Migrants, by Issa Watanabe

Title: Migrants
Author: Issa Watanabe
Genre/ issues: Wordless picture book. Migrant/ refugee experiences.

Shop local where you can: For Australian readers, you can find this book on Booktopia. or support your local independent bookstore. US readers, check out Bookshop.org.

Migrants by Issa Watanabe is a stunning wordless picture book. Brightly coloured animals stand upright in human dress, and are forced to leave the forest. They share a tough journey as they cross borders and seas to find a new home.

This is a visually stunning and compelling picture book, that effectively portrays both the diversity and commonality of the migrant experience. Whilst there is some strong and potentially challenging imagery (the character who tells the animals to leave has a skull head, for example) there’s nothing too confronting about this book that would make it inappropriate for very young readers. Similarly, whilst the reading path is simple with a linear picture progression and no text, it provides an emotionally impactful story that could be enjoyed by older readers. Truly one of those books that’s accessible and meaningful for all ages of reader.

#TamaraReads #2020readingchallenge 68/100

Happy reading,