StoryBoat

A sweet lyrical story on the journey of a refugee!

Genre: Picture Book

Ages: 4-6

Available: Amazon

Screening: music/instruments

This beautiful story uses lyrical words in verse to describe the journey of a refugee, through the eyes of a child. The images contain pictures of Muslims (culturally hijab-clad in some pictures and also what appears to be Iranian clothing on men) and the refugees are from Iran, as the writing in the notebook the girl holds and written on a paper boat in the beginning is Persian.

The story starts with a young girl marking x on the ground and saying they are here. The images show her family moving and walking, and the x is meant to mark their spot and provide some sort of location to the girl, who clearly is struggling with their journey on the move. They don’t always stay in the same spot, always on the move. But her imagination is where she thrives.

The girl drinks a cup of tea, which transforms to a (boat)home in her imagination. She uses an apricot blanket, which is a sail on the boat in her mind. She uses a light to see, which is a lighthouse in her mind. She smells a flower, which is a ladder in her dreams.

And her imagination is where she is happy! The story boat takes her places and adventures on her way to her new home.

Where they make it at the end of their journey: here in their new home.

The pictures were drawn with a lot of emotion, and the pictures showed women crying and holding babies. The imagination and the lyrics work well together to show the little girl’s hope at a new life and struggle with moving. The light blue color and orange/apricot hues were very soothing to look at as we read and gave the book a soft look.

A beautiful story and one that moves the reader just as sure as the storyboat moves the protagonist!

Follow @muslimmommyblog on IG/Fb for more!