Journey

Journey by Aaron Becker

Published: 2013

Journey is a wordless picture book that follows a girl into a world of imagination. The book begins when she draws a magic door in her bedroom with a red marker, which she walks through and begins her journey. She creates a boat, hot air balloon, and flying carpet that brings her through castles, rivers, and she even encounters trouble when she is captured by an emperor. Using her magic and imagination, she is able to create an escape plan that brings her back home safely. 

Analysis:  Journey is an elaborate wordless book that follows a little girl through a magical adventure. When looking at the Peritextual Features, both the inside and back cover foreshadow the different places the girl will travel on her journey. There are boats, cars, hot air balloons, and trains. In reference to the peritextual features, the front and back covers are a muted shade of red. This foreshadows the marker with which she will draw to create her journey. They also include small images of the modes of transportation the girl utilizes to travel on her journey. Aaron Becker also includes multi-dimensional layers within the illustrations. The lines and color scheme are monochromatic and muted except for the drawn red creations. As the girl travels, there are complex details within the background. For example, when the book begins, there are layers of city images and scapes surrounding the girl, which is mimicked in the window of her bedroom as the book progresses. After she enters the magical world, the background consists of greenery, woods, streams, and danging lights. This sets the scene that the girl is no longer in the city, and where she is now is drastically different than the world she is used to. This concept continues throughout the book as she travels to a castle, into the sky, and into land, unlike anything she has ever experienced. While the girl's journey is unfolding, the background is filled with details that give the reader insight to where the girl is. For example, hidden within the castle are guards, as well as closed gates and royal characters. This sets the scene that the girl will need to escape out of the castle by drawing a hot air balloon. The architecture that Becker illustrates also provides details and foreshadows the images coming in the future. Each image is intentional and has a purpose that the reader will soon unfold. For example, when the girl finds an imperial ship in the sky, the architecture of the buildings, as well as the clothing on the soldiers, foreshadows where the girl will be next, an Asian Empire. 
As you can see above, and to the right, the color red is the most prominent detail of color on each page. The other colors are muted intentionally so that the author can draw the reader's eye to the focal point, the piece that guides the girl's journey. The red color represents the purpose of the story, that the girl is escaping reality the deeper she goes into this imaginary world. At the end of the book, the girl sees another door, this time it is purple. After entering through the door, she finds a boy with a marker that mimics her red marker. Together, the author foreshadows that they will use both of their magic markers to embark on another journey together.