Story Boat

by Kyo Maclear, Rashin Kheiriyeh (Illustrator)

When you have to leave behind almost everything you know, where can you call home? Sometimes home is simply where we are: here. A picture book about the refugee experience through a child's eyes.

When a little girl and her younger brother are forced along with their family to flee the home they've always known, they must learn to make a new home for themselves -- wherever they are. And sometimes the smallest things -- a cup, a blanket, a lamp, a flower, a story -- can become a port of hope in a terrible storm. As the refugees travel onward toward an uncertain future, they are buoyed up by their hopes, dreams and the stories they tell -- a story that will carry them perpetually forward.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Family, Fiction, Canada, Cultural, Juvenile

40 pages, Hardcover

First published February 4, 2020

About the author

Kyo Maclear is an essayist, novelist and children’s author. She was born in London, England and moved to Toronto at the age of four with her British father (a foreign correspondent and documentary filmmaker) and Japanese mother (a painter and art dealer).

Her books have been translated into eighteen languages, published in over twenty-five countries, and garnered nominations from the Hilary Weston Writers’ Trust Prize for Nonfiction, the Governor General’s Literary Awards, the TD Canadian Children’s Literature Awards, the Amazon.ca First Novel Award, the National Magazine Awards, among other honours.

Unearthing: a Story of Tangled Love and Family Secrets (2023) was a national bestseller and awarded the Governor General’s Literary Award for Nonfiction. Her hybrid memoir Birds Art Life (2017) was a #1 National Bestseller and winner of the Trillium Book Award and the Nautilus Book Award for Lyrical Prose. It was named one of the best books of 2017 by The Globe and Mail, CBC, Now Magazine, the National Post, Forbes, the Chicago Review of Books, and Book Riot.

Her work has appeared in Orion Magazine, Brick, Border Crossings, The Millions, LitHub, The Volta, Prefix Photo, Resilience, The Guardian, Lion’s Roar, Azure, The Globe and Mail, and elsewhere. She has been a national arts reviewer for Canadian Art and a monthly arts columnist for Toronto Life.

Kyo holds a doctorate in environmental humanities teaches creative writing with The Humber School for Writers and the University of Guelph Creative Writing MFA.

She lives in Tkaronto/Toronto, on the traditional territories of the Mississaugas of the New Credit, the Haudenosaunee, Métis, and the Huron-Wendat.

Reviews

[Dave Schaafsma · Rating 3 out of 5]

Yet another lovely picture book about the refugee crisis--and we're going to need more of these as the crises multiply--and though I like the meandering, sort of lyrical/symbolic writing just fine (and I'm a fan of Kyo Maclear generally), it just doesn't seem to be for kids. Maybe for parents to help translate for kids? The title refers to a process of making sense of your life through story wherever you may happen to be, a process where "here" is, for however long, also home.

I like it that objects, as we proceed in the journey--a lamp, or blanket--that have ties to the past, and meeting memory, can also provide the link to imagination, to new stories, to hope. But again, I don't think kids would easily get this. This is my first experience with the illustration work of Rashin Kheiriyeh, accentuating the hopeful (for kid and readers) while acknowledging the traumatic challenges, and I look forward to seeing more from both of them.

[La Coccinelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Oh, dear. Here we go, publishing adult picture books again and trying to push them on kids.

The idea is fine. But the writing... No. It comes across as pretentious. It's clumsy. It's not clear. Couched in metaphor and pretty-sounding concepts, the words seem far too distanced from what they're trying to explain. If this is supposed to be a child's introduction to the refugee crisis, I'm afraid they're not going to be very enlightened:

Here is a cup.
Old and fine, warm as a hug.

Every morning,
As things keep changing,
We sit wherever we are
And sip, sip, sip,
Sippy, sip, sip
Ahhhh
From this cup.

And this cup is a home.

I do like the pictures. A very limited colour palette of blue, orange, brown, black, and white is striking and keeps the focus on the families depicted. There's an almost magic sort of quality to some of the pictures, especially those in which the children are imagining sailing in their teacup.

