Review: Tip’s Magical Journey by Barbara Mishkin, Illustrated by Jason Shiver

Tip’s Magical Journey: The Ride of Discovery and Inspiration by Barbara Mishkin is an inspiring children’s book that promotes empathy, kindness, and celebrates the beauty of diversity. Inspired by the author’s own experience, this modern tale is both moving and funny, telling an important lesson through a child’s travels around a city.

Tip is a young boy of 8 ½ years and he has a secret hobby – he loves riding the train and exploring the city. Thanks to Tip’s curiosity, open-mindedness, and candor, he sees the complex world around him as an exciting opportunity to meet new people, with each new person giving him an important kernel of truth that will help him throughout his life.

For instance, he meets Demetrius and Athena, who talk about their Greek families, he sees Mr. Moy, a cook from Bogota who shares the secrets of his recipes, he bumps into the fishing brothers, always deep in conversation about their equipment, and he greets Raven and Michael, who love jazz and sing at church every Sunday. New or old, Tip loves the friends he makes who are all from around the world, learning about their language and culture. Through Tip’s eyes, readers can see the richness of a world where different people cohabitate and collaborate toward a fairer and more inclusive society.

Mishkin manages to combine an endearing sense of lightness with some very serious issues about society, and this is accomplished through her endearing protagonist. Coming from a difficult background and a family with limited means, Tip reveals a wonderful hunger for knowledge that is infectious for the reader, and an especially good message for young children. From Tip’s point of view, there is nothing more interesting than a society where you can meet people with very different backgrounds. By choosing to be always kind and curious, Tip offers an invaluable lesson and leads by example, which could inspire young readers to do the same and be more inclusive themselves.

The illustrations by Jason Shiver set the tone well – neither childish nor realistic or overly serious, they show an urban world that is complex, colorful, and full of life. People look kind without being idealized, and the train is welcoming without appearing embellished. In a similar way, Mishkin’s writing captures the human connection between the train’s passengers and Tip without romanticizing their relationship. Although the world shown by the author could come across as unrealistically shielded or idealistic, it makes an enduring statement about the goodness that can be found around us, and the perennial hope for a better future.

If there’s a weakness, the story is quite episodic for a middle grade-level read, and could have integrated Tip’s adventures into more of an overarching plot, but Tip is such an engaging lead character that the story is driven forward by his bright sense of optimism. Lighthearted, but carrying a profound message, Tip’s Magical Journey is an enchanting book for young readers and adults alike, which can restore faith in the power and possibility of human connection.