journey to jo'burg synopsis

Book Review on Journey to Jo’burg Reviewed by Kainan, 11, London, ENG, UK

ALL STUDENT WORK BELOW IS ORIGINAL AND UNEDITED

Journey to jo’burg by beverley naidoo.

This book is about two, brave, black South African children, Naledi and Tiro, who courageously traveled 300km to Johannesburg (Jo’burg) to tell their mother that their little sister (Deneo) was very ill.

Naledi (13) and Tiro (9) live in a village mainly with their grandma and their younger sister, Deneo. Their mother works as a maid to a rich white family in Jo’burg and their father who had been gold miner, passed away from ill health.

Even though Naledi and Tiro were poor, they seemed protected enough to be clueless about the risks and dangers that black people faced outside of their village. As they set off on their journey, they were faced with many dangers. Each time they encountered a potential danger from a powerful white person, they met a kind black person who rescued them. For example, the young black boy at the orange farm helped them find food and shelter overnight on the road: the truck driver who gave them a lift 250km to Jo’burg and Grace, who helped them get on the right bus, find their mum’s address as well as offered them a place to stay in Jo’burg.

What was interesting to observe was that even though these kind people were strangers, they all immediately acted like family towards the children. I believe it’s because they felt connected to the same plight; that is, victims against one common enemy: apartheid.

The children eventually found their mum. They were surprised to see how she lived as a maid. They were also surprised to learn how much their mother knew about the brave students like Grace’s brother Dumi who had protested against the ugliness of apartheid. Dumi and a large group of young children/students some of whom had lost their lives, were fighting for freedom and for an education that did not only lead becoming servants.

When Naledi and Tiro finally brought their mum home from jo burg, their troubles weren’t immediately over. Their sister got sicker which exposed them to the wider injustice that poor black people experienced even in their home town.

I found this book very enlightening as it really me showed me the details of how racism works. i also liked that the lead characters though naive weren’t passive. Black people were shown to be kind, dignified, aware of the unfairness round them even if they were poor. i really liked the description of Dumi’s character and the 16 year old boy who was arrested on the streets for not having a pass: ‘he had fire in his eyes.”

However, what I didn’t like about the book were sad parts like children dying unnecessarily from poor health care. I also felt angry to learn of black people being treated so badly in their own country. I can’t imagine someone walking into my house, seizing all my toys, my food and forcing my family and I to become servants to them in my own home. To think this was allowed to happen immediately after the holocaust and WW11?

I learnt that this book was banned in South Africa when it was first released in 1985. I have added respect for Beverley Naidoo, the author, a white, South African of Jewish heritage who had the courage to draw from her past experience to shed light on the difficulties of black people during apartheid South Africa.

I would highly recommend this book to children between the ages 8-12 years who want to learn more about racism through the eyes of children.

1 thought on “Review on “‘Journey to Jo’burg’ ””

This is a beautifully written and insightful review. It’s both reflective and illuminating about the courage of these youngsters who were compelled to make an arduous journey. You peaked my interest even more with your comparative but sad interplay of two major human tragedies of the 20th century: apartheid; and the holocaust.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

• Teaching secondary
• Stories and poems

Journey to Jo'burg

The background of the story is South Africa during the apartheid years. Two young children are travelling alone to Jo’burg to try to find their mother who is needed back in the family village.

The background of the story is South Africa during the apartheid years. Two young children are travelling alone to Jo’burg to try to find their mother who is needed back in the family village. Beverley Naidoo's compelling story is the first in a new series of BritLit resources kits, 'Open Book', which works with longer stories.  

• Journey to Jo'burg text
• Activities - pre and after reading language activities
• Answer key - teacher's notes for activities
• Audio (MP3)

Beautifully and feelingly read. The pre-reading exercise engages academic curiosity and creativity in students.

• Log in or register to post comments

Research and insight

Browse fascinating case studies, research papers, publications and books by researchers and ELT experts from around the world.

See our publications, research and insight

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

Notice: All forms on this website are temporarily down for maintenance. You will not be able to complete a form to request information or a resource. We apologize for any inconvenience and will reactivate the forms as soon as possible.

Book Review

Journey to jo’burg: a south african story.

