Robert Vescio has worked as a photo editor and production manager in the publishing industry and is now a full-time children’s author. As a Books in Homes role model, his aim is to enthuse and inspire children to read and write and leave them bursting with imaginative ideas. His other picture books with EK Books are Finn and Puss (2017; illustrated by Melissa Mackie) and The Box Cars (to be released in early 2019; illustrated by Cara King).
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. Her previous picture book with EK Books is Visiting You (2017; written by Rebecka Sharpe Shelberg).
Illustrator Andrea Edmonds on how she created the pictures for The Voyage –
“a powerful story of a family fleeing their war-torn country and making a dangerous trip across the ocean. Today, Andrea’s on the blog to tell us all about how she went about creating the beautiful illustrations for The Voyage.”
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.
Robert Vescio 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. Robert enjoyed sourcing photographic material from world-renowned photographers the ilks of Mario Testino, Annie Leibovitz, Patrick Demarchelier and Jean-Baptiste Mondino just to name a few.
AUTHOR ROBERT VESCIO TALKS TO 5AA’s Brad Alridge about The Voyage
“I don’t think I have ever looked at book with so few words that has said so much. It is really cleverly done. Tells the human side of what it is like to be a refugee”
Share Your Story
Robert Vescio in conversation with Michelle Worthington at Share Your Story. Find out more about Robert’s personal journey as an author and his motivation for writing his touching picture book The Voyage. Click here to read in full
“The Voyage is heartbreaking and hopeful. It is so simple in text but so deep in meaning and story. The illustrations are absolutely, divinely exquisite. I got goosebumps reading it and couldn’t help but ‘Oh’ softly and hug the book to myself at the end.
It is THE perfect book to introduce the concept of refugees to very young children (I’m talking from toddlers onwards), as it is gentle in its approach and a child’s understanding of the book will grow as they do… a stunning addition to the amazing selection of books the Australian market has to offer. It is truly a gem”. – Rebecka Sharpe Shelberg (Author of Visiting You)
What’s Up Downunder
“It is a very special book that explains a very specific problem and it does it really well.”
Mums At The Table
“An unbelievably simple book (there’s only one word per double-page spread) filled with an enormous amount of feeling. You’d want to read this book to your children to teach them about and help them empathise with refugees. The illustrations add to the power and charm of the story.”
South Sydney Herald
“The Voyage (for readers 3–8) is the gentler and more positive story – but it would be wrong to suggest it soft-soaps the family’s journey or its hazards. Writer Robert Vescio and illustrator Andrea Edmonds depict the chaos as the family escapes and their joy in finding safety in a new home.” Click here to read
Melissa Gijsbers Blog
“My nephew loved this book (The Voyage) and got us to read it to him over and over again. He would ask questions about the pictures, have fun finding the duck in each picture,”. Click here to read
Kids’ Books We Love
“Wow! Simple but powerful. A kaleidoscope of colour!” Click here to read
ABC Adelaide (Statewide Evenings with Peter Goers)
“There is lots of details, with so much for children to look at. It is a beautiful book for Christmas”
2ST Nowra – Breakfast with Dave Stretton
“Designed to make you think.” Click here to listen
Raise Them Righteous
“I think this book will work well for very young readers, because it doesn’t rely on words to explore an emotional experience, instead encouraging visual literacy and discussion” Click here to view
NZ Booklovers
“illustrations are breathtaking – they are colourful, with rich patterns, and instantly endear us to their characters.” Click here to view
Books for Kids
“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.” Click here to view
Read for Fun
“the perfect book to start the conversation about why some families move half way across the World looking for a new home. ” Click here to read in full
School Days Magazine
“A beautifully illustrated, nostalgic story … it would make a good present.”
The Story Room
“I have really enjoyed this book because I have learnt a few new words like chaos, voyage and companion. I loved the pictures and illustration as they were very bright, colourful and sometimes even funny. My favourite character was the duck because it was funny but also brave because it was staying with humans and fleeing its home”- Charlotte – Year 3 (UK) Click here to read more
Miss Jenny’s Classroom
“The words allow for a high-level of individual interpretation. The illustrations are rich and vivid.” Click here to read in full.
Blue Wolf Reviews
“The Voyage reaches out with compassion and understanding, offering a beautiful way to help educate people, regardless of their age, to the plight of these people from many different lands, as they try to make a new life for their families in a land that is very different to the land they left behind.” Click here to read in full
Kids’ Book Review
“powerful, inspiring, hopeful and impactful.” Click here to read in full
The Bottom Shelf Edu Blog
“Just fourteen words … that are more powerful than if there were 10 or 100 times that many. Look for this one in the 2020 awards lists.” Click here to read in full
Pinerolo
“A few powerful words and dramatic illustrations tell the story of a family of refugees who find a new life. Recommended reading. ”
Imagination Soup – Featured
“Ultimately, the importance of this book is that this story shows the big concepts involved with escaping a country at war and immigrating to a new country.” Click here to read more
Reading Time (The Children’s Book Council of Australia)
“The valuable feature of this book is that children, who are too young to understand the hardships of a refugee can learn about the concept of a family leaving a happy home and making a new one.” Click here to read in full
Buzz Words
“The story is told in only 14 words, but each word is perfect, poignant and powerful.” Click here to read in full
Claire Storey Languages Review and Interview
““Each page displays just one word, allowing the reader to expand and discuss the images they are being presented with. The illustrations are beautiful. Both author and illustrator are based in Australia yet for me here in the UK, the story has strong similarities to the migrant situation around the Mediterranean albeit with a more idealistic ending.” Click here to read more
What Book Next?
“This would be a great conversation starter for young readers to pore over the pages and understand what the family is going through at each stage of the journey. What do the faces show? What do you think might happen to the family next? These questions invoke empathy and compassion for people who we don’t know, but are mirrored in real life every day, around the world.” Click here to read in full
Kids Books We Love
“WOW, simple but powerful, kaleidoscope of colour, few words but yet those illustrations tell such a story. Everyone has a right to feel safe, especially Children. INCREDIBLE BOOK, a BOOK that should be in every Australian library and school..” Click here to read in full.