journey to jo'burg chapter 11

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Journey to Jo'burg: A South African Story Kindle Edition

“Has no equal. Evocative and haunting.” ( School Library Journal  starred review)

The bestselling classic set in South Africa during the apartheid era, in which two siblings must face the dangers of their divided country.

Mma lives and works in Johannesburg, far from the village thirteen-year-old Naledi and her younger brother, Tiro, call home. When their baby sister suddenly becomes very sick, Naledi and Tiro know that they need to bring their mother back in order to save their sister’s life. Bravely, secretly, they set off on the long journey to the big city to find Mma.

It isn’t until they finally reach Jo’burg that they see up close what life is like for black citizens across South Africa—and begin to really question the unfair and dangerous laws of apartheid.

A classic look at prejudice and racism in apartheid South Africa, this short and compelling novel is perfect for independent reading projects and classroom sharing.

• Reading age 8 - 12 years
• Book 1 of 2 Journey to Jo'Burg Series
• Print length 100 pages
• Language English
• Grade level 3 - 7
• Publisher HarperCollins
• Publication date February 11, 2020
• Page Flip Enabled
• Word Wise Enabled
• Enhanced typesetting Enabled
• Sticky notes On Kindle Scribe
• ISBN-13 978-0062881793
• See all details
• Next 2 for you in this series $17.34
• All 2 for you in this series $12.01

• Customers Also Enjoyed
• In This Series
• By Beverley Naidoo

Editorial Reviews

From publishers weekly, from the back cover.

Mma lives and works in Johannesburg, far from the village thirteen-year-old Naledi and her younger brother, Tiro, call home. When their baby sister suddenly becomes very sick, Naledi and Tiro know, deep down, that only one person can save her. Bravely, alone, they set off on a journey to find Mma and bring her back. It isn't until they reach the city that they come to understand the dangers of their country, and the painful struggle for freedom and dignity that is taking place all around them.

About the Author

Beverley Naidoo grew up in South Africa under apartheid. She says: "As a white child I didn't question the terrible injustices until I was a student. I decided then that unless I joined the resistance, I was part of the problem." Beverley Naidoo was detained without trial when she was twenty-one and later went into exile in Britain, where she has since lived.

Her first children's book, Journey to Jo'burg , was banned in South Africa until 1991, but it was an eye-opener for thousands of readers worldwide. Her characters in Chain of Fire , No Turning Back , and Out of Bounds face extraordinary challenges in a society she describes as "more dangerous than any fantasy." She has won many awards for her writing, including the Carnegie Medal, the Jane Addams Book Award, and the American Library Association Best Book for Young Adults for The Other Side of Truth , about two refugee children smuggled to London who are also featured in Web of Lies .

Eric Velasquez has illustrated numerous children’s books, including Strong Voices: Fifteen American Speeches Worth Knowing and Schomburg: The Man Who Built a Library by Carole Boston Weatherford. He won the Pura Belpré Award for his illustrations in Grandma’s Gift. He won the John Steptoe New Talent Award for his illustrations in The Piano Man, written by Debbi Chocolate. Visit his website at www.ericvelasquez.com.

Product details

• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B081NJR9TR
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ HarperCollins; Reprint edition (February 11, 2020)
• Publication date ‏ : ‎ February 11, 2020
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• File size ‏ : ‎ 5979 KB
• Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
• Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
• Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
• X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
• Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
• Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 100 pages
• #32 in Children's African History Fiction
• #219 in Children's Parent Books
• #327 in Children's Africa Books

About the author

Beverley naidoo.

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Journey to Jo'burg

A south african story, by beverley naidoo.

• ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 4.88 ·
• 135 Want to read
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“Has no equal. Evocative and haunting.” (School Library Journal starred review)

The bestselling classic set in South Africa during the apartheid era, in which two siblings must face the dangers of their divided country.

Mma lives and works in Johannesburg, far from the village thirteen-year-old Naledi and her younger brother, Tiro, call home. When their baby sister suddenly becomes very sick, Naledi and Tiro know that they need to bring their mother back in order to save their sister’s life. Bravely, secretly, they set off on the long journey to the big city to find Mma.

It isn’t until they finally reach Jo’burg that they see up close what life is like for black citizens across South Africa—and begin to really question the unfair and dangerous laws of apartheid.

A classic look at prejudice and racism in apartheid South Africa, this short and compelling novel is perfect for independent reading projects and classroom sharing.

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TEACHING RESOURCES

Journey to jo'burg by beverley naidoo 9-11.

Journey to Jo'burg gives the reader a glimpse into the life of a young black girl in South Africa under Apartheid.  The book follows siblings, Naledi and her younger brother, Tiro on a journey to try and save their family.  Their journey opens their eyes to the world around them. 

VIPERS Discussion Guide

Journey to Jo’burg

The sun rose higher. on they walked. the heat sank into them and they felt the sweat on their bodies. on they walked. alone again….

