Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.
Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.
Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.
OK
Audible sample Sample
Journey to Jo'burg: A South African Story Paperback – December 24, 2002
The bestselling classic set in South Africa during the apartheid era, in which two siblings must face the dangers of their divided country. This middle grade novel is an excellent choice for tween readers in grades 7 to 8, especially during homeschooling. It’s a fun way to keep your child entertained and engaged while not in the classroom.
Mma lives and works in Johannesburg, far from the village thirteen-year-old Naledi and her younger brother, Tiro, call home. When their baby sister suddenly becomes very sick, Naledi and Tiro know that they need to bring their mother back in order to save their sister’s life. Bravely, secretly, they set off on the long journey to the big city to find Mma.
It isn’t until they finally reach Jo’burg that they see up close what life is like for black citizens across South Africa—and begin to really question the unfair and dangerous laws of apartheid.
- Reading age8 - 12 years
- Print length96 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- Grade level5 - 7
- Lexile measure760L
- Dimensions5.25 x 0.25 x 7.75 inches
- PublisherHarperCollins
- Publication dateDecember 24, 2002
- ISBN-100064402371
- ISBN-13978-0064402378
The Amazon Book Review
Book recommendations, author interviews, editors' picks, and more. Read it now.
Similar items that may ship from close to you
Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Review
“A provocative, eloquent story about the human spirit.” (Publishers Weekly)
From the Back Cover
If only Mma was here, Naledi wished over and over. . .
Mma lives and works in Johannesburg, far from the village thirteen-year-old Naledi and her younger brother, Tiro, call home. When their baby sister suddenly becomes very sick, Naledi and Tiro know, deep down, that only one person can save her. Bravely, alone, they set off on a journey to find Mma and bring her back. It isn't until they reach the city that they come to understand the dangers of their country, and the painful struggle for freedom and dignity that is taking place all around them.
About the Author
Beverley Naidoo grew up in South Africa under apartheid. She says: "As a white child I didn't question the terrible injustices until I was a student. I decided then that unless I joined the resistance, I was part of the problem." Beverley Naidoo was detained without trial when she was twenty-one and later went into exile in Britain, where she has since lived.
Her first children's book, Journey to Jo'burg, was banned in South Africa until 1991, but it was an eye-opener for thousands of readers worldwide. Her characters in Chain of Fire, No Turning Back, and Out of Bounds face extraordinary challenges in a society she describes as "more dangerous than any fantasy." She has won many awards for her writing, including the Carnegie Medal, the Jane Addams Book Award, and the American Library Association Best Book for Young Adults for The Other Side of Truth, about two refugee children smuggled to London who are also featured in Web of Lies.
Eric Velasquez has illustrated numerous children’s books, including Strong Voices: Fifteen American Speeches Worth Knowing and Schomburg: The Man Who Built a Library by Carole Boston Weatherford. He won the Pura Belpré Award for his illustrations in Grandma’s Gift. He won the John Steptoe New Talent Award for his illustrations in The Piano Man, written by Debbi Chocolate. Visit his website at www.ericvelasquez.com.
Product details
- Publisher : HarperCollins; Reprint edition (December 24, 2002)
- Language : English
- Paperback : 96 pages
- ISBN-10 : 0064402371
- ISBN-13 : 978-0064402378
- Reading age : 8 - 12 years
- Lexile measure : 760L
- Grade level : 5 - 7
- Item Weight : 2.4 ounces
- Dimensions : 5.25 x 0.25 x 7.75 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #468,986 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #208 in Children's Africa Books
- #516 in Children's Books on Prejudice & Racism
- #1,544 in Children's Parents Books
- Customer Reviews:
About the author
Discover more of the author’s books, see similar authors, read author blogs and more
Customer reviews
Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Learn more how customers reviews work on Amazon-
Top reviews
Top reviews from the United States
There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.
I was introduced to this book through the International Children's Literature course I'm taking this semester. It's a wonderful class providing me with many opportunities to read books published in other countries in order to learn more about the people who live in those countries which is something all us self-centered Americans need to do. For American children, this may be one of the only books out there describing what life is like for non-whites in a country outside the United States.
I really liked this story, it was published in 1986 and in the wake of Nelson Mandela's death last year it can definitely be classified now under historical fiction as most realistic fiction being published today contains too many graphic details while this book is refreshingly innocent and full of hope in a country divided by apartheid. The characters are real and they deal with their problems in a realistic way. Their dialogue is also sprinkled with words from their own native language so the reader can better understand this culture.
The 3rd person narrative allows the reader to share the exciting journey about a thirteen year old big sister and her little brother. They decide to travel to the city of Johannesburg, South Africa in search of their mother who works for a rich white family because their baby sister is deathly ill. The village hospital could provide the proper care and treatment but their family is very poor and "Mma" (mother in the Tswana language) is the family's only source of income since their father died in a mine accident. The children are incredibly lucky as they are helped by strangers along the way and by the end of the story; both have realized they live in a white supremacy world where the tide is beginning to turn regarding the injustices against their people.
The book is short, only 75 pages, but you'll wish it was longer. Because of its length I would recommend giving this book to a reluctant reader interested in what life is like for children in other countries. This is a well written story appropriate for all upper-grade readers and adults. The black and white illustrations are a nice supplement and the map at the front and glossary in the back explaining the foreign words spoken by the characters make this book an excellent example of international children's literature.
In reading this book, I really got involved with the story. I really did not know what I was getting into but I am glad I did decide to read it .. not only to help my daughter but I got something out of it as well. I hate reading about racial segregation and the mistreating of others because color/race should never matter. I would recommend this book to anyone. It is really great to read!
Top reviews from other countries
What I didn't like was that it was too short. 75 pages isn't the best for a great book... and some of the african languages kind of confused me. They didn't really explain what the words meant.
Besides that, is was a great book.