Are We There Yet?
A Journey Around Australia
By Alison Lester
Reviewed by Mia Macrossan
Alison Lester has long been one of Australia’s national treasures with an impressive list of award winning children’s books to her name. Her first book that she wrote and illustrated herself, Clive Eats Alligators was published in 1985. Some of her award winning titles include The Snow Pony, the Noni the Poni series and many more, including the fabulous Are We There Yet? now published in a 20 year anniversary edition.
This iconic title was the winner Picture Book of the Year 2005 CBC awards, flagship book for Australia’s National Year of Reading 2012, and the first book given to an Australian child from Dolly Parton’s Imagination Reading Library 2014.
It is the story of a family’s trip around Australia based on an actual journey taken by the author. Eight-year-old Grace, her Mum, Dad and two brothers, Luke and Billy explore the country in their camper trailer while Nan and Poppa stay behind, look after things and follow their adventures on a big map pinned to the wall at home. The story is enriched with many colourful, humourous, quirky illustrations and maps that tell stories within stories. As always the two themes of family and nature are paramount here. All her books are about loving and caring for the world and its people. In her message to readers of this edition Alison says: We all say that the trip really stuck us together as a family, as though travelling as a unit gave us a kind of emotional glue that has stayed with us.
It is a book that will inspire you to explore Australia yourself and to make those special memories with your family, a book to treasure and enjoy for years to come. The perfect gift but make sure you have one to enjoy yourself.
Alison Lester