Another baby has died in the village and Naledi knows that her little sister Dineo might die too. But what can she do? Their grandmother has no money and there are no doctors in their village. So Naledi makes up her mind. She will have to get Mma who works more than 300 kilometres away in Johannesburg. The only way to let her know was to get to the big road and walk. So Naledi and her brother Tiro did just that…

Banned by the apartheid government in South Africa, this is the story of two children’s courage and determination to find their mother and bring her home.

Beverley Naidoo writes: 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. Instead, my sister-in-law received a letter telling her that the books had been seized and banned . However Journey to Jo’burg soon found its way into many different countries, in English and in translations, so that hundreds of thousands of children elsewhere were soon reading it. It was only after the release of Nelson Mandela from jail that the book was unbanned.

…the more searing for its gentleness. – The Guardian, UK

…so simple and straightforward that it makes accessible even to quite young children the difficult and the profound. –Times Educational Supplement, UK

… with a wealth to share, this well-written piece has no equal. –(Starred review) School Library Journal, USA

A provocative, eloquent story about the human spirit. –Publishers Weekly, USA

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• Children of the Stone City
• Journey to Jo’Burg
• Chain of Fire
• No Turning Back
• The Other Side of Truth
• Web of Lies
• Burn My Heart
• Cinderella of the Nile
• Who is King?
• Aesop’s Fables
• S is for South Africa
• Baba’s Gift
• The Letang and Julie series
• Where is Zami?
• Out of Bounds
• Call of the Deep
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Journey to Jo'burg KS2 Reading Comprehension questions

Subject: English

Age range: 7-11

Resource type: Unit of work

Last updated

1 October 2022

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Chapter by chapter questions for Journey to Jo’Burg. Suitable for UKS2.

Perfect for Guided Reading

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Journey to Jo'burg : a South African story

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Journey to Jo’burg

Section 1: Chapters 1-3

• blunt : having a thick edge or point, not sharp; saying or expressing something in a very direct way that may upset some people
• kilometer : a unit of length equal to 1,000 meters
• reassure : to make someone feel less afraid, upset, or doubtful
• retort : to answer an argument by a counter argument; to answer back sharply
• tap : a plug for a hole; a device consisting or a spout and valve attached to the end of a pipe to control the flow of a fluid, a faucet
• term : a word or phrase that has an exact meaning; the length of time during which a person has an official or political office

Vocabulary Sentences

• While driving around Ireland, we saw a sign indicating that the historic church was 30 kilometers away.
• The President of the United States decided to campaign for a second term in office.
• The school teacher smiled and reassured the students that there would be no pop quiz this week.
• Jan seemed to frequently have a retort when her mother asked her to wash the dishes.
• The tap water left a bad taste in my mouth.

Comprehension Questions

• Granny says the hospital is too far away and they don’t have money to pay a doctor. (pg. 1)
• Naledi and Tiro walk to the village with empty buckets to buy water every day. (pg. 2)
• The children try to avoid looking at the place of graves on their way to the village. (pg. 2)
• Naledi plans to walk to Johannesburg to ask their mother for helpg. (pg. 2)
• The walk to Johannesburg is 300 kilometers. (pg. 2)
• Naledi and Tiro want to avoid the police because they didn’t have a pass. (pg. 8)
• Naledi and Tiro could have been shot by the farmer if he had caught them taking the orange. (pg. 11)
• A boy from the farm takes the children to a shed to sleep in and also gives them some food. (pg. 14)
• Naledi and Tiro bury the orange peels in the dirt in order to hide the fact that they have eaten oranges. (pg. 14)
• The boys give Naledi and Tiro a little pap to eat. (pg.14)
• “Sala sentle” means stay well, and “Tsamaya settle” means go well. Both are expressions of farewell in the Tswana language. (pg. 77)

Section 2: Chapters 4-7

• heave : to lift, pull, or throw something with effort; to breathe in and out in a slow or loud way
• inconvenient : causing trouble or problems; not convenient
• lorry : a large, heavy motor vehicle for transporting goods or troops; a truck
• pavement : the hard surface of a road, driveway, etc.
• steer : an ox less than four years old; to be moved or guided in a particular direction or along a particular course
• windscreen : a screen that protects against the wind; British term for windshield
• Marty heaved a sigh of relief after reading the acceptance letter from the university.
• It was inconvenient for Amy to take her sister to school, since she was already late for her dental appointment.
• Mia’s feet burned as she ran across the hot pavement .
• The lorry broke down in the middle of the road and caused a huge traffic jam.
• The dirty windscreen made it difficult to see the road clearly.
• Naledi and Tiro have their first ride in a truck on the second day of their journey. (pg. 19)
• As the children get closer to Joannesburg, the land is no longer flat but has mountains with steep rocks and crags. (pg. 19-20)
• The children hope to find their Mma in Parktown. (pg. 20)
• Mma works so far from home so that she can pay to send them to school. (pg. 20)
• The children act oddly because their father worked in a mine, got a coughing sickness, and then died there. (pg. 22)
• The truck driver gives them money and shows them where to catch the bus. (pg. 23)
• The children make the mistake of trying to get on a bus that is only for white people. (pg. 25-26)
• The children have not thought about their little sister all day because so much had happened all day. (pg. 28)
• Mma can’t leave for home immediately because she needs to stay with Belinda so Madam and the Master can go to a dinner party. (pg. 30-32)
• Naledi notices Mama uses tin plates and mugs for them to use, instead of the glistening plates and delicate glasses. (pg. 32-33)
• The Madam says the children can’t spend the night in Parktown because the police won’t like it. (pg. 33)