But I don't think this is a great introduction to the subject. Young children who know nothing about the refugee crisis probably aren't going to be able to parse out what's really going on from all these metaphors. Readers might want to try books like Roberto Aliaga's Fireflies (for younger children) or Margriet Ruurs's Stepping Stones (for older children) if they're looking for stories about refugees.

[Lata · Rating 3 out of 5]

Beautifully illustrated. I appreciate that the author's talking about refugees, and what they take with them, and there's a certain lyricism to the story, but the book didn't quite work for me.

[Alicia Bayer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautiful picture book about the refugee experience that manages to be hopeful but honest and somehow sweet and loving without glossing over the realities of what it's like to be a refugee child. Colorful illustrations depict a family with other refugees as they travel. The weather is sometimes bad and faces often sad. Babies often cry and the seas can be stormy. But the mother is comforting and the family embraces the cup that stays the same, the blanket that warms them and the lamp that lights their way, which all define "here" when the place changes every day.

Sample text:

Here is a blanket.
Patterned and soft, color of apricots.

Every night,
When the world feels not quite cozy,
And everyone seems weary
From hoping and hurrying,
We snuggle and dream
Under this blanket.

This is a lovely book that can show children what it's like to be a refugee child but also could be a wonderful book for refugee children themselves, who can relate to the family in the story.

(One small note -- in one scene, the mother is shown bottle feeding her small baby. This depicts a dangerous situation since families in crisis situations often have no means of getting a continual source of formula or safe water to mix it with (to learn more about the issue see https://www.en-net.org/question/1917....). Showing her nursing her baby would have been a much more realistic and positive image. I'm not sure why we still can't feel comfortable just showing a mother breastfeeding her baby in a picture book and have to show a bottle instead, but I wish we could get past this and normalize breastfeeding in children's books.)

All in all, this is a wonderful book that I wish wasn't so needed today. Highly recommended.

I read a temporary digital ARC of this book for the purpose of review.

[Jenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely beautiful story of an immigrant child's journey, told in simple yet rich metaphorical language and evocative imagery. Lovely and emotional, it celebrates the power of imagination and human resilience in trying circumstances.

[Brooke · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was just beautiful. So beautiful!

[Ivonne Rovira · Rating 5 out of 5]

This slim volume’s dedication from illustrator Rashin Kheiriyeh says it all: “To all innocent Syrian refugee children who have experienced horrible war and injustice at a young age. Each has their own story, and they said with their story boats like messengers of hope and peace.”

Story Boat makes the refugee experience comprehensible for young children while still leaving them hopeful. The lyrical words combine with the soft, chalk drawings to tell the tale of a little girl exchanging one “here” for another, while cherishing the small souvenirs of their old life — a cup, a blanket, a lamp, a story — to serve as a “boat” — a story boat, so to speak — to carry them to the new life in a new land.

In the interest of full disclosure, I received this book from NetGalley, Penguin Random House Canada and Tundra Books in exchange for an honest review.

[KC · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have enjoyed many things written by this author but for some reason, with this one, I felt quite disconnected between the pictures and words. Plot point I get but not sure kids would. Beautifully illustrated.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ☆

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

A simple story built around hope.

I feel children may find the concept a little confusing at times due to the writing being slightly more poetic and indirect. However, I think it is a must for them to read to help them understand the refugee crisis.

[Jess Smiley · Rating 5 out of 5]

A warm, poetic journey of young children traveling with their family in search of home. Vivid, affecting illustrations and thoughtful prose pull the reader into the rich narrative.

[Storywraps · Rating 5 out of 5]

A family, which includes a girl and her little brother, join in a caravan of immigrants leaving all that is familiar behind. Where are they going they wonder? They must locate a place to settle and find a home. It's winter and the trek is long and difficult for everyone as they must carry what little belongings they have in backpacks and bags ever in search of a new life.

