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    Journey to Jo'burg
    Journey to Jo'burg
    Journey to Jo'burg
    Audiobook1 hour

    Journey to Jo'burg

    Written by Beverley Naidoo

    Narrated by C. M. Smith

    3.5/5

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    About this audiobook

    “Has no equal. Evocative and haunting.” (School Library Journal starred review)

    The bestselling classic set in South Africa during the apartheid era, in which two siblings must face the dangers of their divided country.

    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.

    A classic look at prejudice and racism in apartheid South Africa, this short and compelling novel is perfect for independent reading projects and classroom sharing.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperCollins
    Release dateDec 30, 2019
    ISBN9780062966216
    Author

    Beverley Naidoo

    Beverley Naidoo joined the resistance to apartheid as a student in South Africa, leading to detention without trial and exile in England. She is the author of the widely popular Journey to Jo’burg, the Carnegie Medal winner The Other Side of Truth, its sequel, Web of Lies, and the award-winning books Out of Bounds, No Turning Back, and Burn My Heart. Visit her online at www.beverleynaidoo.com.

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    Reviews for Journey to Jo'burg

    3.5/5

    70 ratings7 reviews

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    • 4/5
      When their baby sister falls seriously ill, two young South African siblings set out from home to make the 200+ mile journey to Johannesburg to find their mother, who works as a housekeeper for a rich, white family.This middle grade book has some issues, I think. It seems clear that the point of the novel is to point up some of the major problems with apartheid, but at the same time it seems to downplay those problems too much. The dangers and massive injustices inherent in that system are mentioned and then, weirdly, glossed over quickly, and the ending is a little too pat and trite. It's possible I'm overreading these elements, because I was aware going into it that the book was written by a white woman from South Africa. Naidoo has a history of standing up for equal rights and speaking out against apartheid, and that's wonderful, of course, but I still don't know how I feel about white people writing stories for PoC. Maybe, at the time, it was an important step toward handing that authority over? So maybe it was a good first step in children's, but I do know for certain that there are now, happily, more and better versions of this kind of story out there by #ownvoices authors.
    • 3/5
      this was a quick read
    • 3/5
      I liked this book because of its plot, and that it pushes readers to broaden their perspectives. The book tells the story of siblings Naledi and Tiro and how they make their way to Johannesburg from their village. When they first realized that their baby sister was ill, Naledi and Tiro went against their grandmother’s rules and decided to travel to Johannesburg by foot, to inform their Mma of their younger sister’s illness. Since they live in a village far away from the city, the siblings are unaware of what is happening during this time of the Apartheid. As they find their mother, who works as a servant for a white family, they begin to understand what is really happening in their country. Black people are not being given the same rights as white people. For example, Black children only go to school to learn how to become servants, instead of learning about math or history. Eventually the children and their Mma are reunited and are able to get their baby sister to the hospital. The trip left Naledi with many thoughts as to what she can do to change the outcome of her life, and her people. For instance, she thought that she had every right to become a doctor and help cure sick people. I feel that this book can push readers to think about tough issues because the Apartheid was a very scary time in South Africa, and life was extremely hard for Black people. Even though the story does not talk about the detailed events of the Apartheid, such as murders and wars, readers can still think about what was happening during this time period, and may want to learn more about it. I feel that the main idea of this story is to remind readers how important family is. Naledi and Tiro took many risks just to be able to save their baby sister. For example, the children could have easily been taken by police, since they were not supposed to be traveling alone and in certain parts of the city. I think this story can help readers understand the perspectives of Black people living during the Apartheid and what they had to go through just to help feed and care for their family members.
    • 4/5
      Naledi and Tiro know the only one who can save their sick baby sister is their mother, and she is off working in far away Johannesburg. So the two head off to find their mother. On the way they face many trials and make new friends. A 1001 CBYMRBYGU.
    • 5/5
      A children's book about Apartheit.Originally written in 1985, this book was not historical fiction but a description of life as it was in South Africa at the time. The author wanted to teach young children about the unacceptable policy of Apartheit that separated Africans from Caucasians purely by colour.The wealth was all in the hands of the 'Whites', while the labour was done by the 'Blacks' who worked long hours for little pay and lived under apalling conditions.Naledi and her brother Tiro are just 13 and 9 when their baby sister Dineo falls seriously sick with fever and malnutrition. Their mother is working hundreds of miles away in Johannesbug but this does not deter these brave young children from deciding to make the journey to bring their mother back to save Dineo.On the way they experience many of the realities of Apartheit that they had been shielded from in their small isolated village - the segregation by colour, the Pass Card that must be carried at all times and the poverty in the face of so much wealth. This is where the strength of this book lies; as a learning tool for today's children.Probably best suited for 9 to 10 yr olds it provides plenty of opportunity for learning about this era in history and perhaps ensuring that such inhumanities are not repeated.
    • 5/5
      This short chapter was a pretty easy read and would be a great beginning chapter book for readers. Two children set out on their own to travel to Jo'Burg, where their mother works, to bring her home to their sick younger sister. They get into some adventures on the way and eventually return to their village. The characters were easy to relate to and the bond they shared was that of all siblings. The book had great references for some of the language translations and maps of the area discussed in the story. There were some black and white illustrations that captured certain major scenes of the story.
    • 5/5
      This one is an incomplete book! It's one of my daughter's school books, written and set in the mid-1980s, when apartheid still infected the country of South Africa. It concerns the story of two children, who run away from their village to the city of Johannesburg in order to find their mother. It's a quick travelogue of some of the abuses black people were suffering at that time. Why I call it incomplete is that the ending is less than happy. There's no freedom won for the family or the nation, only the hope that the children might join in the fight against the unjust system and that one day that dream may be realized. Well, now it's 20 years later and we know that things are better. I would love to read a sequel to see what happened to the family. Anyway, while this book is dated, the evil of discrimination is not. This journey is still worth checking out.--J.