About the Holiday

A great vacation starts with a great place to stay! Whether you like a cabin by the lake, a cottage by the shore, a tent or camper in the woods, an airbnb, or that good-ol’ staple the hotel, getting away from home can be an adventure in itself. July hosts National Vacation Rental Month because, coming in the middle of summer, it is when most vacations take place. If you haven’t planned a get-away yet, there’s still time to find just the right accommodation for maximum enjoyment!

The Great Indoors

Written by Julie Falatko | Illustrated by Ruth Chan

As the family headed off in their van packed with fishing gear and sleeping bags, the animals knew it was time to start their annual vacation. The bears were the first to arrive. As they gazed appreciatively around their summer home away from home, they sighed happily. “‘Ah, the great indoors!’ said the father bear. ‘The most relaxing week of the year,’ said the mother bear.” Meanwhile their teenage bear was hurrying off to the bathroom to install her makeup and hair supplies. Soon, the beavers showed up, taking over the kitchen with bags of food and ca cooler stuffed with ice cream.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-the-great-indoors-house

Image copyright Ruth Chan, 2019, text copyright Julie Falatko, 2019. Courtesy of Disney-Hyperion.

The deer brought the karaoke machine and disco ball. “‘Good-bye peace and quiet!’ said a big deer. ‘Hello, dance party!’ said a bigger deer.” The skunks loved the simplicity of electricity. The bears, the deer, and the skunks all plunked down on the couch in front of the TV while the beavers prepared frosty drinks and lasagna. Yes, “the great indoors was the perfect vacation spot.” The bears took advantage of the opportunity to use their power tools, while the deer perfected their singing, and the skunks got online, made calls, and took lots of showers. Meanwhile, the beavers were cooking, cooking, cooking.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-the-great-indoors-dancing

Image copyright Ruth Chan, 2019, text copyright Julie Falatko, 2019. Courtesy of Disney-Hyperion.

But as the week dragged on, “things got less than perfect.” The animals’ muscles ached from all the dancing and video game playing, the teenage bear hogged the bathroom, and the kitchen was left a disaster. “And still it got even worse.” Father bear broke the bed, a deer created a toaster fire, a skunk blew out the speaker, the garbage piled up, and the dishes had to be washed outside in the puddle left from the hose.

By the end of the week, “everyone was ready to go home.” The sounds grated, the work was overwhelming, and little skunk missed “peeing behind a tree.” Still, they all agreed they’d had a great time and were looking forward to next year. And just as they headed back to the woods, the family came back from their camping trip and opened the door to find…well….

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-the-great-indoors-messy-kitchen

Image copyright Ruth Chan, 2019, text copyright Julie Falatko, 2019. Courtesy of Disney-Hyperion.

Julie Falatko hilariously turns the table on people’s penchant to get away from it all in the great outdoors with her sly story of woodland besties spending a week together in a house vacated for a family vacation. As the animals settle in, Falatko riffs on everything from vacation clichés to the challenges of traveling with kids and teens to enjoying typically summer-only treats. There are even a few droll nods to Goldilocks and the Three Bears. Kids will laugh out loud to see their favorite activities adopted in a new wild way.

Echoing people’s happiness to return home no matter how fun the vacation, Falatko humorously reminds readers that there’s no place like home, while holding out eager anticipation for the next adventure. The unsuspecting family’s return—an ingenious and comically perfect combination of text and illustration—wraps up this vacation spree with just the right note of surprise (and perhaps a nudge to remember to leave the great outdoors without a trace).

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-the-great-indoors-back-home

Image copyright Ruth Chan, 2019, text copyright Julie Falatko, 2019. Courtesy of Disney-Hyperion.

Ruth Chan’s funny depictions of the animals gathering at their vacation “rental” will have kids and adults giggling from the first page. She nails the giddy excitement of being away from home with all the excess supplies and grand schemes that go along with it. Stepping through the door of the hotel, cabin, or even tent, what adults don’t gaze around with appreciation as the kids run off to claim a bed or the bathroom or get ready for a swim? Treats that might be off-limits the rest of the year are suddenly on the menu to great delight, and the lure of all the time in the world to do just what you want is irresistible.

Chan’s vivid illustrations are loaded with comical details just waiting to be unpacked. For example, ice-cream flavors include saltlick ice, vanilla with “real oak” clusters, honey cream, and log ice. Kids will love following the week-long antics of the hair-obsessed teenage bear, who creates a “Fur De-Frizzer 2000” and then can be seen sporting its successful results. A clever aerial view of all the rooms in the house lets kids see the chaos of a vacation out of control, and as the great indoors begins to lose its luster, readers are in for more humorous portrayals of how life diverges for people and animals.

For vacationers or staycationers, The Great Indoors is just the ticket that will have kids rarin’ to go—or stay—but definitely laughing and asking for more. The book would be a funny and favorite addition to home, classroom, and public library bookshelves.

Ages 4 – 8

Disney- Hyperion, 2019 | ISBN 978-1368000833

Discover more about Julie Falatko and her books on her website.

To learn more about Ruth Chan, her books, and her art, visit her website.