"Here is a cup.
Old and fine, warm as a hug.

Every morning,
As things keep changing,
We sit wherever we are
And sip, sip, sip,
Sippy, sip, sip
Ahhhh
From this cup."

Every night the children snuggle together under a blanket to keep warm and protected from the cold. They dream the blanket is a sail that attaches to their cup and it takes them far away places. Their imaginations turn their lamp into a lighthouse, a beacon of light to guide them to a better place. They always move along claiming wherever they stop is "here"! The children find comfort in the familiar things they are carrying with them, the nomadic community they are travelling with, and in their imaginations, which bring them hope.

The children do child-like things along the way like write, read, and draw pictures to pass the time when they are stationary and not moving forward. Finally they reach their destination and they now know that dreams do come true. They found their ultimate "here!"

This warm, imaginative, lyrical tale affirms to the reader that home is simply...here... right where you are at the present time. This heartfelt story introduces young readers to the refugee crisis that seems to be escalating worldwide as families set off on a journey to find a new safe home... a difficult journey that is fuelled by hope and the dream of a better life for all.

The illustrations are vivid and very affective enriching the thoughtful text. I highly recommend this book.

[Sirah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Two children are journeying with others, each bringing only what they can carry. One child asks the other where is "here," and even though they've had to leave much behind, they still have a cup and a blanket and songs and stories and memories.

What is it like to leave home and walk, not knowing if you'll find a home again? This book captures the feelings of both loss and hope. Small comforts of the familiar blend with new joys, all set against a backdrop of night. Another really lovely book that effectively captures a feeling without overexplaining. Brilliantly done.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

What is home? A cup, a blanket, a song, a story. Where is it? Here. Home is here.

A poetic look at the journey of a group of people to a new home, wherever it is. Wherever they are coming from. Portrays some struggle, but mostly a determined kind of hope on behalf of the grownups and a more cheerful hope on behalf of the kids.

[Abby Johnson]

This is a lyrical, imaginative look at an immigrant's journey through a child's eyes.

[Tina Hoggatt · Rating 5 out of 5]

In spare, poetic text accompanied by soft illustrations in a warm palette against a blue background the journey of many people is recognized, and the desire of a child to define where they are and what it means is answered in meaningful objects and hoped for destinations. Utterly beautiful.

[Zoe · Rating 3 out of 5]

*3.5

Story Boat is about refugees migrating, but the purpose of the story is not made clear in the writing. This story would go over a lot of kids' heads if they did not have a previous understanding of refugees and migration. The writing is deep and vague; too complex for younger children. I liked that the story was told thought the little girl's imagination.

[Aylin Niazai · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute drawings. Important message about refugees, but dialed down so that it's suited for children.
As the wife of someone who came to our country as a refugee, it's important to tell these kind of stories to our kids.

[Sarah- Pupsandprose · Rating 3 out of 5]

First off, the illustration is beautiful, and I loved the whimsical feel of the book, but something was missing for me. I had trouble grasping the story line, what was supposed to be happening, and what I was meant, as a reader, to gain from the story.

It seemed like this story explored the theme of “home is where you make it”. Or maybe that home is a feeling more so than a place. I think this is an interesting and unique concept to explore in a children’s book. I also like that the book is exposing kids to a culture that might be different from their own.

[Leslie · Rating 5 out of 5]

With the constant change and uncertainty that comes with fleeing their home, a girl invokes a new address, a new way of finding and being home.

Story Boat opens with a line of people of varying age and gender and mobility moving through the woods. Birds in flight above them, migration comes to mind. The narrator, the girl, announces: “Here we are.” But where is here? And how can “here” remain a constant if it always changing. “Here” becomes interchangeable with home, among other things. “Here” finds symbology in objects that can be carried, like a cup, a blanket, a lamp, a flower, a story. These are vessels of nourishment, safety and comfort, of guidance, of strength. They are integrated into a story of their own, authored by the girl, one that echoes the refugees own movement. The cup that is a boat, the blanket it’s sail, moving toward a lighthouse, while the refugees will board a boat from one shore to a dock elsewhere.