Section 3: Chapters 8-11

• carriage : a large vehicle with four wheels that is pulled by a horse and also carries people; a separate section of a train
• dustbin : a can for trash or garbage
• freedom : the quality or state of being free; liberation from slavery or restraint from the power of another
• hurl : to throw something with force; to say or should an insult in a loud and forceful way
• rubbish : things that are no longer useful or wanted and have been thrown out; words or ideas that are foolish or untrue; something that is worthless, unimportant, or of poor quality
• surge : to move very quickly and suddenly in a particular direction
• Ivan loved to hurl snowballs at his big brother.
• Jade was thrilled to find her lost earring after mistakenly sweeping it into the dustbin.
• William thought his essay was rubbish since he did not get the top grade in the class.
• The American flag is a beautiful symbol of freedom.
• Lola felt a surge of excitement and fear as she waited in line for the giant roller coaster.
• The children become separated from Grace when they are pushed out by a crowd of people getting off the train. (pg. 36)
• There is a pass raid by the police and people begin running away from the police. (pg. 37)
• The children go to the man’s house and his son runs to take the pass to him. (pg. 39-40)
• The boy threatens to burn the pass one day. (pg. 40)
• Jonas and Paul are curious about where Naledi and Tiro are from because they have never been anywhere except Johannesburg. (pg. 43)
• Grace’s older brother Dumi was picked up by the police in 1976, when students were marching and the place was on fire. (pg. 44)
• Grace called the student demonstration a “time of fire.” (pg. 45)
• The police began shooting and killing whoever was in their way. (pg. 46)
• Dumi was studying in another country and he was planning to come back in order to fight for freedom. (pg. 46-48)
• Naledi and Tiro hope to see the orange farm where they had spent the night. (pg. 51)
• Mma becomes quiet and is thinking about how to respond to Naledi’s question about the student demonstration in Soweto. (pg. 52)

Section 4: Chapters 12-15

• anxious : causing or showing fear or nervousness
• banknote : a promissory note issued by a bank payable to bearer on demand without interest and acceptable as money
• cluster : a group of similar things or people positioned or occurring closely together; to be or come into a cluster or close group; congregate
• corridor : a long passage in a building from which doors lead into rooms
• queue : a line or sequence of people or vehicles awaiting their turn to be attended to or to proceed
• vague : not clearly expressed; stated in indefinite terms
• veranda : a roofed platform along the outside of a house, level with the ground floor; a porch
• Omar began to feel anxious about the spelling test since he had not taken much time to study for it.
• Ellie enjoyed sitting on the veranda with her grandmother, just chatting and sipping ice tea.
• George gave his mother a vague response when she asked how his day at school went.
• A cluster of homes had been severely damaged by the horrific storm.
• Jill walked down the long hospital corridor before meeting her new baby sister.
• Naledi assumes her mother has borrowed money when she sees the banknotes in her hand. (pg. 56)
• When Mma and Naledi arrive at the hospital, they see people sitting and lying around the buildings, and a queue of patients lined up to see a woman at the desk. (pg. 58)
• Naledi realizes that there are even more people waiting for help inside the hospital. (pg. 59)
• Mma and the young mother think their babies need more milk. (pg. 60)
• Mma and Naledi share their food with the young mother. (pg. 63)
• Naledi witnesses the young mother sobbing because her baby had died. (pg. 63)
• Naledi encourages her mother by linking arms with her, letting her know that at least they have each other. (pg. 64)
• In normal circumstances, a visit from Mma was filled with hugs, presents, and Mma helping Nono and listening to the children’s stories. (pg. 66-67)
• Mma has to return to the city as soon as Dineo is home from the hospital because she is losing pay. (pg. 70)
• Naledi can’t imagine Grace crying, and also remembers that Grace has to look after her younger brothers and the house by herself most of the time. (pg. 71)
• Naledi realizes that all her school lessons have been about how to be a good servant, but she wants to become a doctor. (pg. 72)