Customer Reviews

Anno's Journey

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

As in other Anno works, an anonymous Everyman is seen in each two-page textless illustration. In this book, the traveler begins his trek alone, buys a horse and rides through progressively more populated scenes -- magnificent scenes, filled with literary and artistic allusions, mini-stories, children playing, panorama and touching detail -- all at the same time! Scenes are viewed as if you were just outside the picture and about 40 feet high. The reader/viewer cannot see the details of people's faces, but much human experience and emotion is contained in small details -- children despairing after a lost balloon, flirting lovers, a mother touching her child, etc.

Your child will appreciate this work through many 'reading' levels, and you will constantly make new discoveries yourself.

Mitsumasa Anno's books are not to be missed, and Anno's Journey is a beautiful example of the author/illustrator's work.

Wonderful book. I take it on trips if I need a gift for a wide range of children. With no words, the reading level is not a factor. Full of visual jokes, historical buildings, modern characters hidden in the crowds, famous art and buildings, childrens games, similarities from one page to another ...

The parents love it even more than the kids. It takes days to spot all the interesting things hidden in this book and it's a painless way to talk about history and art with a child. PERFECT for babysitters to use.

A testament to the peace and charm of simple drawings executed with grace. A wordless book that, while made for children, is still able to captivate even the most jaded of us hipsters with its simplicity.

I am so glad I discovered this book. My children enjoy telling a different story every time we open it. The fact that there are no words in it makes the children invent a new story each time, and I believe it develops their imagination better in a way, than with a storybook with pictures. I also like the art involved in this book, the minute details that the author/artist had included are adorable! I enjoy reading it myself! Each page reveals several goings-on in a small town, it is so easy to imagine yourself walking among the characters.

I have never met such a book. It is a plain pleasure to take it, sit down with a cup of tea and spend some hours (!literally!) on observing the life of those people or looking for all the hidden jokes made with the perspective, composition, citations, self references... So in fact anyone in my family is happy because of this Journey: my 3 years old son as well as my wife and me.

BTW we are Polish, so, as you can guess, there is no language barrier. Anyone on the world could take this book and just start to read and appreciate it.

We just learned that our son is gifted. Through a wonderful book called Some of My Best Friends Are Books, we found Anno's Journey. Anyone with heightened visual perception will lose themselves in the spectacular detail of this book. It is truly special.

This is a wonderful book for imaginative parents and their equally imaginative children!

As a parent, have you ever groaned at the thought of having to read the same old story yet again to your beloved offspring?? If yes, this is the book for you.

There are no words so you and your child can invent them afresh every time; or, if you want, this time can be based on last time, with just a few changes... There is no limit to what you can do with it. Each page shows you a step in magical time of the hero Anno's journey : my sons like to begin by finding Anno on the page and seeing what he is doing. On his travels, Anno meets characters from all well known European children's stories and he can join in, or watch, as you see fit. You won't see all the connections the first time you go through, and there is something new to be discovered every time you open the book. The pictures are brilliant and drawn from an interesting bird's eye view point which leads to a nice overview of the action on each page.

It's magically exceptional! Go for it :)

Beautiful pictures, meticulously detailed. Clearly, a lot of research, thought, talent and hard work went into this book.

Unfortunately, the book's excrutiatingly boring. I can imagine few adults, and fewer children, sitting through this almost scholarly study, of their own free will. There's virtually no plot, virtually no protagonist, no deliberate, purposeful action, no atmosphere, no moral, no fun. There's no one to identify with, nothing to reflect about, and, ultimately, nothing to remember, except the beautiful, impressionistic painting style.