Camping
By: Eilika Mühlenberg
Publisher: Orell Füssli Verlag, Germany, 2014 (Our version from Pulce Srl Edizioni, 2020, Italia)
Format: Hardback
Flying crocodiles
Camping is a silent wimmelbook about camping life. True to this genre, each illustration is a full spread with a lot of details to discover, tell stories about or play out.
Mühlenberg has chosen a somewhat untraditional protagonist: A crocodile-shaped dinghy! The crocodile toy, and its human companion - a young boy - leads us through the story, which is an introduction to all aspects of life on a camping ground. We see people setting up tents, playing at the beach, swimming, shopping, relaxing... The dramatic highlight of the book is a big storm, where the crocodile is swept away by the wind. This leads to an exciting, fast-paced crocodile chase over several pages, and results in a happy ending where the boy and his crocodile toy are reunited.
The artist has a colorful and friendly illustration style, and a great sense of humor. This is shown not only in the main storyline about the crocodile, but also in all the fun, little side-stories. Keep an eye on the turtle, the penguin, the fisherman and the gnome...just to mention a few enjoyable surprises!
Camping will work wonderfully both as an introduction to camping life for children who are about to enjoy their first trip, or as a conversation starter for children who have spent their summer camping, or are curious about what it is like. The crocodile is a great touch that makes this book stand out from all the other wimmel books on the market. Losing a loved toy is very relatable to a lot of children!
This is a fun summer read that can last all holiday due to its many fun characters and built-in stories. But if you're a parent, you should probably be prepared for your child begging for a crocodile dinghy this summer!
