Review: Cooper's Pack Travel Guides

Oh my - sooooo cute! Introducing Cooper, the avid travelling pooch and his furry mates who join this black and white dog on his intrepid travels around the world.

This fuzzy voyager has a whole series of photographic 'guides' to some of the world's most desirable cities - right now kids can join Cooper to visit Alaska, Seattle, Paris, New York City and Amsterdam, and coming soon - Athens, Rome and Bangkok (and yes kids, I spoke with the publisher and they are planning a trip to Australia soon!).

Animals are absolutely no-fail when it comes to kids, and Cooper's Pack Travel Guides just honestly hit the nail on the head when it comes to adorable and kid-engaging. Featuring full colour photography and gorgeously styled stuffed toys, each book showcases our hero Cooper along with a pack of animals from each city on the itinerary - an otter for Seattle, a moose for Alaska, a lamb for London, a fox for Paris.

You just can't help but smile at the otter waiting on the dock for the ferry or the moose taking a ride in the cockpit of a plane. Each story showcases the featured city through photos, labels, notes, fun facts and a running narrative - all beautifully designed and laid out with witty typesetting.

At the end of each story is an Activity Guide featuring maps, outdoor activities, a brief history of the city and more ideas to explore. There's even fun bios on the characters, and pages kids can fill in with their own details and travel experiences.

These are super cool books and I love the multimedia feel. The Cooper's Pack website also has a stack of extras kids can explore. There's actually a whole shebang going on here - books, plush toys, t-shirts, cups, bags, drinks, an interactive travel guide app. And all done beautifully. This is certainly a team that knows how to market their goodies well and - why not? Cooper is a highly marketable critter and these books are a wonderful addition to any library - most particular for those who hanker to explore the world [read: kids].

Stay tuned for our ebook review of Cooper's Pack Travel Guide to Alaska.

Title: Cooper's Pack Travel Guides

Author/Photographer: Kyle and Groot

Publisher: Cooper's Pack Publishing, US12.95 RRP

Publication Date: Various

ISBN: Various

Format: Soft cover

For ages: 3 – 8

Type: Picture Book/Travel Guide