Title: The Wanderer
Author & Illustrator: Peter Van Den Ende
Published: November 2020
Publisher: Murdoch Books
Readership: Children’s Picturebook
Genre: Fiction
Rating: ★★★★
RRP: $29.99
I received a copy of The Wanderer from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
The stunning wordless story of a brave little boat’s voyage.
A little boat sets out to sea and begins its voyage toward home. To get there it must travel across many strange, beautiful oceanscapes, full of fantastic creatures and deadly monsters, swept by terrifying storms and sailed by mysterious ships. Can the Wanderer pick a path through all these perils to a safe harbour?
This beautifully illustrated, wordless picture book is a gateway into a captivating marine fantasy world.
Do you every see the cover of a book and just know you’re going to be swept up on an adventure?
That was my entire experience with The Wanderer.
I requested a review copy based on the cover and title alone and was thrilled to find it was a wordless picture book. I’m a huge fan of wordless picture books because you have to slow down and take your time with each page, and this book is no exception.
It is the story of a solitary paper boat that begins a journey across the sea (and around the world) without the assistance of anyone else. Along the way it experiences the many joys of the ocean and the world that lies beneath the surface, as well as the perils of traveling alone and being at the mercy of the elements.
Illustrated in black and white, each page is full of incredibly detailed drawings that depict everything the little boat sees. From the sea, to animals, islands and caves, jungles and monsters, the detail is incredibly. It is at times a joyous adventure and at others fraught with danger – and at all times, whimsical.
It is a must have for anyone who loves to collect beautifully illustrated picture books.
Noveltea Corner 