Review by Booklist Review
Japanese artist Kobayashi once again brings the remote landscapes of Afghanistan to life in the third in his series about a fictional village called Paghman. After traveling the world with a circus, young flutist Mirado longs to return home to Paghman, where a raging war has ended. His journey takes him as far east as trains and buses will go, then onto a seemingly endless and solitary path through forests, plains, and mountains. He endures extreme weather, fearing wolves and thieves and encountering helpful strangers. When he finally reaches Paghman, it is in ruins. But there's hope, too: spring is coming, and the burnt plum trees sprout buds. Mirado finds an old friend in a nearby town, and together they return to Paghman to start anew. Stunning landscapes and colors tell the tale of Mirado's journey, with the boy often appearing as a speck in a majestic backdrop. Young readers will feel the warmth of human company and the chill of solitude that marks such a trek.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Horn Book Review
When we last saw Mirado in The Circus Comes to the Village (rev. 1/20), he decided to leave his remote Afghani village of Paghman to join a traveling circus as a flutist. Now Mirado, still with the circus, has "gotten used to living in strange places" but longs for Paghman and is haunted by a song his father used to sing about its beauty. When his flute, a gift from his father who has yet to return from war, cracks and then breaks, Mirado knows it's time to return. Mirado's solitary journey back to Paghman involves a train and a bus, until he must venture forth on foot, as the landscape becomes increasingly remote. Exquisite illustrations of Mirado's trip range from expansive double-page spreads of a village nestled on a plain to single pages that capture a distinct moment (a lonely walk in the cold dusk); a juxtaposition of driving rain and blustery wind; and several precarious mountain passes. Suspense builds as Mirado gets closer to home, culminating in a devastating arrival. The prevailing mood of loss and longing is lifted by a heartwarming reunion and the hope that spring will bring growth and new life to Paghman. This haunting picture book asks many complex questions about the human cost of war: What happens when homes and families are destroyed? And how do survivors carry on? Julie Hakim Azzam January/February 2021 p.82(c) Copyright 2021. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Following The Most Beautiful Village in the World (2018) and The Circus Comes to the Village (2019), Kobayashi offers the tale of a boy's return to his homeland after it has been through war. After leaving his small village in Afghanistan, young Mirado travels the world with the circus, playing the flute that his father gave him. He hears on the radio that the war, which his father joined and hasn't returned from yet, has ended. Mirado sets his mind on going back to Paghman, his village. After saying goodbye to his circus colleagues, he embarks eastward on a long and rough trip. When neither train, bus, nor wagon can get him further, he walks. Throughout the book, readers see him in several urban and rural spaces, some of which may look familiar. Kobayashi's landscapes will frequently take their breath away. Mirado journeys across mountains and forests, against the wind and in the cold. Kind strangers help him along the way, including other refugees attempting to return home. He will find his Paghman in ruins but will also meet his best friend, Yamo, and together, they will imagine and plan for a brighter future. This suspenseful and beautifully illustrated story, originally published in Japan in 2003, covers a topic unfrequented in children's literature about refugees and one that's often romanticized in real life: that of the return. A moving book about kindness, friendship, and hope in the context of conflict and displacement. (Picture book. 5-10) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
