Kalak's Journey

Gr 1–4—In a parallel to human refugee experiences, Kalak, a stork chick, and his family leave the home that can no longer sustain them to fly to another part of the world. On their long, difficult journey, the very hungry youngster gets exhausted and loses sight of his parents and siblings. Though he catches up with his flock, he's buffeted by a storm, landing in a strange place where unfamiliar storks tell him he's not welcome. Luckily, another stork rescues him and leads him to his parents for a happy reunion. This poignant tale is being published in both Spanish and English. Silva's grayscale illustrations, done in pencil, fill each page or spread and reinforce the tone of the story by echoing Kalak's apprehension and outright fear. Text and illustrations conclude with hope: "Kalak is a stork of the world, free to fly high and discover new horizons." This title pairs well with other understated refugee stories such as Jairo Buitrago's Two White Rabbits and Francesca Sanna's The Journey.