The kindle version was choppy and didn't make sense. Beautiful illustrations but were cut up on different pages and the story felt choppy as well. I hope they figured out these format problems.

Lovely story, beautiful illustrations! A young girl, her little brother, their cat, and their parents have fled their country, the only home they've known. On their journey, they find comfort in small, familiar objects- a cup, a blanket, a flower, a lamp- and in stories that give them hope. They learn sometimes home is here, the place you are right now, and that this can help them carry on. This story is a good way to introduce the idea of refugees to children, and to remind adults that refugees have the same wants and desires as they do- to have a home.

#StoryBoat #NetGalley

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 is a beautiful story about hope and survival.

This is a sweet, lyrical book about how stories and words can take us anywhere, and go with us anywhere. The pictures tell even more of the story as we see a brother and sister who are traveling somewhere new, finding hope in stories. Timely and lovely.

Story Boat invites children to imagine possibilities beyond their current situation and reminds adults of the upheaval and displacement refugees face. The reality for many people is that home is wherever "here" is at the moment, but through it all, there is hope for a brighter future. Kyo Maclear's soothing words are beautifully complimented by Rashin Kheiriyeh's calming images featuring a young brother and sister, and their cat.

This is a lovely book illustrating the refugee experience through the eyes of a child and how home sometimes is simply where you are at a given time. A well done and approachable story that will help get the discussion started with a young audience about refugees. Including beautiful illustrations, Story Boat is a great addition to a school or home library.

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 am very sorry to say that I couldn't get this book to format correctly on my e-reader. I will have a look for it when it is published, because I was disappointed not to be able to read it.

Well this is really annoying. I was granted access to this book and went to download it the next morning and it was archived--so that does make it impossible to review. Not sure what glitch was going on there but I'm sure I would have loved it because I love Kyo Maclear but can't read, rate or review a book I can't read!

The illustrations are sweet and soft. The text waivers between a sad subject and imaginative characters. It is a contradiction. The theme of home was throughout and it made the story have a little wider reach.

'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.

I love this book! The focus of the story is more on the hope and the numerous possibilities for refugees. The characters show how their journey is part of their story and they continue to write, not knowing what will be the ending. I would thoroughly recommend this book to children and teachers alike especially focusing on global citizenship theme and world issues.

As a brother and sister travel, they tell each other stories to ease their journey. Beautiful language and illustrations. You could read this over and over with your children as you try to better understand the life of a refugee child.

This book is the definition of relevant. It is the story of people migrating even though that word is never used. The story is told by the children in the procession of people. As your reading their words you look at the illustrations which tell a different story. The children are talking about dreaming, drawing, and adding words to their story. The illustrations show refugee camps, worried faces, and a journey in a lifeboat. The illustrations bring this book to life. This easy accessible immigrate story is perfect for children ages 6 and up.

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.

I just noticed that we have ordered copies for this book already. I highly recommend it as a starting point to introduce kids to the idea of displacement.

The concept of this book was great. The concept that "here" can be anywhere led to deeper thoughts for my own kids of where various people are within the world. We also had discussions of "here" being a place that you might be mentally, aside from the physical place you are. One quote within the book, "the strength of a flower and the openness of a story" was thoughtful a an adult, though my kids didn't understand it. The formatting when this book was downloaded was very choppy in that the pictures were cut off and not on the pages that they seemingly belong. I look forward to reading a physical copy of this book to see the colors and pictures, along with the words. I thought this was a touching book.

Story Boat is written by Kyo Maclear and based on young refugee children that are forced to leave their home. The premise of the story could apply to homeless children, orphans, or children that move around a lot. Story Boat is targeted for young children; however, for a child to fully understand the story, a parent or educator would need to explain about children living in these types of environments.
In Story Boat, a brother and sister are traveling with their mother to find a safe place to live. While on their journey, the sister and brother occupy their time by playing games out of simple items: a teacup becomes a boat, a blanket turns into a sail, a flashlight turns into a lighthouse, and a flower becomes a ladder. Story Boat is an excellent reminder to our children about those less fortunate than ourselves and how simple items around the house can create a magical adventure.

Story Boat is a lovely and sweet story about community and togetherness but the illustrations are really the star of this show! They are soft and dreamlike and complement the lyrical quality of the text well.

This is such a beautiful poetic book told from the perspective of the children. As you look deeper into the illustrations, it shows this is a book about immigration. Some of the adults look anguished or crying. This is a great book to use for discussion.