• Beverly Naidoo
• Coming-of-Age , Drama , Historical

Readability Age Range

• HarperCollins
• Josette Frank Award (Bank Street Children's Book Award), 1986; New York Public Library's "One Hundred Titles for Reading and Sharing"

Year Published

This book has been reviewed by Focus on the Family’s marriage and parenting magazine .

Plot Summary

Thirteen-year-old Naledi lives with Nono (her grandmother), Tiro (her brother), and Dineo (her baby sister) in a small South African village 300 kilometers from Johannesburg. After her father’s death, her mother, Mma, has had to work in Johannesburg for money for the family.

One day, Dineo becomes sick. Naledi is afraid Dineo is dying. Nono and Mmangwane (her aunt) try to help Dineo, but nothing works. Naledi coerces her 9-year-old brother to walk to Johannesburg with her to tell Mma.

Before they leave, Naledi’s friend Poleng gives them sweet potatoes to eat on their trip. She also agrees to tell Nono where they’ve gone once they’re safely away. Naledi and Tiro don’t want Nono and Mmangwane to be angry with them or keep them from going.

The siblings walk alongside a lesser-traveled road. 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.

Outside of the village, they meet a boy who works in an orange orchard. He lets them eat a few oranges and hides them in a shed for the night. They leave early the next morning so as not to anger the orchard’s owner.

The next day, a driver with oranges in his truck gives them a ride to Johannesburg. He also gives them money to take a bus to the area where their mother works. After accidentally trying to board a whites-only bus, the siblings find the right bus and meet a young woman named Grace.

Grace helps them find their mother’s workplace and offers them a place to spend the night in Soweto. When Naledi and Tiro find their mother, they learn she is a maid for a wealthy white family. Their mother is able to get time off, beginning the next day, to take her children home and help Dineo.

That night, Naledi and Tiro travel toward Grace’s home by train. At one stop, the kids are pushed off the train by the exiting crowd and are separated from Grace. On the train platform, there is a surprise pass raid by the police. Adults without passes are taken to jail. Naledi and Tiro are not arrested because they are not yet 16, the age when a pass is needed. Soon after, Grace finds them, and the three complete their journey to Soweto.

At Grace’s house in Soweto, Naledi learns about the Soweto riots. Thousands of school children demonstrated against what they were being taught in their schools. Their subjects were cleaning, washing, cooking and gardening. Their schools trained them to be servants. When they demonstrated, the police shot many of them. Some died, some were wounded, and some were arrested. There also was tear gas, and many public buildings were burned. Grace’s brother eventually left South Africa for an education. He hopes to return to fight for their freedom.

The next day, Naledi and Tiro travel with Mma by train to their village. At Naledi’s asking, Mma tells how hard her life is. Once in the village, Nono watches Tiro, and Mma and Naledi take Dineo to the hospital. They must wait all day to see the doctor. After Dineo is kept in the hospital for three days, Mma is able to take her home.

The next day, Mma must return to Johannesburg to work for all the money she just spent. Meanwhile, Naledi realizes that she wants to be more than someone’s servant. She wants to be a doctor and intends to take steps toward a better future.

Christian Beliefs

Other belief systems, authority roles.

Nono and Mmangwane watch and care for Naledi and Tiro. They do everything they know how to do to keep Dineo alive. Nono was the caretaker for Naledi and Tiro, but they didn’t tell her about their travel plans. They thought she would be cross with them. It is apparent she loves her grandchildren though, through the worry on her face when Naledi and Tiro return and her relief when Dineo is healed. Mma is kind and loving. 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. Their father, when he was alive, only visited the family once a year because he worked in the mines. Both the truck driver and Grace take responsibility for the children’s well being once they come in contact with them.

Profanity & Violence

Although not graphic, descriptions are given about schoolchildren who were beaten, shot and tear gassed, and a few who died in Soweto.

Sexual Content

Discussion topics.

Get free discussion questions for this book and others, at FocusOnTheFamily.com/discuss-books .

Additional Comments

Racism: South Africa, at this time, had a system set up through legislation to keep its society racially segregated. The majority of people in South Africa were black, but they were treated as second-rate citizens who couldn’t aspire to more than being the servants of those in power.

You can request a review of a title you can’t find at [email protected] .

