1. Anxiety
2. Bravery
3. Cultural diversity
4. Family
5. Hope
6. Humanity
7. Migration
8. Refugees
9. Safety
10. Seas and oceans

As the boat rocks with the waves, seeking refuge, one little girl mourns for a life that is now lost to her and yearns for hope and freedom across the sea.

Through dreamlike text and illustrations, Ziba’s journey on the boat is interspersed with scenes from the Hazara family and community she left behind In Afganistan. Simple statements of how Ziba once lived are set against Robert Ingpen’s muted palette of browns and blues, conveying Ziba’s sense of loss. While it is not stated that Ziba and her mother are refugees, it is made clear that they are escaping war and violence when the boat becomes storm-tossed, the illustrations growing chaotic and the colours colder and darker, as Ziba thinks of her and mother fleeing her once gentler, warmer, and safe village. However, the ending is hopeful as the storm passes and Ziba thinks of a time soon when she and her mother can welcome a new land where the promised freedom and peace awaits them.

‘Ziba Came on a Boat’ is based on true stories Liz Lofthouse was exposed to through her time helping refugees from the Hazara community settle into their new Perth lives. It succeeds in balancing Ziba’s trauma with hope and resilience, making the refugee experience accessible to young children.

‘Ziba came on a boat’ was the
2007 winner Western Australian Premier's Book Awards — Premier's Prize for Writing for Children
2008 shortlisted New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards — Patricia Wrightson Prize for Children's Books
2008 shortlisted CBCA Book of the Year Awards — Picture Book of the Year

1. St Joseph’s Regional College Library. ‘Visual literacy through picture books- ‘Ziba came on a boat’ by Liz Lofthouse https://pmreglism.libguides.com/c.php?g=222095&p=1469922
2. Susan Searle Teaching and Learning Unit ‘Ziba came on a boat’ by Liz Lofthouse http://susansearle.weebly.com/uploads/1/4/2/7/14276990/unit_final..pdf
3. Teaching with Picture Books. Teaching resources for ‘Ziba came on a boat’ by Liz Lofthouse https://www.teachingwithpicturebooks.com.au/picture-books/ziba-came-on-a-boat/
4. Kirkus Reviews 1 September, 2007 Review of ‘Ziba Came on a Boat’ by Liz Lofthouse https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/liz-lofthouse/ziba-came-on-a-boat/
5. The Literacy Company 25 March, 2019. A reading and review of 'Ziba Came on a Boat' by Liz Lofthouse https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-exz7SqbFk
6. Robert Ingpen October 21, 2016 ‘Australian children's book illustrator Ingpen celebrates new exhibition’ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4OyFeEz8GQ