1. Art techniques
2. Companionship
3. Design
4. Fear
5. Friendship
6. Homelessness
7. Loneliness
8. Metaphors
9. Social justice
10. Survival
11. Symbolism
12. Visual literacy

‘Way Home’ immediately captures attention with its striking black jacket cover and white font set against a bustling night cityscape with cars whizzing by a running figure. The endpapers appear as crumpled grey paper followed by pages of charcoal and pastel drawings in muted grey, dark green and terra cotta. Young Shane comes across a homeless cat and with gentle treatment and soothing words wins its trust. Together they run along bustling city streets, past derelict buildings then down dark and foreboding alleyways. Shane looks into windows of self-satisfied ‘fat cats’ representing lives he cannot experience and reflecting the story’s ironic title, ‘Way Home’.

Libby Hathorn’s text is a perfect match to this cityscape. It is a breathless, face-paced poetic performance with descriptive language that reflects the dangerous-feeling environment. As Shane is pursued by a gang, the text is breathless: ‘Go! Go! Up the lane, all the way they follow. Fast as anything, scared as anything. Go! Get away! Go!’ Shane and cat confront a snarling dog and endure a dangerous dash through city traffic. Eventually he arrives home with the nameless cat: ‘This is my place. Just like I said. It’s okay now. You’re safe’, only to reveal a jumble of found objects—the ‘home’ where Shaun lives. This finale and the author’s dedication at the story’s beginning will encourage discussion: ‘Dedicated to the largely unsung, mostly unseen workers for young people in need.’

Gregory Rogers won the British Kate Greenaway Medal in 1995 for the illustrations in ‘Way Home’. He was the first Australian illustrator to win this award.

1. Copyright Agency Reading Australia Teacher Resource for ‘Way Home’ https://readingaustralia.com.au/books/way-home/
2. Scholar ‘Visual Literacy, Homelessness and ‘Way Home’ by Libby Hathorn by Shannon L Beck, Christian Filey, Anne Dunn, Rita van Haren, Jennifer Nott, Prue Gill and Linda Palin, ‘Scholar’. Year 9 unit https://cgscholar.com/bookstore/works/visual-literacy-homelessness-and-way-home-by-libby-hathorn
3. Libby Hathorn’s website offers writing tips ‘Golden Rules of Writing’ http://libbyhathorn.com/resources/golden-rules-of-writing/
4. Wikiwand ‘Gregory Rogers’ details about his life, career and publications https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Gregory_Rogers
5. Publishers Weekly review 29 Aug 1997 of ‘Way Home’ https://www.publishersweekly.com/9780517599099
6. Kirkus review 20 May 2010 of ‘Way Home’ https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/libby-hathorn/way-home/
7. The Guardian 10 Aug 2015 Julia Eccleshare reviews four children’s books about homelessness in ‘Are there any good books for children about homelessness?’, including ‘Way Home’ https://www.theguardian.com/childrens-books-site/2015/aug/10/book-doctor-good-books-for-children-about-homelessness-migrants
8. NSW Government Education Learning and Teaching Directorate Secondary Education, ‘Human Society and its Environment: Guide to using picture books in Geography K-10’ includes curriculum use of ‘Way Home’ and other books https://sgervay.com/book-resources/elephants-have-wings/elephants-have-wings-stage-3-geography-ACARA-curriculum.pdf