Journey to Jo'burg: A South African Story

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Michael Rosen's introduction to this recent edition provides an insight into the global political context at the time of its release in 1985. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others.

But at university, Naidoo became increasingly outraged at the South African government and joined Nelson Mandela’s anti-Apartheid movement, with Beverly Naido being arrested and jailed in 1964, for anti-government activities. The children have created stories and monologues from the perspective of the main characters and then performed these to create podcasts.It has prompted some lively discussions as well as provided a strong platform for engaging literacy lessons and cross curricular activities for half a term. For example, at the very beginning of the story, Naledi and Tiro decide that because they would get in trouble for asking for money to pay for a telegram, they should walk to Johannesburg, a city over 300 kilometers away. A gripping, heartfelt journey of two siblings desperate to find their mother in Joberg, set off on foot to bring their mother back to save their I'll baby sister. It is not included in promotions available to our main range products, as stated in our terms of service. This book tells the story of two young children who travel 300 km from their small village to Johannesburg, when their baby sister falls seriously ill, to tell their mother who works there as a maid.

Ah, I went to Oxfam again yesterday and got Born A Crime, Trevor Noah (3 euro, excellent condition). This book also helps readers to learn more about history as it is told through the characters' story.As well as clear character descriptions and vivid imagery, there are many themes running through the story as it deals with racism and prejudice along with family, love and determination.

The author was a white girl who knew she would have suffered under Nazi Germany, but just did not realise how her black servants had to live. We were able to complete a number of activities relating to the book such as, writing a diary entry as if they were Naledi, thinking of different items they could take on their journey and doing a conscience alley and role play by giving advice on whether Naledi and Tiro should go.

She does not like being away from her children but must work in Johannesburg to provide money for food, clothing and an education after their father died. The story begins in a small, unnamed village where Naledi and Tiro, a girl and her younger brother, live with their little sister, Dineo, their grandma, and their aunt. They also are exposed to the class and power relations and learn of the hope and rebellions for social change, most notably the Soweto Uprising of 1976. The next day, the children meet with Mma and ride the train back to their home village, telling her all about their journey and what they have learned.

And for children, Journey to Jo'burg is therefore a gentle but also a firm and authentic feeling (with regard to factuality) introduction to this reality (not strictly own voice of course, but considering Beverley Naidoo's biography, I do still consider Journey to Jo'burg to be pretty much from an African perspective and from the pen of a White South African author who actively fought against Apartheid and was also jailed for this). When they come to another village, they walk quickly so as to not attract the attention of the police because policemen in this area are often corrupt. She plans to find others who share her anger at the way things are and work hard to fulfill her dream: to grow up and be a doctor. Their father, when he was alive, only visited the family once a year because he worked in the mines. When I sent two copies of my first children’s book to nephews and nieces in South Africa in 1985, they never received the parcel.The opulence of the white "Madam's" house contrasts starkly with the reality that Naledi and Tiro face - that their baby sister is suffering from starvation, not an incurable disease. The story seemed somewhat unbelievable, as if the author wanted to show us about South Africa and this was simply the method she chose to use.