Gone Camping

In a follow up to the popular Gone Fishing, a camping trip with grandpa is told through a variety of poetry forms. Siblings Lucy and Sam head off to the woods with grandpa when their dad comes down with a cold. Lucy is skeptical about the ‘fun’ of a trip, but Sam is all in. Their adventures, from setting up the tent to early morning fishing, are all part of a trip that goes from bad idea to wonderfully exciting for Lucy.

Each poem tells part of the story and is labeled with the poetry form, which is described in the back of the book. Poetry rhythm, rhyme and techniques are also explained, making this book multi-faceted. It is a series of short poems that expand into a full story for the reader. In addition to reading this for fun (highly recommended), this book can be used very successfully for a poetry unit.

Illustrations are done in black ink and are scattered liberally throughout the story. They add to the fun and exuberance of the words.

This book is a wonderful tribute to time spent with a grandparent. Adventures range from worries about possible critters in the tent to yummy s’mores and cannonballs into the lake. Who wouldn’t love to spend time with a grandpa (or any loving adult) doing just that?