I Dream of a Journey is a fun children's book. It has a good storyline and the artwork works well too.

I received an arc of this title from NetGalley for an honest review. This was a fun picture book with great illustrations but will be enjoyed by kids a little older.

4★
“In my dreams, I set off on a journey.
With a big suitcase.”

Ah, the dream of so many people as I read this during the world’s Covid 19 pandemic when travel is the stuff of memories! This is an attractive Japanese production with an interesting mix of black and white (real life) and colour (dreams and postcards sent by travellers).

Our dreamer runs the Solitude Hotel (if I’m reading the sign correctly!), which leads me to believe it’s a quiet, peaceful place.

My Goodreads review includes an illustration with the caption: Check-in at the hotel

There are visitors from all over the world, and obviously from all walks of life (and species).

My Goodreads review includes an illustration with the caption: He and the visitors swap stories about their homes.

But he dreams of travelling the world . . . with his big suitcase, of course!

My Goodreads review includes an illustration with the caption: He plans to roam freely, wherever he wants.

Maybe all of his new friends would invite him to visit them for a change!

My Goodreads review includes an illustration with the caption: He imagines a bright, happy picnic with all of his old hotel guests.

He does consider whether or not he would get homesick, as many people do.

My Goodreads review includes an illustration with the caption: He wanders alone on a deserted, windswept beach.

Meanwhile, still at home, he pores over the letters and photos and cards from all of the people who have stayed at his hotel and become his friends. You can see the different languages and designs, and the bright colours indicate to me that they are what have put the colour and the yearning into his dreams.

My Goodreads review includes an illustration with the caption: His correspondents send him news from everywhere.

He continues to dream, but he’s starting to sound pretty serious now.

My Goodreads review includes an illustration with the caption: “I’ve never been anywhere but this little town. And yet . . .One day I might just set off on a journey.”

There are so many people at the moment who are having these same dreams, I’m sure. I’ve admired Miyakoshi’s illustrations before, in The Piano Recital (which I reviewed and also included some illustrations: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...). I particularly like that using animals helps to make this a universal story of acceptance and inclusion and friendship that knows no borders.

Thanks to NetGalley and Kids Can Press for the review copy from which I’ve copied some illustrations, all the better to show off the author’s talents.

The illustrations where simple and sweet but overall this book was kinda blasé and even a little bit sad. My 5yo did not enjoy it.

'I Dream of a Journey,' is beautiful. The artwork evokes deep emotion. t. It is really lovely. That being said, the art, when combined with the text, is sad. It hits a lot of emotional buttons for adults - how they choose to spend their lives, living vicariously through others, playing the hand you are dealt, and so on. While packaged for children I would not share this book with a child. However, I love the artwork and would definitely look for other titles by this author/ illustrator.

Wow. Even as an adult I can empathise with the hotel keeper and his quiet wonder and yearning to explore the world. This is a simple story, yet it holds such a dreamy atmosphere.

I loved how the strong contrast of colours in the illustration—where at home, in his hotel, the colours are in greyscale yet closed-off and full of routine but out in the world, it’s full of colour and the scenes are open and free. Although this book has a bit of a melancholic feel to it, it’s also full of wonder and hope. I’d recommend having an adult read this book to a child.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

'I Dream of a Journey' with story and art by Akiko Miyakoshi is a picture book about a hotel owner who travels vicariously.

The Innkeeper has guests from all over the world. They tell him stories and send him postcards, and someday he wants to go too. So badly that he dreams about it.

I'm a big fan of Akiko Miyakoshi's thoughtful picture books. They express feelings that children have, but may not be expressed in other books, and they have quiet, introspective pictures and moments. The pictures are melancholy and beautiful.

I received a review copy of this ebook from Kids Can Press in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this ebook.

I. Love. This. Book. I was taken in from the first illustration and could not read this fast enough. I devoted the book visually, and then went back through to take in the story of a hotelier who dreams of his own one day travels, but finds the beauty in his current day existence as well. There are fabulous lessons to be taken in related to persistence, ambition, mindfulness, and goal-setting. This book is going to be a go-to gift for quite some time.

This book was received as a digital ARC through NetGalley in return for a fair and honest review.

Can I have a physical copy please? Seriously though I adore this book. The atmosphere of it is quiet, dreamy and yet soft. I love the colour play in this book. So it has two part: one part is the hotel owner's reality, and the other part is the hotel owner's dream. They coloured the dream part and black and white for the real part. Which shows that the dream is something that he is really longing for and wanting it badly to become reality. It is true what the description said, it is shows a longing of something new, and it is exciting. I really like it, because sometimes kids books are full of things, it is wild and fun and colourful. Which is amazing! Don't get me wrong. But this one is different.
I would say though that this book perhaps are more suited for older kids :) As the subtleness and the gentleness of this book may not appeal as attractive for some. For me, it is wonderful, simple, quiet and calming!

Akiko Miyakoshi is a beautiful illustrator, and this story has such a graceful peace. I empathized with the hotel keeper who dreams of traveling one day to create his own adventures. I'm not sure children would really understand or enjoy this story, however - it really has more of a moral and somber mood for adults. I did enjoy the hint of hope at the end, though!

Thank you to NetGalley and Kids Can Press for the free digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I Dream of a Journey (2020)by Akiko Miyakoshi
Publication Date: March 3, 2020 - Out Now!

Description from NetGalley...
“Akiko Miyakoshi's enchanting picture book explores how an innkeeper who spends his days at the crossroads of others' journeys secretly longs to have adventures of his own.

