Far, Far Away is the story of an adventurous boy named Rowan, and his Mom and Mama who all decide to go canoe camping one day. At first, Rowan is excited by the sights and animals, but then he begins to realize camping is a lot of work and scarier than he anticipated. Once Rowan, Mom and Mama settle in for the night, he realizes he’s not enjoying his time camping and becomes very upset. Acknowledging that their son is far outside of his comfort zone, Mom and Mama bring Rowan outside so that he’s able to take pleasure in nature that they don’t have in the city. Rowan realizes that his camping trip is not so bad after all, and he looks forward to the rest of his trip with Mom and Mama.

Far far away was a feel good story. Sometimes we are so focused on the comfort of our walls that we do not think to step outside and enjoy other things that are beautiful. We miss on so many things that we should find time to admire.

In a very subtle way, far, far away tells kids how to do just that. It might be difficult but it's worth it.

Thank you Netgalley and Charlesbridge publication for the ARC in exchange of an honest review.

4⭐
A stunning picture book that celebrates new adventures, the beauty of nature & gaining new perspective. Will definitely pick it up again soon with my son.

Thank you NetGalley and Charlesbridge for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Far Far Away by Molly Beth Griffin is a beautifully written and illustrated children’s book that takes young readers on a fun camping adventure. The story follows a young child who embarks on a journey through a world filled with wonder, love, and a deep connection to family.

One of the most touching aspects of Far Far Away is its positive and inclusive representation of same-sex parents. The story lovingly highlights a family dynamic that is diverse, showing that love, care, and support are the most important parts of any family, no matter who makes it up. This representation provides young readers with a beautiful example of love in all its forms and helps promote acceptance and understanding.

The illustrations are warm and inviting, making the adventure feel even more special. The story's gentle message of family and love, paired with its inclusive approach, makes Far Far Away an important and heartwarming read for children. It’s a wonderful book for sparking meaningful conversations about diversity and the many different ways families can look.

Far, Far Away is a very cute journey about a boy named Rowan and his trek far, far away from home to go canoe camping. His journey is one of child-like wonder and resilience. Ms. Griffin does a wonderful job of capturing the sounds and sights of the wilderness. She also does a great job of capturing the emotions of a worn out child. I love that she captures that hard work is worth it in the end when you can see what you've worked so hard for.

Thank you for granting me access to this ARC!

My partner enjoys going on long, backpacking trips with his canoe. I’ve been on the hunt for outdoorsy books that he will enjoy reading to our child. This will be a great book to introduce when she’s a bit older and he goes away on a trip. It might help spark interest for her to join him one day! I enjoyed the storyline and the inclusive characters. Beautiful illustrations. Great job!

A book about a boy named Rowan and his first canoe camping trip in Northern Minnesota. It's hard - but there are things that make it worth it!
I enjoyed the book and so did my preschooler, who liked looking for the animals amongst different pages as Rowan's family made their portaging journeys. I also like how it doesn't overly romanticize or gloss over the "icky" parts of camping - like freezing lakes with slimy water weeds, rehyrdated foot that may not be appealing to first timers/young kids, and latrines. But despite the real-life elements, this book is adept at capturing the good memories and connection with nature that can be found on most camping trips - and some of the best parts of camping "far, far away" from city lights and civilization. It's written in language that is understandable for smaller children and does a great job of showing the work that goes into planning a long backpacking or canoe camping trip for anyone who hasn't been on one before.

I appreciate a book that shows the good and the bad of a situation instead of just glossing over it and saying it’s all good. A lack of conflict doesn’t help children learn about varying degrees of enjoyment from tasks. This paints a realistic picture of camping and portaging, and I think that matters that expectations be set in a reasonable way. Lovely art and simple story.

Ever gone camping with someone who just couldn't seem to get into the spirit of things and just kept complaining? That's the way it is for Rowan for most of the family camping trip up in the Northwoods. But even complainers can learn to enjoy The Great Outdoors!
The illustrations by Bao Luu are intricate, brilliantly colorful, and FUN!
Well suited for reading WITH someone of any age from 3 and up, including ESL, and great for gifting to everyone, but especially to a school or your local public library!
I requested and received a temporary uncorrected eGalley on Adobe Digital Editions from Charlesbridge via NetGalley. Pub Date Apr 29, 2025
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This book does a great job of showing off that families might look different than yours, but love is always what makes a family. This story follows Rowan and his two moms who are canoe camping. It shows exactly what you need to do to portage a canoe, prepare your campsite, but all while making it a fun experience. Rowan is just like any other kid and sometimes he gets bored and tired along the way. This is a fantastic book for families that go camping deep in the woods, especially those who canoe camp! I will be purchasing this for my physical library!

