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Are we there yet? A Journey around Australia

Alison Lester

Picture Book

Ages 5 to 8

Kane/Miller, 2005, 1-929132-73-5

  Grace, her brothers, and her parents are going for a road trip. This is not just any road trip though. The family is going to drive all around Australia and they are going to be away from home for three whole months. They will be pulling a camp trailer behind their car and that is where they will sleep at night. Or at least that is where most of them will sleep at night. Grace’s big brother Luke will sleep outside – on nights when it doesn’t rain.

  And so Grace and her family set off. They drive past vineyards where “the last autumn leaves” cling “like flags on the grapevines.” They visit popular tourist sites and marvel at the natural wonders that they see. And, every so often Billy asks “Are we there yet?”

  At the Head of Bight the family sees ten whales swimming around in the sea below them. And these are not the only animals that they see either. In Turquoise Bay they see all kinds of fascinating creatures when they go snorkeling; and at Rottnest Island the quokkas (small mini kangaroos) come right up to Grace.

  Sometimes the family stays with friends and relatives and often they meet interesting people who tell them about the local sites and history. And every so often Billy asks “Are we there yet?”

  Not many of us get to take a fabulous trip like this one, but most of us have taken road trips of one kind or another and we can appreciate what an adventure this must have been for Grace and her family. We can certainly recognize that one member of the family who says “Are we there yet?” at frequent intervals.

  Packed with wonderfully detailed illustrations and maps, this delightful picture book is written with an obvious appreciation for what it is like to experience an adventure of this kind. Details that will resonate with young readers fill the pages and make the story very personal. There are humorous touches and moments when Grace’s awe come through perfectly.

 

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