Where Do Animals Go for Vacation
by Steve A. Erickson
Genre: Children’s Picture Book
ISBN: 9798891320178
Print Length: 40 pages
Publisher: Atmosphere Press
Reviewed by Jaylynn Korrell
Animals take vacationing to the next level in this funny little kids’ book.
If you’ve ever dreamt up an ideal vacation, you’re not alone. What human doesn’t want to take a break from their everyday lives to see something new, somewhere beautiful? But did you know animals do too?
With his latest kids’ book Where Do Animals Go for Vacation?, Steve A. Erickson asks readers to exercise their imagination by thinking up the different ways certain animals would get out of their routines. With silly illustrations and some unlikely vacay spots, this story will give young readers a laugh as they see their favorite animals relax in wonky ways.
Some of your kid’s favorite animals are featured in Where Do Animals Go for Vacation. They’ll love the wild and wacky vacations they take: A turtle goes skiing, aiming for the ultimate thrill-seeking speedy path—a little different from his typical slow going lifestyle; an elephant takes a short (but relaxing) trip into outer space, enjoying being weightless instead of stomping heavy on the ground; a giraffe takes a trip to the big city. These are just a few of the dozen+ examples of animals brainstorming their own unique (and often funny) dream vacations. While some vacations seem like obvious choices, others are so out there you can’t help but chuckle at the sight of them.
Erickson not only provides young readers with some fun imaginative scenarios, he also gives a bit of education about each animal. In the bottom corner of each page, readers will find a cool fun fact. I didn’t notice the facts at first, but once I did, I quickly went back to read the ones I missed. These little facts pair perfectly with the book. It’s nice to have fun with silly things but also to leave with helpful information about popular animals. There are a handful of facts that adults will be surprised to find out as well.
While the rhymes about each animal’s vacation dreams are fun to read on their own, the length of each section and the amount of animals discussed does make the book feel a bit repetitive at times.
Erickson, who is both the author and the illustrator, has created some adorable and friendly visuals to enjoy. There is such great attention to detail here; the backgrounds of each animal’s vacation is often just as entertaining to see as the animal itself.
This is definitely a book I’d read to my kids. I love that it sets the stage for kids to consider where they want to go on vacation and whether they’d see any of their favorite animals there while they’re at it.
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