Far, Far Away

K-Gr 3–Rowan, Mom, and Mama set out for a wilderness canoe trip, which the back matter identifies as the Boundary Waters Canoe Area (BWCA) in northern Minnesota. Griffin pulls out all the disasters that beset this kind of camping trip: stinky latrines, no running water, no electricity, bears searching for food packs hoisted high into the trees, strange-tasting rehydrated food, icy cold waters, and long days of paddling and portaging. Everything is so much work, and Rowan, who shares tan skin and dark hair with Mom, while Mama is blonde and light-skinned, hates being so far, far away. Setting up camp, taking it down, twisting up in a sleeping bag, bug bites—all of it is too much! Recognizing his frustration, his mothers slip out of the tent to show him something they could never see at home: the aurora borealis, or northern lights. This turns Rowan’s mood around as he understands the value of every place for its unique features. What an excellent field guide to destroying all illusions about the romance of camping! Griffin and Luu capture the hard work, as well as the rewards, all within cozy scenes of capable parents taking on a huge journey (one of the shorter routes over land and lakes is 40 miles). The resolution feels a bit glib, but for city kids and suburban children, the BWCA will look like paradise.