This illustrated book has no words at all – yet through creative and detailed artwork it reveals a poignant personal record of one person’s journey to a new land. The book is designed to look as if it has seen better times – a worn cover, pages which look aged. Through pictures, the narrative vividly expresses the sadness of leaving homeland and family behind, and the bewilderment and fear, as well as joy and kindnesses, experienced in encountering the unknown. The administrative hurdles of immigration, the strange customs of a different country, the unfamiliar factories, machines, animals – all are imaginatively portrayed in this graphic journal. There are powerful reminders throughout of the value of friends and the timeless story of those who seek a better future. Key stage 2 children will find this an engaging book but also one which links with work in history and religious education. This is definitely a book to have in any Year 6 collection.

1974年出生在澳洲的陳志勇，父親是馬來西亞的華僑，在1960年代移民到澳洲，母親則是澳洲人。陳志勇成長於澳洲西部一叫柏斯市(Perth)的北邊郊區。他在學校的時候就有畫畫高手的稱號，同學這樣稱呼他，半是彌補「他是全班個子最小」的缺憾。青少年時期，陳志勇就開始為科學小說畫插圖，也為小印量雜誌中的恐怖故事配插圖。 1995年畢業於華盛頓大學藝術系以及英國文學系，目前專職童書插畫。他的圖畫書作品獲得許多國際大獎項，代表作品有：《觀像鏡》(The Viewer)、《兔子》(The Rabbits)、《失物招領》(The Lost Thing)、《緋紅樹》(The Red Tree)以及《抵岸》(The Arrival)。2007年，獲世界奇幻獎(World Fantasy Award)年度藝術家的殊榮。最近，他跟藍天工作室(Blue Sky Studios)跟皮克斯動畫工作室(Pixar)合作，為多部電影提供平面藝術／造型藝術上的意見。