ALA Booklist (Mon Jun 05 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

Stunning illustrations stand out in this gentle chronicle of immigration. A child's journey from the Caribbean to England on the Empire Windrush is told through short verses by poet Agard. The story follows the titular "Windrush child" and their parents as they travel on the ship over vast blue waters with many other people before arriving in England for a new life. Without any prior background information, some young readers may find it challenging to discern what is happening from the minimal lyrical text. After the story ends, the author presents information explaining the Windrush generation, providing much-needed context through brief historical details. Bass creates a vivid backdrop of vibrant gouache and pen illustrations. Through her bright colors and distinctly stylized shapes and figures, Bass enhances the simple stanzas and helps tell the story, including through multiple wordless pages. A visually dazzling picture book that improves with each reading.

Horn Book (Fri Jan 13 00:00:00 CST 2023)

Beginning in 1948, thousands of people traveled from the Caribbean to England aboard a ship named the Empire Windrush. For some, the visit was temporary during England's postwar reconstruction; for others, relocation was permanent. This book, dedicated to "one of the youngest passengers to have made that Windrush journey," centers on a child and his parents who leave their extended family and lush island home, bound for England. Concise rhyming text foregrounds prepositions: "Behind you / Windrush child / palm trees wave goodbye / above you / Windrush child / seabirds asking why." Once aboard the ship, the child thinks of all the things that symbolize home and family, such as "mango mornings," "storytime verandas," and reminders from Grandmother to write. After a long voyage, the child and his parents land in England, "stepping into history / bringing your Caribbean eye / to another horizon." Gouache and pen illustrations make an immediate impact with their use of vivid colors; plants, skies, and seascapes are often rendered in surprising shades (e.g., a coral sky, orange palm trees). Illustrations frequently contrast the two locations while making use of visual metaphors for migration and movement: birds, flying fish, falling stars, kites, snow. This gentle tale of migration affirms the possibility of starting anew while maintaining bonds with home and family abroad. An author's note contextualizes this episode in Caribbean history. Julie Hakim Azzam

Kirkus Reviews

A small child and their family leave their Caribbean home for a new life in England.Symbols of island life such as palm trees and seabirds swirl around to bid farewell and even question why the child and their family are going. The child remembers a promise to their grandmother to write as well as her comforting goodbye hug. Once the family arrives, the child's letter to her shares their shipboard experience and how they are coping in their new home. After the protagonist recovers from so much time at sea, their descriptions are full of optimism as they acclimate to a new-and vastly different-land. Award-winning poet Agard depicts just one example of the journeys taken by the Windrush Generation, those who traveled by ship from Caribbean countries to Great Britain between 1948 and 1971 (the first of those voyages was on the ship Empire Windrush). By centering the lyrical narrative on a young child, he aptly demonstrates both the difficulties and possibilities that immigrant families encounter-one that speaks both to the Windrush story and to the immigration experience in general. Bass' vibrant gouache-and-pen illustrations enhance the text and add to the storytelling in unique ways, making it clear that the new residents bring a valuable perspective to their new homes. (This book was reviewed digitally.)A poetic and colorful celebration of a specific yet universal story. (author's note) (Picture book. 4-8)

School Library Journal (Tue Aug 01 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

Gr 2–4— Poetic language with vibrant illustrations tells the story of the Windrush Generation. Back matter adds further detail to the immigration story that began in 1948 when the Empire Windrush sailed from the Caribbean to Great Britain, bringing the first of thousands of immigrants who arrived between 1948 and 1971. The journey is seen through the story of one boy and his parents who make their new home in Britain while never forgetting the island and people they left behind. The story is of a specific group of people, but the universality of the immigrant experience is easily recognizable in the journey and acclimation to a new place. Illustrations in pen and gouache capture the vibrant scenes of the Caribbean, the journey, and the arrival in England, as well as the emotions of the characters young and old. VERDICT Children in the United States might not have any knowledge of the Windrush Generation and its enduring impact on British culture, but for many, the experience of leaving home and starting over in a new place will be very familiar. A recommended purchase.— John Scott