Customer Reviews

Journey

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

 

 

Journey comes from a disfunctional family.His mum left him and his older sister,Cat with his grandparents.His father left when he was not even born.Journey misses his mum and longs for her to come back.I feel pity for him as his parents dumped him when he was a boy.When I read this book,I was so angry with his mother that I could have beaten her up in real life.His grandfather takes many photos of them and the surroundings.So,when they are grownup,they can have something to remind themselves about the past.Journey's mum tore up all their photos of the past.What an irresponsible mum! I wish I could pound her to pieces like what she did to the photos.I must consider myself the most luckiest girl in the whole world.

Journey, by Patricia MacLachlan, is one of those books that can only be described as short but sweet. This 83 paged novel is jam-packed with deep meaning. Though, I thought it ended too quickly and the meaning was somewhat lost.
My opinion is that this book was a bit dull. There was no big surprises and the book was quite predictable. However, this novel is still worth reading. The characters are well developed and you can really connect with them.
By now you're probably wondering, what is this meaning? This book is about a young boy trying to deal with his mother's leaving. Journey's mother walked out on him and his sister, leaving them no address or phone number. His father had left them before Journey was old enough to remember. Journey is confused at first about why his mother left. His family all know the reason she left but keep it hidden from Journey. He discovers the astounding truth about his mother and finds a contentment in the end.

Eleven-year-old Journey feels betrayed by his absent parents--especially by the recent, breezy departure of his immature mother . Raised without a father he and his older sister, Cat, rely on their understanding grandparents to provide a true home and stable family life. When letters containing (guilt) money arrive irregularly, Journey secretly cherishes a dream that someday he will use his share to locate Mama. He is too young or too stubborn to accept reality: that she has a soul for wanderlust--for she always was itching to be on the road.

One day his long-suffering grandfather discovers an old camera
and quickly becomes a regular household nuisance--snapping photos of
unsuspecting family members at their daily routine. When a stray cat
surprisingly takes up residence in their house, then proceeds to make a nest in a box of old photos, Journey becomes haunted by the questions
raised by the torn-up images. The past which he never knew has been brought to light but in frustrating tatters.

Who robbed him of his babyhood? He studies the mysterious identity of baby's unattached hand and another fragment of a man's shirt front, until he develops a grudging respect for the photographer's art.
Devastated by the degree of wanton cruelty and callous indifference of his long-departed mother Journey suddenly recognizes her selfish lifestyle for what it is--and for what it never will be. Will he ever come to terms with Liddie's desertion of her own children? How will this tortured boy recover his stolen family heritage or find peace in his parentless home? Can grandparents ever replace the biological role models which a child has a right to expect? This is an introspective book which is both short and intense--an emotional journey in Time, rather than in Space, as a boy wrestles with the world as it is, not as it Should be.

This is a very good book for kids in the fourth and fifth grades. It deals with complex issues, requires children to envision a photograph inside a story, has a lot of symbolism, serious subject matter, and in the end, like any good novel, a sense of redemption. Great for teachers to read aloud or for children to read independently. MacLachlan can be a little heavy-handed with the themes at times, but hey, it's a kids book; they need the heavy-handedness to get used to interpreting themes.

I have enjoyed Patricia Maclachlan's books for quite some time. That being said, Journey is my new favorite. This gem of a little book not only draws the reader into the story with an effortless walk down a country road, but it does so masterfully. The imagery and dialogue are outstanding, however it's the heartwrenching story of Journey that leaves an impression. I will certainly be using this book as a cornerstone of my memoir unit. A masterpiece to be enjoyed.

This story was written for young readers, but is an incredible story suitable for all ages.

The story is about the life of a young boy named Journey, whose mother left him to live with his grandparents and sister on a rural farm. Journey is faced with the question: why did she leave? He spends the summer searching for answers in photographs from the past and discovering his own family relationships and past through them as well.

I enjoy photography and found that this book gave me an appreciation for the view from behind the camera. It's a touching story of growth, discovery, and the love that binds families together. A great read for all ages, "Journey" is a worthwhile and intriguing novel.

This is a good book to read even if you are in the third grade. It's a little hard to understand at first, but once you get into it,you'll really love the whole book.

In one sentence this book is about a boy who finds himself through pictures and the lens of a camers. This was a great book. It really tells what life is all about, the helps and hurts and stumbles of the future. If you enjoy this book may I recomend reading the follow-up, Skylark. Email me and tell me what your favorite part was.

This book is a book of lots of opinions, because when myteacher read this book for the class, I had lots of opinions about it,Journey was a very social person. He never listened to what other people told him about his mother. But through out the book he really changed from social to general.

This book is the worst book i have ever read. It doesn't make any sense, and very hard to understand. I reccomend this book to no one.