• Age: 5 to 8
• Grade: 1 to 3

Rich language, varied text features, and a dramatic camping adventure combine in this early reader friendship story

Timo the rabbit has always been able to count on his friends for support when he's feeling anxious. But what happens when the anxiety is caused by one of his friends?

When Suki invites her friends on a camping trip, Timo is wary. None of them has ever gone camping before. But a little research at the Toadstool Corners library makes him feel better - until the first accident happens. Bogs trips on the dock, and Suki laughs. Hedgewick capsizes a canoe, and Suki teases. Now Timo dreads being the next one to make a mistake. Can he get through the trip without making a fool of himself? And even if he does, will his friendship with Suki ever be the same?

Award-winning author Victoria Allenby and award-winning illustrator Dean Griffiths, creators of Timo's Garden and Timo's Party, return to Toadstool Corners to find out in a new, beautifully illustrated early chapter book replete with rich, musical language and multiple text features, including a map.

Victoria Allenby has been writing poetry and stories for as long as she can remember. Her debut picture book, Nat the Cat Can Sleep Like That, won the 2014 Preschool Reads Award and was nominated for the 2015 SYRCA Shining Willow Award. She has followed up the success of this debut with the critically acclaimed early readers Timo's Garden, Timo's Party, and Timo Goes Camping, as well as several picture books, including Shape Up, Construction Trucks! which has earned multiple starred reviews, and the 2021 title Listen Up! Train Song. Victoria lives in Toronto, Ontario.

Victoria Allenby's profile page

Dean Griffiths is a popular picture book artist with more than 25 titles to his name. His many awards include the Christie Harris Illustrated Children's Book Prize for Maggie Can't Wait and the Chocolate Lily Award for Ballerinas Don't Wear Glasses. Dean's 2012 title Lumpito and the Painter from Spain has been nominated for the SYRCA Shining Willow Award and was a Bank Street Best Book. His most recent book is When Emily Carr Met Woo. Dean lives in Duncan, British Columbia, with his daughter.

Dean Griffiths' profile page

• Commended, Resource Links "The Year's Best"
• Commended, CCBC Best Books for Kids & Teens selection

Praise for Timo Goes Camping

2018 Resource Links "The Year's Best" selection

2018 Canadian Children's Book Centre Best Books for Kids & Teens selection

"[Timo Goes Camping] tells an accessible, appealing story in eight chapters of large-print text. Created with warmth and attention to detail, the illustrations will help other noncampers imagine the settings and equipment as well as the dressed animal characters."—Booklist

"The bold illustrations are coupled with flowing, sensory-laden prose to make a treat for the eyes and ears alike. VERDICT An enjoyable choice for elementary schools and sure to be popular with children. A great choice for a class read-aloud during Kindness Week."—School Library Journal

"Allenby's five woodland characters are full of personality....Vignette, single-page, and double-page artwork serves to show the friends' emotions and illustrate the text. Beginning chapter-book readers will look for the friends' next adventure and head to the library whenever their own skills are lacking."—Kirkus Reviews

"Colorful, digital illustrations reveal each animal friend's personality and complement the text of this early chapter book, which describes an experience with which many children will be familiar."—ILA Literacy Daily, "Best of Friends"

"Timo Goes Camping is a great book for newly independent readers who are looking for a bit of a challenge. There is a good amount of novel vocabulary, but this is well-balanced with clear writing and supportive illustrations....[A] fun story that skillfully combines camping know-how with emotional intelligence. Highly Recommended."—CM Magazine

"Timo Goes Camping is the newest early reader chapter book about the loveable rabbit Timo and his friends...The text is refreshing, uncomplicated and the perfect font for an early chapter book. The complementing illustrations are vibrant, delightful, and inviting....Timo Goes Camping is a great book for beginning campers and readers who enjoy the outdoors....Certainly an enchanting story depicting a familiar Canadian adventure!"—Resource Links

"This is an excellent choice to display teamwork, to learn about camping and canoeing and having fun....A simple, short story perfect for beginning chapter book readers. There are bright, detailed digitally created illustrations on every page."—Youth Services Book Review

"This lovely series of early readers returns an innocence and humility to children's early readers that we haven't seen since Peter Rabbit and Frog and Toad....Timo allows children to share in his learning about friendship and interacting with others, as well as the importance of reading....Together Victoria Allenby and Dean Griffiths have made Timo Goes Camping a book that any child would love to take on their own camping adventure, as guide, insurance or pleasant diversion."—CanLit for LittleCanadians

"This is a good book for kids to introduce the idea of camping and some of the activities involved in such an adventure, the importance of not going into an adventure without some knowledge and preparation, and about ensuring that teasing doesn't become hurtful. The illustrations are lovely, bringing the animals to life, along with their environment."—Canadian Bookworm

"In this engaging and thoughtful chapter book Timo the rabbit has an adventure with his friends and the trip challenges them in many ways. Timo is forced out of his comfort zone and in the end this turns out to be a good thing."—Through the Looking Glass Children's Book Reviews