The calm rhythm in text and in image lend certainty when there otherwise isn’t. Maclear and Kheiriyeh do the difficult work of carrying the reader alongside a people—a child—in flight, while gently underlining its fraught nature. The narrator is a child making sense of the world she finds herself in. The travelers include infants and the elderly. A woman cries. The wind and the water are frightening. Yet the words, the progression of images, steadily move onward, hopeful, determined…declarative. “Here we are.”

“Here we are,” not ‘we are here’. “Here” is the subject, the noun, the beginning and “we” belongs to “here.” “Here we are.” “Are” is a punctuation, a declaration, a simple truth, not a verb who decides which ‘here’ we belongs to.

I would love to hear the story as I look at the accompanying images (this would be a beautiful animated short). Kheiriyeh’s compositions are dynamic and yet weighted: the people and the birds and nature and days are moving, yet they are there before us in a stillness. Maybe it’s my longing to linger over their faces, their meager possessions, the questions, Maclear’s notions of here-ness. Too, Kheiriyeh shows us a people who are part of where they are, the blue background tinting their clothes and other belongings. The notes from their music mingle with the stars.

Their cat accompanies the siblings in their endeavors and they arrive in a place where they’ll be met by a red-haired girl with a dog—these small opportunities to denote difference. But she is with adults rushing forward to meet the refugees in their boat. This is a part of the story we were uncertain would arrive; such was the certainty that “here” was always where they were. Each “here” had yet to suggest a place of solid footing, of remaining, of no longer needing to carry the objects that anchored them. The paralleling story as imagined by our artist narrator could only foresee their movement toward a lighthouse, their footing where they found it, not where it might eventually land.

The story was the boat that carried them. And I imagine it continues with new symbols and metaphors to assure a sense of ‘hereness’, of being, existing. There is a delightful sense of thriving carved into the story; and a necessary sense of aliveness. “Here we are.”

In the final image we see the cup-turned-boat as constellation. Like a constellation that helps travelers find their way, that helps them orient themselves; that tells a story. It rests between one word: “Here” and a cluster of buildings with warmly lit windows and smoke drifting from chimneys. They’ve come from the woods and are somewhere here among the township.

Maclear and Kheiriyeh have created a sense of wonder amid a very sorrowful subject matter. They infuse it with the lyrical quality of hope and imagination. With a warm palette and the patient nature of a story worth telling, we are reminded not to forget the vulnerable quality of flight, of a people who can never truly be displaced of their humanity, moving toward a new place carrying their ‘hereness’ with them in their stories, their artwork, their children. May we be among those who rush out to meet them at the shores or our borders; so they can be here, with us, where we are.

[Darell Dustin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love historical events like this.
Boats and historical events are what make me love reading. Could you please share the sequel books of your series?

In fact, even though I started reading very late, I'm getting more and more immersed every day.

It is a great chance to read the books of important authors. I know that. I'm looking forward to your new books.

I am writing the importance of reading a book here for friends who want to read this book. I hope it will benefit sellers and customers...

Are the top 10 benefits of reading for all ages:

1. Reading Exercises the Brain

While reading, we have to remember different characters and settings that belong to a given story. Even if you enjoy reading a book in one sitting, you have to remember the details throughout the time you take to read the book. Therefore, reading is a workout for your brain that improves memory function.

2. Reading is a Form of (free) Entertainment

Did you know that most of the popular TV shows and movies are based on books? So why not indulge in the original form of entertainment by immersing yourself in reading. Most importantly, it’s free with your Markham Public Library card.

3. Reading Improves Concentration and the Ability to Focus

We can all agree that reading cannot happen without focus and in order to fully understand the story, we have to concentrate on each page that we read. In a world where gadgets are only getting faster and shortening our attention span, we need to constantly practice concentration and focus. Reading is one of the few activities that requires your undivided attention, therefore, improving your ability to concentrate.

