Jackie Hosking (text) and Lesley Vamos (illustrations), An amazing Australian camping trip, Walker Books Australia, November 2023, 32 pp., RRP $24.99 (hbk), ISBN 9781760654948
A vibrantly coloured picture book about camping fun has been published in time for summer holidays. Titled, An amazing Australian camping trip, it tells the story of a family enjoying various camping adventures amongst nature, whilst helping Aunty find a creature that has an unusual combination of features. Throughout the rhyming text there are clues as to the characteristics of this creature and each time the kids think they have found it, Aunty corrects them by adding an additional clue. This makes for a fun, interactive element whilst also playfully referencing Australian animal facts.
The narrative text is in rhyme, adding to the lively tone. Most of the rhyme is truly rhythmical and the wording relevant to the story with just a few instances of rhyming word choice seeming forced. I especially love the rhyme that lists the several contradictory features of Aunty’s mysterious creature, starting with They eat like fishes and strike like snakes, they dig like wombats and swim in lakes…
Separate to the rhyming narrative are interesting, more detailed animal facts and word definitions, inserted in small print amongst the images, making for a more serious, factual element.
The humorous cartoon style images that were digitally created, have a lively energy, depicting characters busily engaged in camping activities against the backdrop of an idyllic natural environment. The scenes of the family bathing in a river surrounded by water birds, hiking in the forest, fishing in a boat or relaxing around a camp fire, brought back happy memories of my family’s past summer camping days. I especially love how the evasive, mysterious creature, that Aunty is looking for, is actually hidden amongst the detail of the images, for the reader to discover.
Initially I thought this picture book suitable for an early primary age group, rather than little ones, because of its factual content, subtle humour, quite wordy text and the need for prior knowledge to guess what Aunty’s creature is. But after seeing my three-year-old grandchild, from a camping family, enjoying the illustrations and identifying the animals, I realise its appeal to camping enthusiasts from 3 years up.
I recommend this book for children aged 3-7 years old and the adults who read to them, especially if they are enthusiastic about camping and outdoor experiences.
Reviewed by Barbara Swartz
