Aaron Becker has worked as an artist in the film and animation industry, where he helped define the look and feel of characters, stories, and the movies they become a part of. With Journey, he has created characters and worlds of his very own, using traditional materials and techniques. Aaron Becker lives in Amherst, Massachusetts, with his wife, daughter, and cat. This is his first book.
A masterwork.
--The New York Times
An imaginative adventure story whose elaborate illustrations
inspire wonder, careful examination and multiple reads.
--Kirkus Reviews (starred review) Wonder mixes with longing as the
myriad possibilities offered by Becker's stunning settings dwarf
what actually happens in the story. Readers will be both dazzled
and spurred on imagined travels of their own.
--Publishers Weekly (starred review) [An] auspicious debut... [a]
captivating wordless story... The strong visual narrative makes
this an appealing choice for a wide range of ages. By the turn of
the last page, children will immediately begin imagining the next
adventure.
--School Library Journal (starred review) First-time author Becker
sweeps readers away on the very best kind of journey, allowing a
complex color scheme, intricate fantasy environments, and a
stirring sense of adventure to tell the story without a single
word. ... Laudable for its adventuresome female protagonist, scope,
and sense of fun, this title will draw girls and boys back to it
again and again.
--Booklist (starred review) There is much to pore over in the
watercolor and pen-and-ink illustrations, and when the boy and girl
ride off together at the end on a tandem bicycle with one red wheel
and one purple wheel, readers will want to follow them.
--The Horn Book This is a wordless picture book that will be
transcendent for readers and appeal to a wide variety of children.
... This is a beautiful tale that will visually delight for years
to come.
--Library Media Connection (highly recommended) We live in a time
with a lot of flash and beep and tweets. Mr. Becker has made a
beautiful reminder that there are times we need to turn it off.
Sometimes we need a book, some quiet, and our imagination. It's so
well done.
--Erin Stead, 2011 Caldecott Medal Winner for A Sick Day for Amos
McGee I fell into this breathtaking adventure and didn't want to
leave. This is a book of extraordinary magic and beauty.
--Julie "Jules" Danielson, Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast
[A] gorgeously illustrated, imaginative take on the wordless
picture book... It's a true feast for both the mind and
eye!
--Favorite Things (FamilyFun blog) Dreamlike... Like Harold and his
purple crayon before her, the child discovers that she can use a
crayon to make an imaginative escape -- and what an escape it is!
... Dazzling.
--The Wall Street Journal [A] wordless tour de force... Completely
original. ... Becker's breathtaking urban and bucolic scenes map
out a visual narrative that reflects the girl's journey--both
external and internal. ... Here's hoping there's more to come from
this talented newcomer.
--Shelf Awareness for Readers (starred review) Talk about making
your own adventure! ... [E]xtraordinary kindness and a couple of
crayons produce an ending so original and satisfying you can't but
shake your head and smile. This gorgeous, wordless book is a
gem.
--Redbook [A]n absolutely magical tale... Becker's picture book is
one of the finest get-lost-in-your-own-imagination tales of
loneliness, escape, adventure, and, ultimately, new friendship that
I've read in quite some time.
--USA Today Online Becker launches readers into a wordless
adventure amid exotic lands and narrow escapes--thanks to the
bright red marker-wielding heroine. Think Crockett Johnston's
'Harold and the Purple Crayon' crossed with Neil Gaiman's
'Stardust.' A lonely girl steps from her black-and-white world into
a vast, colorful journey. Some stories, including this one, don't
need words to fire the imagination.
--The Boston Globe With its fine attention to detail and
jaw-dropping storyline, Becker has created a modern day classic in
the midst of an overpopulated genre. ... I don't get to use this
word very often when I'm talking about books for young children but
I'm going to dust it off and use it now: Beautiful. There's no
other way to describe Journey.
--Betsy Bird, A Fuse #8 Production (SLJ Blog) This absolutely
gorgeous wordless picture book is a testament to the skill of
author/illustrator Aaron Becker. As Journey ends, you'll want to
immediately return to the beginning to experience it again.
--NPR Books A lonely girl takes her red crayon, draws a door on her
bedroom wall and walks into a world of steampunk flying machines
and turreted canal cities. She navigates this fantasy realm via
boat, balloon and flying carpet, all drawn with her crayon.
Journey is a clear nod to Crockett Johnson's Harold and
the Purple Crayon, but this version doesn't have words; instead
Aaron Becker tells his story through meticulous watercolor and
pen-and-ink illustrations.
--NPR Monkey See Becker's wordless masterpiece is both timely and
timeless, drawing inspiration from the classic "Harold and the
Purple Crayon" to draw the reader into an entirely new and
beautifully-rendered world.
--The Huffington Post Worldless picture books are nothing new, but
it takes a special touch to create one that appeals to both
pre-readers (have them "narrate" their own story to you as you leaf
through) and older students who can appreciate the layers of silent
storytelling. 'Journey' accomplishes this feat and just might be
the perfect title for one last summer roadtrip ... Film illustrator
Aaron Becker's creation is at once simple and nuanced, a
beautifully tactile version of the best Pixar shorts.
--Austin-American Statesman With this wordless tour de force, Aaron
Becker gives a nod to the likes of Crockett Johnson and Shaun
Tan--but in a completely original work. ... Becker's breathtaking
urban and bucolic scenes map out a visual narrative that reflects
the girl's journey--both external and internal. By the conclusion,
readers see that all she needs is a likeminded friend. Here's
hoping there's more to come from this talented newcomer.
--Twenty by Jenny
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