Sweet story and sweet illustrations for a story about going camping with two of his favorite people. I didn't realize it was about two moms, which is not something I would have in my house, but I can see it being good for some. Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy of this book. All thoughts are my own.

When Rowan sets out on an adventure with his moms, he is super excited. However, he soon comes to find out what camping is really like and doesn't appear to be as happy. He soon learns how beautiful and wonderful being "unplugged" and being out in the wilderness has its rewards.

I thought this book was a great read. Not only does it give the message that you have to work hard to get that reward. I also love the fact that it is a non traditional family. I am a first grade teacher and I appreciate it when books show diversity in their story.

Thank you to NetGalley, Molly Beth Griffin and Charlesbridge for the eARC for giving me the opportunity to read this book. I will post my review when the book publishes.

This was a very sweet simple story! It would be a great resource for kids and families camping for the first time. Occasionally the sentence structure would feel off in some places, especially the very beginning; it felt like the author wanted to rhyme but didn't commit. I liked how the book encouraged kids to try new things, even if they don't always like it at first. Sometimes good things are worth the effort to get there.

I wanted to love this book, but I felt like it had fallen short for me. I LOVED the illustrations, that's what initially drew me to the book. The vivid colors and pictures portrayed the BWCA wonderfully! And a Minnesotian like myself is always looking to expand our libraries with books about activities right here in our state.

I loved the idea that there are some things worth venturing out for, and in order to see true beauty in the outdoors (like the northern lights), we need to be far, far away.

The part I didn't love was how negative Rowan seemed of the whole adventure, and his mother's didn't seem to help him see the bright side of every part. All the 'icks' and 'ewws' would have made great teaching moments for both Rowan and the readers who don't venture out camping.

Overall, I'd give this one a 3.5/5
Thank you @netgallery, Molly Beth Griffin, Bao Luu & CharlesBridge for the eARC copy for my honest review.

“Are we there, yet?” Now I, too, long to backpack far, far away.

Our family loves scouting, so Rowan’s story, his joy and struggles on a canoe camping trip, made me knowingly smile. This story is terrifically told, real and well illustrated. Camping is hard work and it is also so rewarding.

Thanks to NetGalley for sharing this DRC with me for an honest review.

Lovely illustrations and writing! This was bright and fun and very entertaining. I could see this being a great addition to a library collection. I would personally use this in a storytime centered on camping and the outdoors. I loved the mention of how far, far away they were from screens to keep them entertained. We are so dependent on technology now for entertainment that it's a nice reminder to step away and spend time with loved ones in the outdoors every once and a while. I also loved the inclusivity with the addition of two moms - it's a simple way to be inclusive that will really resonate with a lot. Overall a very solid book!

This is a realistic picture book about what it's like to go canoe camping. It's a lot of work, and you need to know how to do a lot of different things. But it's worth it! This family works together to accomplish their tasks, enjoying nature and appreciating that they can't get this kind of wonderful experience in the city. Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this

An inclusive story that really focuses on the camping experience and the sense of how small we really are in this big world. Children and their families will relate to some of the challenges Rowan and his moms faced but they will also see their moments of joy reflected back at them. The most interesting part was learning that this hike and camping trip are part of a national park experience that the author was revisiting. It was so cool to learn about hiking with a canoe and not having access to a car.

What an enchanting tale that captures the hearts of young readers! From the moment you open the book, you’re transported into a world. The illustrations are absolutely stunning, bursting with color and detail that complement the story beautifully. The storytelling is engaging and age-appropriate, with just the right balance of excitement and heart. Young readers will love following along.

Rowan goes with his mom’s on a kayaking and camping trip. He realizes that it’s hard work going camping and doesn’t like it. He ‘s had enough and wants to go home. Until his mom’s show him the stars and northern lights which he can’t see at home in the city. That helps to change his attitude and enjoy the trip more. A cute book for kids that like adventure.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.