Grandpa’s Big Adventure

Paul Newman

Tom Jellett

Penguin Viking, 2016

32pp., hbk., RRP $A19.99

9780670078172

“I’m afraid of the water . . . but Grandpa loves it, and he’s teaching me to swim”

And to help him overcome his fears, Grandpa tells him all about his biggest adventure -the time he swam around the world.  Covered in grease which drove Grandma crazy, holding a big plastic bag to keep things dry and taking sweets to eat and tea to drink, Grandpa swam all day long but rested at night because that’s when you bump into things.  Dealing with sharks, dining with the Prince of Wales and trying to beat the fish to the answers to the quiz shows on television, Grandpa had all sorts of tales to tell as they go up and down the pool, getting better and better without really knowing it. Distraction is a very effective way to overcome fear!

This is a wonderful story that is such a great example of the tall tales that grandpas are allowed to tell their grandchildren without being discredited.  Tom Jellett’s illustrations turn the text into a truly believable adventure and highlight the clever word play which adds humour and fun to this extraordinary feat.  

Little ones will enjoy it and will be asking their grandpas what they did when they were young.  It would be a tall tale indeed to beat this one – unless it was about going to the moon.