Reviews
On the coattails of Journey Becker gleefully expands and details his award-winning fantasyland, growing even more ambitious with his storytelling. ... Part Indiana Jones, part Avatar: The Last Airbender, this book proves to be more exciting than its Caldecott Honor predecessor, emphasizing adventure over evocative metaphor. Breathtaking in scope, consider this a wordless testament to the power of not just imagination, but art itself; picture books rarely feel this epic. -Kirkus Reviews (starred review) Becker includes wonderfully evocative set pieces-a submerged city, a Mayan temple-as the pair follows the map to collect chalk markers in all the colors of the rainbow to free the king and save the city. As before, hearts will beat faster during cliff-hanging moments in which the children must draw their way out of danger. ... [T]he strong visual narrative and inventive action sequences offer even more to savor. It's another step forward in an already noteworthy career. -Publishers Weekly (starred review) Becker continues the loving and gorgeous homage to imagination he began in Journey with this direct sequel. ... In addition to the winning adventure of the silent story, Becker manages to evolve his imagery with more sophisticated designs and ideas that draw readers into the narrative ever more deeply, proving once again that lush details, a meticulous sense of motion and action, and a boundless love of fun are worth all the words in the world. -Booklist (starred review) Becker creates a visual narrative that is clear enough for children to decipher but complex enough to reward multiple readings. Much of the interest comes from his ability to successfully blend architectural styles from a variety of cultures and time periods, the type of exotic settings that children associate with potential danger and requisite cleverness and courage. He clearly understands (and perhaps wants to suggest) that loneliness, boredom, or rainy days can trigger rich, imaginative play. Creative problem solving is at the heart of this genial book. -School Library Journal (starred review) Becker's illustrations are satisfyingly lush and full of subtle clues that will reward multiple readings. ... [F]ans of the first book will ... be happy to explore this fantastical world in more depth. -The Horn Book The intricate scenery, which includes an elaborately constructed castle, soldiers' tiny dirigibles, an undersea civilization, and a flimsy and vertiginous rope bridge, provides a highly satisfactory imagined playground. The watercolors have a slightly smoky haze that adds to the epic quality of the landscape, while the inclusion of the map (a cleverly constituted color-coded infographic) allows kids to puzzle out the quest and match map components to the kids' stops. -Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books Triumphant. ... With a turn of the page, Becker takes readers into a full-spread, full-bleed vista of the monarch's kingdom... Becker's use of white space for his vignettes quickens the pace, while his full-bleed spreads beg readers to pause and pore over the details. He tucks in rewards for re-readers, such as a map inscribed on the lighthouse that replicates the one on the endpapers. ... Fans will eagerly anticipate the final installment of this engrossing wordless journey. -Shelf Awareness, On the coattails of Journey Becker gleefully expands and details his award-winning fantasyland, growing even more ambitious with his storytelling. ... Part Indiana Jones, part Avatar: The Last Airbender, this book proves to be more exciting than its Caldecott Honor predecessor, emphasizing adventure over evocative metaphor. Breathtaking in scope, consider this a wordless testament to the power of not just imagination, but art itself; picture books rarely feel this epic. -Kirkus Reviews (starred review) Becker includes wonderfully evocative set pieces-a submerged city, a Mayan temple-as the pair follows the map to collect chalk markers in all the colors of the rainbow to free the king and save the city. As before, hearts will beat faster during cliff-hanging moments in which the children must draw their way out of danger. ... [T]he strong visual narrative and inventive action sequences offer even more to savor. It's another step forward in an already noteworthy career. -Publishers Weekly (starred review) Becker continues the loving and gorgeous homage to imagination he began in Journey with this direct sequel. ... In addition to the winning adventure of the silent story, Becker manages to evolve his imagery with more sophisticated designs and ideas that draw readers into the narrative ever more deeply, proving once again that lush details, a meticulous