Voyage
Displaced by war and conflict, a refugee family sets out on a voyage into the unknown. Told in only a few words (one word per page) this is the powerful story of a family fleeing their war-torn country and making a dangerous trip across the ocean to a new life in a new land. ‘Chaos’ begins the story, as the family escapes. ‘Wild’ is the midway point, as the small boat battles through a storm. ‘Companion’ marks the sighting of a whale that briefly keeps them company as their voyage continues. ‘Beauty’ is the sight of a green, beautiful land ahead of them. ‘Safe’ is the beginning of their new life in their new home. Simple, yet evocative, The Voyage gives new meaning to the phrase "a picture is worth a thousand words," as Robert Vescio’s sparse text and Andrea Edmond’s beautiful illustrations encourage young readers to create their own background story and thus identify more deeply with the plight of refugees and those less fortunate.
Robert Vescio loves to read and is a self-confessed hoarder of books, especially children’s books. Robert enjoys writing stories and sharing his passion with children of all ages. Robert has worked in the publishing industry for more than 12 years as a Production Manager and a Photo Editor, working on a number of photographic magazines. He enjoyed sourcing photographic material from world-renowned photographers the ilkes of Mario Testino, Annie Leibovitz, Patrick Demarchelier and Jean-Baptiste Mondino. Two of his picture books, Finn and Puss and Eric Finds A Way were shortlisted in the 2018 CBCA Bilby Awards. Many of his short stories have been published in anthologies such as Packed Lunch, Short and Twisted, Charms Vol 1, The Toy Chest and The School Magazine NSW. He has won awards for his children’s writing including First Place in the 2012 Marshall Allan Hill Children’s Writing Competition and Highly Commended in the 2011 Marshall Allan Hill Children’s Writing Competition. Robert is a Books in Homes Role Model and enjoys visiting schools. His aim is to enthuse and inspire children to read and write and leave them bursting with imaginative ideas. .Robert is a BIG kid at heart! He is a huge fan of Disney and loves animation. He lives in Sydney and enjoys spending time with his children, who are an endless source of inspiration.
Andrea Edmonds is an artist and illustrator who has worked on children’s books, greeting cards, stationery, commissioned artworks and animation. She loves developing story and character ideas fueled by a stash of dark chocolate and countless cups of tea.