4. Reading Improves Literacy

Have you ever read a book where you came across an unfamiliar word? Books have the power to improve your vocabulary by introducing you to new words. The more you read, the more your vocabulary grows, along with your ability to effectively communicate. Additionally, reading improves writing skills by helping the reader understand and learn different writing styles.

5. Reading Improves Sleep

By creating a bedtime routine that includes reading, you can signal to your body that it is time to sleep. Now, more than ever, we rely on increased screen time to get through the day. Therefore, by setting your phone aside and picking up a book, you are telling your brain that it is time to quiet down. Moreover, since reading helps you de-stress, doing so right before bed helps calm your mind and anxiety and improve the quality of sleep.

6. Reading Increases General Knowledge

Books are always filled with fun and interesting facts. Whether you read fiction or non-fictions, books have the ability to provide us with information we would’ve otherwise not known. Reading a variety of topics can make you a more knowledgeable person, in turn improving your conversation skills.

7. Reading is Motivational

By reading books about protagonists who have overcome challenges, we are oftentimes encouraged to do the same. The right book can motivate you to never give up and stay positive, regardless of whether it’s a romance novel or a self-help book.

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[Shifa Safadi · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet lyrical story on the journey of a refugee!
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 Iranian, as the writing in the notebook the girl holds and 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 on the same spot, always on the move.

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 always where she is happy! The story boat that 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. 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!

[Storytime With Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I never pass up the opportunity to pluck a Kyo Maclear story off the shelves. Her work is so beautiful and always has a message that is desperate to be heard.

Story Boat by Kyo Maclear and Rashin Kheiriyeh is plain and simply gorgeous. The incredible illustrations in a striking complementary colour palette leaps off the shelves, just begging to be shared. Using a blue and orange palette and mixed media illustrations, Rashin Kheiriyeh draws the reader into the story, giving them so much to see and so much to internalize beyond what the words are saying. Children will clearly see this is a story about change, movement, and escape. It’s a story to help children understand what it’s like to be a refugee. When some of their classmates could be new to Canada, Story Boat is an impeccable way to help children understand what it’s like to have to move from place to place, where here is not a place but an object or a feeling until there is permanence.

Kyo Maclear, in her gentle and kind way, has given Rashin Kheiriyeh the most incredible words to help create this lovely story. By comparing the idea of “here” to an object, for a child experiencing displacement, here is never the same place but the objects and stories they bring on their journey will always be “here” and provide the comfort of home

[I _teach_muggles · Rating 5 out of 5]

When you have had to leave everything behind, where do you call home? Sometimes there is no such place as home, home is a simple as wherever you are. And right now the two young children in the Story Boat are right here.

Story Boat is a beautiful picture book that tells the story of the migrant journey from a child’s perspective. Along the way the children enjoy doing the things that all children do, they write, they draw, they play, they sing songs. And after each long day of travelling and wherever they are the children declare themselves, “Here.” The few objects they have brought with them serve to comfort the children and also spark their imagination as the cup, blanket, lamp and flower turn into a home, a sail, a lighthouse and a ladder. On a journey full of uncertainty it is the hope and dreams that carry these refugees forward in search of a place to call home and to finally say, “Here.”

A lyrical poem is written around each object which captures the thoughts and feelings of the children and the book is illustrated using shades of orange and blue that create striking and vivid images.

An imaginative and sensitive story that gently introduces young readers to the refugee crisis.

Recommended for 4+.

[Mathew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dedicated by the illustrator, Rashin Kheiriyeh, to the innocent Syrian refugee children who have experienced war, Story Boat is a picturebook that explores how new homes are created 'out of dreams and stories' and are less about the roof above our head.

The story follows a several families throughout their journey from left to right across the picture plane and through the book as they traverse through familiar yet fantastical landscapes on teacups and songs. The children's imaginations are what fuel these visions as they imagine and reimagine what home will look like; treasuring the culture and stories that they carry with them and celebrate.

