Product Description

This is the story of love, commitment and the flowering of the human spirit against the background of South Africa's apartheid. Frightened that their baby sister Dineo will die, thirteen-year-old Naledi and her younger brother Tiro run away from their grandmother to Johannesburg to find their mother, who works there as a maid. Their journey illustrates at every turn the grim realities of apartheid -- the pass laws, bantustans, racism, the breakdown of family life. 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. This new edition of Beverley Naidoo's classic story includes a special "Why You'll Love This Book" introduction by Michael Rosen, the Children's Laureate.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #39205 in Books
• Published on: 2008-03-03
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 96 pages

Review
" This story is compelling" TES "inspirational tale!" Network "Growing awareness of the sufferings of South Africa's black children brings renewed point to Beverley Naidoo's Journey to Joburg, a story for young readers, the more searing for its gentleness, that makes them ask questions we must learn to answer." Guardian

Guardian
"Growing awareness of the sufferings of South Africa's black children brings renewed point to Beverley Naidoo's Journey to Joburg, a story for young readers, the more searing for its gentleness, that makes them ask questions we must learn to answer."

Network
"inspirational tale..."

Customer Reviews

What a Journey!
My Dad bought me this book, and i really enjoyed it.Finished it in an hour! I only rated it 4 stars because i thought that it just stopped.If there was a follow up, of what the girl did with her life it would be great! Still, the book had a gripping story line and gives you a taste of what it was and is like, for Coloured people in White community's,and how fortunate we are to live in a country, with all the modern appliances and running clean fresh water.

Great journey!
A beautiful story. I read it and study it with my class of year4 and they loved it. They liked learning about the arpatheid. The story is filled with dilemmas. A must have in the classroom as this is brilliant for drama. They enjoyed re-enacting the chapters as well as writing letters to offer advice to the characters.

Journey to Jo'burg

Journey to Jo'burg is about a young baby called Dineo and shes very ill. Her older brother and sister and nono(grandmother) are very worrid! Naledi (sister) and Tiro ( btother) decide to go a find their mother in jo'burg. She works 300 miles away for a women. she works so far away because she has to earn money for her children to eat and go to school. Their father unfortunatley died in the coal mines... So, Naledi and Tiro decide to go on a 300 mile journey to fetch their mother and bring her back home! The two children had a long and exciting journey. When they had finlly found mother, they had to go to a friends house for the night. Naledi's mom's misstress agreed to let her have week of work.

Mother,Naledi and Tiro set off back home... Nono was overjoyed with happiness when she saw mother walking down the path. The next day Naledi, mother and baby Dineo set off again,to the hospital! There was an extremly big line. Mother sat donin the waiting room with Naledi and Dineo. There was another women sitting behind mother and she and her baby looked starving.. Naledi gave the woman an iced bun. Then the woman was called into the docters room. When she came out her baby was in a carry bag..... Her baby had died!

Mother was so upset beacause she was worrid about what would happen to Dineo. Naledi ket hoping that would'nt happen to Dineo. Finally Dineo and mother was called into the docters room! Naledi stayed in the waiting room until mother returned! Moter came out of the docter room..... Where was Dineo? The doctor had advised for mother to leave Dineo at The hospital till the next day. The doctor had said that Dineo needs to start drinking milk and eat vegtables to help her bones! THe thing was... they didnt have enough money! A few days later baby Dineo had improved and mother had went back to work. Everthing was back to normal...........