Product Review - The Travel Adventures of Lilly P. Badilly

I was fortunate enough to be sent a copy of the most amazing children's storybook by the author herself, Debbie Glade. Debbie saw a calling for smart, fun, creative children's books after having her daughter. She also wanted to get them interested in travel and geography. This book is all that and then some.

Introducing: The Travel Adventures of Lilly P. Badilly. This is a beautifully illustrated book, complete with a CD which brings the characters to life as you and your child reads along.

The Travel Adventures of Lilly P. Badilly is about a millipede named Lilly and her grandparents who decide to leave their home at Miami's International Airport and travel to Costa Rica. Along the way Lilly has to confront her biggest fears in order to save the lives of herself, her family and her friends.

My children (3 & 5) have listened to the CD at least 5 times in 2 days. After the 2nd time listening to the CD, my kids knew the word "despise" (Lilly uses it) and that her Grandpa Joe farts. They laughed so loud the first 3 times that I had to stop the CD so they wouldn't miss anything. Now they quietly look at each other when their favorite parts come up and laugh.

As for myself, I love the book. It is a children's book you can get behind. The illustrations are colorful and very detailed, you can ask a lot of open ended questions when you just look at the pictures to build on the story. I love that. I also love each characters voice, the little songs and the music. I would give this book to my nieces and nephews as a gift and know for a fact they would love it.

More than this book being a great, funny, exciting, read for you and your kids is the fact that making of the book and CD was a family project. Debbie wrote and illustrated the story and then along with her daughter created the music. Debbie wrote the words for the songs while her daughter composed the music. Dad had a part in there too, he played the guitar and harmonica as well as sang for Grandpa Joe. Got to love a family that plays, urrr...I mean works together.

For more on Debbie, the making of the CD, to hear a sample song and to purchase the book head on over to Lillybadilly.com

NOTE: Teachers - This is a great book for elementary classes. They will love the pictures and the story.

P.S. - I cannot get the second song out of my head, singing it right now actually.