Accidental Adventurer: Ava Anna Appleton Book One (Wendy Harmer, Scholastic)

Wendy Harmer has had great success with her ‘Pearlie in the Park’ stories. Her latest book is the first in a new series for girls aged seven and up. It’s a charming little novel starring Ava Anna Appleton, a very neat and tidy girl who likes her shoes polished, her dress ironed and her dark hair plaited. Ava lives with her parents, dog and two goldfish in a small house in suburbia. Life rolls along happily until one day her father appears with a caravan and announces the family will be taking the year off to travel in it. Poor Ava is not too pleased about relocating to a home on wheels. She likes her boundaries and would rather swim in the pool shallows rather than be exposed to the vast ocean. First stop is the bush near the blue misty mountains. Everyone seems happy with the change of scenery except Ava, who is not impressed by its messiness. When Ava gets lost, however, this accidental adventurer meets nature-wise Zander Zanotti and learns some valuable lessons. Watercolour illustrations by Andrea Edmonds break up the text in this chapter book about moving beyond your comfort zone and embracing change.

Thuy On is a Melbourne-based writer and reviewer and the books editor of the Big Issue

Books+Publishing pre-publication reviews are supported by the Copyright Agency Cultural Fund.

Category: Reviews