possibilities are endless. You might ask students to write their own stories of a journey, create artwork inspired by the book’s illustrations, or research and present on current immigration issues.

Remember, the goal is not just to read the book but to use it as a tool to spark meaningful conversations and learning opportunities.

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About The Author

I'm Dan Higgins, one of the faces behind The Teaching Couple. With 15 years in the education sector and a decade as a teacher, I've witnessed the highs and lows of school life. Over the years, my passion for supporting fellow teachers and making school more bearable has grown. The Teaching Couple is my platform to share strategies, tips, and insights from my journey. Together, we can shape a better school experience for all.

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