A Journey of 600 Inches
Written by Zhang Xiaoling
Illustrated by Yan Qing
Translated from the Chinese by Helen Wang
Expected publication: October 2020
Mom's Review
Of the coronavirus-related books* we've been reading, this falls in the middle. It's not our favorite nor do we dislike it. The premise is two children home alone whose parents have been in the hospital for 10 days; their aunt brings them meals. The tendency in America seems disinclined to leave children home alone, so readers may wonder where a caregiver is. The brother and sister play a game where they must traverse their apartment, imagining that they are mere inches high. They encounter different toys and objects on the floor that they must navigate. The make-believe adventure translates to any situation, but as far as coronavirus-specifics go, there's not much. The children care for themselves responsibly and find ways to have fun within the confines of their apartment, a resourcefulness that is commendable. The aunt wears a mask when delivering food, and a TV shows emergency workers in protective gear. These references to the pandemic are second to the focus on unstructured play.
I like A Journey of 600 Inches for its examples of imaginative play and self-reliance.
Son's Review
(Age: 5)
I thought it really did happen [they really did shrink].
Did you like it? What was your favorite part?
Yes. My favorite part was when they shrank.
Would you make friends with them? What would you play?
Yes. I would want to build LEGO – a giant LEGO.
What did you think of their game?
I thought it was not a game.
People should know that it's unbelievable – that's a good thing.
*Other Books in this Series
Note: A review copy was provided in exchange for an honest review.
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