When you have to leave behind almost everything you know, where can you call home? Sometimes home is simply where we are: here. An imaginative, lyrical, unforgettable picture book about the migrant 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.
This timely, sensitively told story, written by multiple award--winner Kyo Maclear and illustrated by Sendak Fellowship recipient Rashin Kheiriyeh, introduces very young readers in a gentle, non-frightening and ultimately hopeful way to the current refugee crisis.
WINNER
| 2021 Vancouver Children's Literature Roundtable - Sheila Barry Best Canadian Picturebook of the Year Award
NOMINEE
| 2021 USBBY-CBC Outstanding International Trade Book
HONOR
| 2021 USBBY-CBC Outstanding International Trade Book
SHORTLIST
| 2021 Kirkus Reviews Best Children's Books
RECOMMENDED
| 2020 Kirkus Reviews Best Children's Books
One of NPR’s 100 Favorite Books For Young Readers One of CCBC’s Best Books for Kids and Teens Fall 2020
PRAISE FOR Story Boat:
“A timely and uplifting book about and for refugees.” —STARRED REVIEW,Kirkus Reviews
"Elegantly composed and beautifully depicted, Story Boat is the perfect vehicle to spark sensitive discussions and foster compassion for newcomers.” —STARRED REVIEW, Quill & Quire “Luminous and thought-provoking, Story Boat contains deep layers of meaning that are sure to spark conversations from young readers.” —STARRED REVIEW, BookPage
"Even among many excellent recent picture books about refugees, Maclear's story stands out . . . Kheiriyeh's gorgeously playful illustrations add to the human hopeful message." —New York Times
“An utter masterpiece, Story Boat tackles a very serious issue that affects many children today . . . . [A]n immensely enjoyable read.” —CM Reviews
“The creators tell a refugee story in simple language with everyday objects, making it graspable for young readers.” —Publishers Weekly
"A timely story that will allow parents and teachers to open a discussion with young readers about the experiences of refugees."—School Library Connection
“Maclear’s poetic text and Kheiriyeh’s mixed media illustrations explore the continuing refugee crisis in this gentle picture book." —Globe and Mail
“A lyrical picture book about the migrant experience through a child's eyes, dedicated to Syrian refugee children.” —49th Shelf
KYO MACLEAR is an award-winning novelist, essayist, and children's author. Her books have been translated into eighteen languages and published in over twenty-five countries. She is the author of the hybrid memoir Birds Art Life (2017), winner of the Trillium Book Award. Kyo holds a doctorate in environmental humanities and is on faculty at the University of Guelph Creative Writing MFA. View titles by Kyo Maclear
Rashin Kheiriyeh is the author and/or illustrator of over eighty children's books around the world. Her recent book, The Shape of Home, received three starred reviews and was praised by the New York Times as "a joyful, wildly imaginative book." She received a PhD in illustration and an MFA in graphic design from Alzahra University in Tehran, and was named a Maurice Sendak Fellow in 2017. Born in Khorramshahr, Iran, Rashin now lives in Washington, DC.
View titles by Rashin Kheiriyeh
When you have to leave behind almost everything you know, where can you call home? Sometimes home is simply where we are: here. An imaginative, lyrical, unforgettable picture book about the migrant 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.
This timely, sensitively told story, written by multiple award--winner Kyo Maclear and illustrated by Sendak Fellowship recipient Rashin Kheiriyeh, introduces very young readers in a gentle, non-frightening and ultimately hopeful way to the current refugee crisis.
Awards
WINNER
| 2021 Vancouver Children's Literature Roundtable - Sheila Barry Best Canadian Picturebook of the Year Award
NOMINEE
| 2021 USBBY-CBC Outstanding International Trade Book
HONOR
| 2021 USBBY-CBC Outstanding International Trade Book
SHORTLIST
| 2021 Kirkus Reviews Best Children's Books
RECOMMENDED
| 2020 Kirkus Reviews Best Children's Books
Reviews
One of NPR’s 100 Favorite Books For Young Readers One of CCBC’s Best Books for Kids and Teens Fall 2020
PRAISE FOR Story Boat:
“A timely and uplifting book about and for refugees.” —STARRED REVIEW,Kirkus Reviews
"Elegantly composed and beautifully depicted, Story Boat is the perfect vehicle to spark sensitive discussions and foster compassion for newcomers.” —STARRED REVIEW, Quill & Quire “Luminous and thought-provoking, Story Boat contains deep layers of meaning that are sure to spark conversations from young readers.” —STARRED REVIEW, BookPage
"Even among many excellent recent picture books about refugees, Maclear's story stands out . . . Kheiriyeh's gorgeously playful illustrations add to the human hopeful message." —New York Times
“An utter masterpiece, Story Boat tackles a very serious issue that affects many children today . . . . [A]n immensely enjoyable read.” —CM Reviews
“The creators tell a refugee story in simple language with everyday objects, making it graspable for young readers.” —Publishers Weekly
"A timely story that will allow parents and teachers to open a discussion with young readers about the experiences of refugees."—School Library Connection
“Maclear’s poetic text and Kheiriyeh’s mixed media illustrations explore the continuing refugee crisis in this gentle picture book." —Globe and Mail
“A lyrical picture book about the migrant experience through a child's eyes, dedicated to Syrian refugee children.” —49th Shelf
Author
KYO MACLEAR is an award-winning novelist, essayist, and children's author. Her books have been translated into eighteen languages and published in over twenty-five countries. She is the author of the hybrid memoir Birds Art Life (2017), winner of the Trillium Book Award. Kyo holds a doctorate in environmental humanities and is on faculty at the University of Guelph Creative Writing MFA. View titles by Kyo Maclear
Rashin Kheiriyeh is the author and/or illustrator of over eighty children's books around the world. Her recent book, The Shape of Home, received three starred reviews and was praised by the New York Times as "a joyful, wildly imaginative book." She received a PhD in illustration and an MFA in graphic design from Alzahra University in Tehran, and was named a Maurice Sendak Fellow in 2017. Born in Khorramshahr, Iran, Rashin now lives in Washington, DC.
View titles by Rashin Kheiriyeh