Book reviews cover the content, themes and worldviews of fiction books, not their literary merit, and equip parents to decide whether a book is appropriate for their children. The inclusion of a book’s review does not constitute an endorsement by Focus on the Family.

Latest Book Reviews

The Minor Miracle: The Amazing Adventures of Noah Minor

The Eyes and the Impossible

Castle Reef 2: Bloodlines

Compass and Blade

Nothing Else But Miracles

Waverider (Amulet #9)

Weekly reviews straight to your inbox.

Journey to Jo’burg by Beverley Naidoo (Review by Madhura Mukhopadhyay)

Rating: 5/5

When their baby sister Dineo gets very ill, thirteen-year old Naledi and her little brother Tiro are at their wit’s end. They know they must get their mother but Mma lives in the big city in far-away Johannesburg. Determined to do everything they can for Dineo, the two siblings set off hoping to cover the three-hundred-kilometer distance to find their mother in time.

Journey to Jo’burg by Beverely Naidoo is an education. Aimed at children, this book awakens them to the horrors of apartheid and South Africa’s fight for equality. On their journey, Naledi and Tiro make unexpected friends out of strangers who help them stay out of reach of the police. They soon learn that in apartheid-infested South Africa, they do not have a right to get on the bus or walk about freely without a pass. They do not even have a right to their own mother.

Born and raised in apartheid South Africa, the author has admitted to never being taught to think and question the racial system in school. Later, outraged at the government she joined Nelson Mandela’s anti-apartheid movement and in 1964, got arrested for anti-government activities. In England as an outlaw, she decided to write for children and initially published this book in 1986, whereupon it was considered dangerous literature and promptly banned in South Africa.

While apartheid was abolished almost thirty years ago, the fight for racial equality continues worldwide and for children, this book can be a gentle introduction to this reality. Accompanied by beautiful illustrations by Eric Velasquez, this book is a winner in that it encourages a conversation about racial segregation. Through Tiro and Naledi’s initial bewilderment and subsequent anger at the way black people were being treated, its impact lies in teaching kids to interrogate the world around them and only accept answers when they seem right.

Did you like this book?

Click on a heart to rate it!

• Children's Books
• Growing Up & Facts of Life

Enjoy fast, free delivery, exclusive deals, and award-winning movies & TV shows with Prime Try Prime and start saving today with fast, free delivery

Amazon Prime includes:

Fast, FREE Delivery is available to Prime members. To join, select "Try Amazon Prime and start saving today with Fast, FREE Delivery" below the Add to Cart button.

• Cardmembers earn 5% Back at Amazon.com with a Prime Credit Card.
• Unlimited Free Two-Day Delivery
• Streaming of thousands of movies and TV shows with limited ads on Prime Video.
• A Kindle book to borrow for free each month - with no due dates
• Listen to over 2 million songs and hundreds of playlists
• Unlimited photo storage with anywhere access

Important:  Your credit card will NOT be charged when you start your free trial or if you cancel during the trial period. If you're happy with Amazon Prime, do nothing. At the end of the free trial, your membership will automatically upgrade to a monthly membership.

Buy new: $6.99 $6.99 FREE delivery: Tuesday, April 23 on orders over $35.00 shipped by Amazon. Ships from: Amazon.com Sold by: Amazon.com

Return this item for free.

Free returns are available for the shipping address you chose. You can return the item for any reason in new and unused condition: no shipping charges

• Go to your orders and start the return
• Select the return method

Buy used: $5.59

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required .

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

Image Unavailable

• To view this video download Flash Player

Follow the author

Journey to Jo'burg: A South African Story Paperback – December 30, 2019

Purchase options and add-ons.

“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 112 pages
• Language English
• Grade level 3 - 7
• Dimensions 5.12 x 0.22 x 7.62 inches
• Publisher HarperCollins
• Publication date December 30, 2019
• ISBN-10 0062881795
• ISBN-13 978-0062881793
• See all details

Frequently bought together

Similar items that may deliver to you quickly

Editorial Reviews

★ “This well-written [story] has no equal. Evocative and haunting.” — School Library Journal (starred review)

“A provocative, eloquent story about the human spirit.” — Publishers Weekly

About the Author

Beverley Naidoo joined the resistance to apartheid as a student in South Africa, leading to detention without trial and exile in England. She is the author of the widely popular Journey to Jo’burg , the Carnegie Medal winner The Other Side of Truth, its sequel, Web of Lies, and the award-winning books Out of Bounds, No Turning Back, and Burn My Heart. Visit her online at www.beverleynaidoo.com.