People from all over the world come and go at the innkeeper's little hotel. He enjoys meeting them, and many even become his friends. Only, sometimes, when he goes to sleep at night, the desire to travel far away himself wells up inside him. He dreams of packing a big bag and journeying wherever he pleases, from one unfamiliar town to another. He imagines stopping to visit friends and having wonderful and unexpected experiences. The innkeeper continues to go about his daily routine at his hotel, but, someday, he is sure, he will explore the world.”

Thank you to @NetGalley @kidscanpress for the digital ARC in return for my honest review.

My thoughts...
This really is a beautiful illustrated book. It is categorized as children’s fiction. But, adults may need to read it with younger readers, as the narrative may not catch their interest. The illustrations are dream-like and it matches the dreamy vision of the innkeeper’s wish to someday travel. It’s a great book to start young people talking about dreams and goals and how to pursue them. I think it could resonate with adults as well.

Akiko Miyakoshi’s I Dream of a Journey is a lovely story with beautiful illustrations. I enjoyed the gentle pace but I would have liked a bit more substance to the story. While children will enjoy the pretty drawings and cute animal characters, I believe the book has a greater appeal to adults because of its nostalgic sentiments and melancholic tone.

Our protagonist is a lonely hotelkeeper who runs a small hotel. People from all over the world come to visit his hotel. Many visitors even become his friends. However, he has never left his little town. At night, he dreams of traveling the world. He imagines going to visit the friends and guests who have stayed at his hotel over the years. Will the hotelkeeper stick to his usual routine? Or will he step out of his comfort zone and go see the world?

Miyakoshi’s soft and lovely illustrations are my favourite part of this book. They are so well-done and pretty! I like the colour contrast between the black-and-whiteness of the hotelkeeper’s daily life and the gentle colours of his travel-filled dreams. I especially like that the characters are all adorably drawn animals!

This is a very quiet and slow-paced story. I enjoyed this book and I can see myself returning to it again and again. However, I wish the story had a little more substance or action. But, I like that there isn’t a definitive ending or answer. I also like that the book encourages reflection with regards to the longing for adventure and the dedication to the comforting familiar.

However, I’m not sure if there is enough in this book to hold very young readers’ attention. Moreover, the themes like longing and wanderlust as well as the book’s melancholic mood seem too mature for younger readers. I believe the book will be more suitable for older children and will definitely resonate with adults who have more life experience.

I Dream of a Journey is a lovely and moving picture book with beautiful illustrations. While I think this book is better suited for adults than for children, it will be a great addition to any collection. I will definitely purchase this and I can’t wait to read more of Miyakoshi’s work!




✈️✈️✈️✈️ out of 5 planes!

This little inn keeper is how most adults feel every day! We all just want to go on an adventure, nothing like having your dreams.

Akiko Miyakoshi is not only a wonderful writer, but a stunningly beautiful illustrator as well. I loved this story of a hotel keeper who dreams of one day traveling and making his own storied adventures. The color changes throughout are truly lovely, and I found myself incredibly touched by the hotelkeeper's hopes and dreams.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Kids Can Press for the opportunity to read this title in exchange for an honest review.

An inn keeper who has welcomed guests from near and far for years shares how he secretly wishes to travel too.

This story just shares the inn keeper’s dreams, it doesn’t tell you what happens. That part is left up to you. Does the inn keeper get to fulfill his dreams? Are they everything he hoped for? Or does he find treasures in staying where he is? Your imagination gets to fill in the gaps, so it lends itself well to being a creative writing prompt. As always, Akiko Miyakoshi’s illustrations are amazing. I added a star for the art. The anthropomorphic animal characters look like they’d feel soft, the landscapes are stunning, and the hotel looks whimsical. Recommended for fans of stories with open endings, those who dream of travel, and animal lovers.

I received an ARC of this title from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Disclaimer: I received an e-ARC of this book by Netgalley and Kids Can Press in return for an honest review.

I was deeply moved by this story. There was a certain melancholy in both illustrations and prose. A book that must be read by kids and adults alike. I am against the notion that kids books should only be happy and positive as I feel that they are better off exploring all emotions good and bad!

I highly recommend this one and I would love to purchase a physical copy of this book. Beautiful 5 star read for me!

#Netgalley #KidsCanPress #idreamofajourney #AkikoMiyakoshi

Un hotel quieto e accogliente, gestito con cortesia e professionalità.

Ma cosa sogna il proprietario, mentre osserva i suoi ospiti arrivare e partire, e riceve loro notizie da terre lontane?

...sogna navi e treni, boschi e campagne e città da attraversare, nuovi amici da scoprire.

Sogna esperienze, profumi e colori, le onde del mare, il sole sulla neve.

E sogna di tornare a casa, infine.

Le suggestive illustrazioni di Akiko Miyakoshi accompagnano una solitudine alla scoperta di un mondo magico, che è sia quello nel suo cuore che quello splendido che lo aspetta oltre la porta.

Delicato e profondo.

This was a sweet picture book, with gorgeous illustrations. Ultimately, it might have too quiet of a feel to appeal to many readers, but it will find its crowd.

Lovely illustrations, heartfelt story!

I would like to thank the publisher for giving me a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I received an advanced reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.

This is a beautifully illustrated book about a hotel owner who has visitors to their hotel day in and day out, but never gets to visit new and exciting places themselves.
This book is great however I'm not too sure if a child would enjoy it very much as the book fell abit flat for me which I was disapointed in with such beautiful artwork throughout it.