Harry and Clare's Amazing Staycation

This is a fun book about imagination, siblings and their rank in the family, as well as making the best of a situation. Fun illustrations accompany the text about Harry and Clare and how they spend their spring break.

Harry and Clare are stuck at home for their vacation. Not only are they not going anywhere, but it is raining. Not a problem for these two imaginative children. The living room becomes Mars, the diving board at the pool becomes a pirate's plank and the local playground becomes the ocean where the man-eating octopus lives. the problem is that Clare, being older, thinks she is in charge. She decides what they are going to play, how they are going to do it as well as tricking Harry out of all his snacks. Harry, being a bright young man, comes up with an idea to turn the tables on Clare. This would be a great book to read to students just before spring and winter break. Parents could read it as well if their children are complaining about nothing to do and that they are bored. A fun read.

"Harry and Clare’s Amazing Staycation" will show children that they don’t have to be "plugged in” in order to have a good time! I loved the main characters’ imaginations and adventures!

It's finally Spring Break. Clare and her little brother Harry are looking forward to a wonderful vacation. But wait? There are no tickets for an airplane, bus, boat, or even train hanging on their fridge that will transport them to a wonderful destination. So what could be their alternative? Why, a Staycation of course!!!

Monday arrives admidst a rainy shroud and the kids then have to ignite their brain power to create something magical, (and indoors) to do. Brilliantly they transform the living room into planet Mars, complete with lava-spewing volcanoes and jagged rocky terrain. Clare, being the older, takes it upon herself to carry the snacks for their expedition. Unfortunately Harry gets sucked into some quicksand and tries to rescue himself. Because he is busy trying to survive, Clare eats his snack for him. Yum!

Tuesday has more rain pouring down so the kids go to the supermarket and roar around the indoor course in a mini-sized Pasta Linguini racing car. Wednesday, yep you guessed it, still more rain happening. This day leads the kids to the public swimming pool walking planks (diving boards) and playing mean-spirited pirates. Each day the kids have to plan different scenarios and adventures to act out and each time big sister Clare finds a way to scoff her little brother's snacks.

Harry, quite fed up with his sister's thievery, decides to take action and monitor his snacks all on his own. He becomes a snack prepper. He propels snacks into his pockets for later use. He performs as a lion in their make-believe circus, partakes in a treasure hunt through the local park, and hunts for a sunken ship while riding a Kimono dragon... never boring!

Tired and hungry from all the pretend action Harry doesn't say a word...

"... he took something from his pocket and began to munch."

This certainly got Clare's attention...

"Where did you get that?" Clare demanded.

Will Harry be a generous little brother and tell her then share his booty with his overbearing big sister? Will Clare be mean and just take it from him? Ah ah! No way! You have to get a copy of the book to find out.

The illustrations are simple, expressive and full of action making this an adventure story that is sure to ignite imaginations and incite Staycation adventures for your own child. I love it!