A Sweet Journey

A little girl watches her grandmother set the table for a special visitor. Whilst she waits, she listens to stories about her family: names that get mixed up, anecdotes that resurface, and memories that have been passed down from one generation to the next. Among them is the story of Amín, a boy who, many years ago, set out on a long journey carrying a mysterious parcel that his mother had entrusted to him.
Inspired by a family story of the author’s, A Sweet Journey draws on a personal experience to explore a broader, collective memory: that of those who leave a place behind, travel great distances and begin a new life elsewhere. Words, flavours, customs and stories endure and evolve over time, linking generations.
Verena Urrutia’s evocative illustrations, created using analogue techniques, work alongside the text to construct the narrative. The sepia tones, the moments of silence and the sequences where the image speaks for itself, link past and present and leave room for interpretation.

Key points

• A family story that links individual and collective memory, inviting readers to reflect on a sense of belonging and the bonds between generations.
• It includes a documentary appendix on Syrian migration to Chile, the role of Valparaíso as a gateway in the 1930s, and Arab culinary traditions.
• Ideal for encouraging family discussions about their own roots.