Road Trip by Danny Parker illustrated by Nathaniel Eckstrom

"How long is an hour, Dad? Could you please say? I feel like an hour might take all day!"

Father and son are in the car when the young boy asks this question. His father tries to use examples to explain the idea of one hour. It could be a bike ride, a boat trip, slowly eating an ice cream, a board game, a long chat especially one with Gran on the phone, a concert, a walk in the rain or making a cake. But these examples don't help at all. The little boy is becoming more and more exasperated with his dad and his rhyming answers. 

"How long is it really? When will it come? It's taking forever I think I've gone numb."

"But when will we get there? It's just a disaster. Couldn't we go just a little bit faster?"

"I know that! I know! But I want to get out! So tell me, how long is an hour ... about?"

I'm not going to spoil the destination, but it was certainly well worth spending that hour taking this journey with dad. 

How did I miss this book in 2017? It was a 2018 CBCA Notable Book of the Year for Early Childhood. Very sadly it is now out of print, but I imagine this book can be found in most Australian Primary school libraries. 

First off it has map end papers which are so perfect to share with the youngest child in your school or library. 

Then it has a funny story which echoes the cry

"Are we there yet?"

And thirdly this is a terrific book to use when you are exploring the concept of time - which is such an abstract idea especially for young children. Here are some teachers notes. 

These fragments of time spent with family and friends are beautifully captured in Eckstrom's rich and vibrant illustrations. His use of colour and texture lends a retro appeal that will conjure endless road trips for people of all ages. Through the poignant and comedic touches from both author and illustrator, we learn that time really does fly when you're having fun. Kids' Book Review

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