Although I love Maclear's limited wording, there is something fascinating about Kheiriyeh's blue-wash of a background and limited palette of orange, black, brown and white. This makes the landscape feel familiar and different at the same time: an echo of the very thing the children and their families must feel on this journey.

When they safely arrive at their new home, you are left with the feeling that no matter where they are, home is whether their stories, songs and memories are. A beautiful message and something for us to reflect upon and invite too.

[Rumaisa Bilal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Have you ever heard refugee crisis? Forced to flee their homelands? crossing rough tides, uncertainty, missing, lost or dead family members?
.
If you are teacher, parent or someone working at refugee centers I'll highly recommend "The story boat" an award-winning book published by Penguin Random House Canada . This is story about young girl and her brother travelling along with others, staying in refugee camps, taking small rubber boat while thinking each moment as beautiful and part of their imaginary story.
This book can help traumatized children see their trauma from another angle by considering each event as a part of a beautiful imaginary boat. A very brief picture story book that has only a few words and more focus is on pictures that are illustrated using only a few colors. Simple and repetitive wording made this book suitable for ages 3+ in my opinion. It can help children practice their language skills.
.
As a teacher, I'll recommend you to include this book in your lessons for your students to create soft welcoming corners for refugees.
In this book you will see babies, disables, women, elderly sad, and crying while trying to flee. It also contains 2-page scenes of refugees playing musical instruments for those who are uncomfortable with that.

[Wayne McCoy · Rating 4 out of 5]

'Story Boat' by Kyo Maclear with illustrations by Rashin Kheiriyeh is a picture book about young refugees finding comfort and hope in the simplest of objects.

A family forced to flee to a new home includes a young girl and her little brother. They must learn to make a home as they travel. A simple object like a cup can be a boat in the imagination. A blanket becomes a sail. And hope is ever on the horizon.

This picture book is about a sad situation, but I liked the viewpoint of hope that it took. The children have imaginations that help them cope.

The illustrations are also very lovely.

I received a review copy of this ebook issue from Tundra Books, Penguin Random House Canada, and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this ebook.

[Adriana Carlos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Story Boat, 2021
OIB Award
Genre: Picture Book, Migration

This is a picture book about refugees. The illustrations show people of all ages traveling with their luggage. It shows the times they are able to sip warm soup. My favorite part of the book is “Every night when the world feels not quite cozy. And everyone seems weary from hoping and hurrying. We snuggle and dream under this blanket”. This book talks about not being able to stay in one place, it's just for a moment. The items that they have are a cup, blanket, and light. These items end up being part of their imagination and journey. In a class, I could use this book to discuss the theme of migration, storytelling, and strength. I hope that if I read this in a class it sparks compassion. I hope that students will be able to have another perspective about migration.

[Jen KD · Rating 5 out of 5]

Story Boat is a touching picture book about a child’s view of the refugee experience. We can all use a reminder that when you’ve got next to nothing, you can still find hope in the little things. The author takes us on a child’s journey to imaginary places using only what is around: a teacup, blanket, flower, lamp, and thankfully a sweet story. The book focuses on the word “Here” and what that concept means when here can be anywhere when you’re on the move or displaced. The illustrations are beautiful and the language is simple and gentle. The content is relevant to school aged children who have experienced being a refugee and to raise awareness and compassion among others.

**Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy in exchange for an honest review.**

[Tracey · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a picture book about refugees leaving their home to try and find another through the eyes of a child. It sounds like it shouldn't work but it does. The art carries this whole book though. The words are great and have weight to them. They feel more for the adult reading to a child than for the child listening to the story. The artist seems to pour themselves into the story and try their best to depict how a child would deal with such a reality.

For families that have experienced migration and are looking for a way for their child to understand what is happening, this is an excellent read. For anyone else, it's still a good picture book so read. I'd say it's more for the visual aspect.