Hunter on Holiday, A Big Trip Around Europe

Written by Jessica and Stephen Parry-Valentine & illustrated by Ashlee Spink

Reviewed by Sandy Driessens

Hunter has a long, long list of places that she wants to see. She has her passport and boards a plane to take her on an adventure around Europe. A lucky little girl, Hunter goes to all the places in Europe on her list, experiencing the iconic sights, food and culture of each country. And the best part of those places is my family with me.

Created by Western Australian Travel Vloggers, Jessica and Stephen Parry-Valentine, of travel channel Flying the Nest, Hunter on Holiday is their second children’s picture book, following on from Our Home on Wheels, A Big Trip Around Australia.

The text is simple with rhyming vowels at the end of each sentence couplet. Each country is named and their iconic features mentioned.

English illustrator, Ashlee Spink, who met the Parry-Valentines on-line has a soft but detailed painting style that captures the characters and the icons of the countries that the family visit. The end papers have a map to follow the family’s journey and on the final page is ‘Hunter’s Scavenger Hunt’ which will make the young audience go back through the book to find the image in each country.

If you have a desire for travel and you’d like to inspire your children to feel the same, this story is what you’re looking for. It captures the excitement of travel and with the map, landmarks and customs it could be your little ones first geography book.

Puffin 2023