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

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ HarperCollins; Reprint edition (December 30, 2019)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 112 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0062881795
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0062881793
• Reading age ‏ : ‎ 8 - 12 years
• Grade level ‏ : ‎ 3 - 7
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.4 ounces
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.12 x 0.22 x 7.62 inches
• #38 in Children's African History Fiction
• #374 in Children's Africa Books
• #2,223 in Children's Parents Books

About the author

Beverley naidoo.

Discover more of the author’s books, see similar authors, read author blogs and more

Customer reviews

Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.

To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.

• Sort reviews by Top reviews Most recent Top reviews

Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. please try again later..

Top reviews from other countries

• Amazon Newsletter
• About Amazon
• Accessibility
• Sustainability
• Press Center
• Investor Relations
• Amazon Devices
• Amazon Science
• Sell on Amazon
• Sell apps on Amazon
• Supply to Amazon
• Protect & Build Your Brand
• Become an Affiliate
• Become a Delivery Driver
• Start a Package Delivery Business
• Advertise Your Products
• Self-Publish with Us
• Become an Amazon Hub Partner
• › See More Ways to Make Money
• Amazon Visa
• Amazon Store Card
• Amazon Secured Card
• Amazon Business Card
• Shop with Points
• Credit Card Marketplace
• Reload Your Balance
• Amazon Currency Converter
• Your Account
• Your Orders
• Shipping Rates & Policies
• Amazon Prime
• Returns & Replacements
• Manage Your Content and Devices
• Recalls and Product Safety Alerts
• Conditions of Use
• Privacy Notice
• Consumer Health Data Privacy Disclosure
• Your Ads Privacy Choices

We will keep fighting for all libraries - stand with us!

Internet Archive Audio

• This Just In
• Grateful Dead
• Old Time Radio
• 78 RPMs and Cylinder Recordings
• Audio Books & Poetry
• Computers, Technology and Science
• Music, Arts & Culture
• News & Public Affairs
• Spirituality & Religion
• Radio News Archive

• Flickr Commons
• Occupy Wall Street Flickr
• NASA Images
• Solar System Collection
• Ames Research Center

• All Software
• Old School Emulation
• MS-DOS Games
• Historical Software
• Classic PC Games
• Software Library
• Kodi Archive and Support File
• Vintage Software
• CD-ROM Software
• CD-ROM Software Library
• Software Sites
• Tucows Software Library
• Shareware CD-ROMs
• Software Capsules Compilation
• CD-ROM Images
• ZX Spectrum
• DOOM Level CD

• Smithsonian Libraries
• FEDLINK (US)
• Lincoln Collection
• American Libraries
• Canadian Libraries
• Universal Library
• Project Gutenberg
• Children's Library
• Biodiversity Heritage Library
• Books by Language
• Additional Collections

• Prelinger Archives
• Democracy Now!
• Occupy Wall Street
• TV NSA Clip Library
• Animation & Cartoons
• Arts & Music
• Computers & Technology
• Cultural & Academic Films
• Ephemeral Films
• Sports Videos
• Videogame Videos
• Youth Media

Search the history of over 866 billion web pages on the Internet.

Mobile Apps

• Wayback Machine (iOS)
• Wayback Machine (Android)

Browser Extensions

Archive-it subscription.

• Explore the Collections
• Build Collections

Save Page Now

Capture a web page as it appears now for use as a trusted citation in the future.

Please enter a valid web address

• Donate Donate icon An illustration of a heart shape

Journey to Jo'burg

Bookreader item preview, share or embed this item, flag this item for.

• Graphic Violence
• Explicit Sexual Content
• Hate Speech
• Misinformation/Disinformation
• Marketing/Phishing/Advertising
• Misleading/Inaccurate/Missing Metadata

plus-circle Add Review comment Reviews

4 Favorites

DOWNLOAD OPTIONS

No suitable files to display here.

IN COLLECTIONS

Uploaded by station18.cebu on July 10, 2021

SIMILAR ITEMS (based on metadata)