sense of motion and action, and a boundless love of fun are worth all the words in the world. -Booklist (starred review) Triumphant. ... With a turn of the page, Becker takes readers into a full-spread, full-bleed vista of the monarch's kingdom... Becker's use of white space for his vignettes quickens the pace, while his full-bleed spreads beg readers to pause and pore over the details. He tucks in rewards for re-readers, such as a map inscribed on the lighthouse that replicates the one on the endpapers. ... Fans will eagerly anticipate the final installment of this engrossing wordless journey. -Shelf Awareness, On the coattails of Journey Becker gleefully expands and details his award-winning fantasyland, growing even more ambitious with his storytelling. ... Part Indiana Jones, part Avatar: The Last Airbender, this book proves to be more exciting than its Caldecott Honor predecessor, emphasizing adventure over evocative metaphor. Breathtaking in scope, consider this a wordless testament to the power of not just imagination, but art itself; picture books rarely feel this epic. -Kirkus Reviews (starred review) Becker includes wonderfully evocative set pieces-a submerged city, a Mayan temple-as the pair follows the map to collect chalk markers in all the colors of the rainbow to free the king and save the city. As before, hearts will beat faster during cliff-hanging moments in which the children must draw their way out of danger. ... [T]he strong visual narrative and inventive action sequences offer even more to savor. It's another step forward in an already noteworthy career. -Publishers Weekly (starred review) Becker continues the loving and gorgeous homage to imagination he began in Journey with this direct sequel. ... In addition to the winning adventure of the silent story, Becker manages to evolve his imagery with more sophisticated designs and ideas that draw readers into the narrative ever more deeply, proving once again that lush details, a meticulous sense of motion and action, and a boundless love of fun are worth all the words in the world. -Booklist (starred review) Becker creates a visual narrative that is clear enough for children to decipher but complex enough to reward multiple readings. Much of the interest comes from his ability to successfully blend architectural styles from a variety of cultures and time periods, the type of exotic settings that children associate with potential danger and requisite cleverness and courage. He clearly understands (and perhaps wants to suggest) that loneliness, boredom, or rainy days can trigger rich, imaginative play. Creative problem solving is at the heart of this genial book. -School Library Journal (starred review) Becker's illustrations are satisfyingly lush and full of subtle clues that will reward multiple readings. ... [F]ans of the first book will ... be happy to explore this fantastical world in more depth. -The Horn Book The intricate scenery, which includes an elaborately constructed castle, soldiers' tiny dirigibles, an undersea civilization, and a flimsy and vertiginous rope bridge, provides a highly satisfactory imagined playground. The watercolors have a slightly smoky haze that adds to the epic quality of the landscape, while the inclusion of the map (a cleverly constituted color-coded infographic) allows kids to puzzle out the quest and match map components to the kids' stops. -Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books Thrillingly vertiginous... An exhilarating sequel to last year's "Journey" that has every bit as much visual enchantment. ... [A]ll rendered in gorgeous, confident illustrations that feel at once familiar and yet totally new. -The Wall Street Journal Triumphant. ... With a turn of the page, Becker takes readers into a full-spread, full-bleed vista of the monarch's kingdom... Becker's use of white space for his vignettes quickens the pace, while his full-bleed spreads beg readers to pause and pore over the details. He tucks in rewards for re-readers, such as a map inscribed on the lighthouse that replicates the one on the endpapers. ... Fans will eagerly anticipate the final installment of this engrossing wordless journey. -Shelf Awareness (starred review), On the coattails of Journey Becker gleefully expands and details his award-winning fantasyland, growing even more ambitious with his storytelling. ... Part Indiana Jones, part Avatar: The Last Airbender, this book proves to be more exciting than its Caldecott Honor predecessor, emphasizing adventure over evocative metaphor. Breathtaking in scope, consider this a wordless testament to the power of not just imagination, but art itself; picture books rarely feel this epic. -Quest (starred review)
