This is a wonderful book for kids of all ages. It is rich both visually and conceptually. The story has layers of meaning that will appeal to everyone. A boy receives a brown paper parcel with a mysterious bottle in it, and is magically transported to a far-away land, and reunited with his grandfather, whom he has rarely seen. Young children will delight in the magic of the journey, while older children may begin to understand the deeper concept of struggling to maintain family relationships across geographic and political boundries.As for the illustrations, they are just stunning. The style is playful but not simple; the color sense is subtle and unique. Millions of tiny details are layered over maplike tableaux. making it fun for children to pore over the pictures and discover all of the interesting little details.It's nice to see a new children's picture book and story that doesn't rehash the same old stuff. Well done!