The Travel Adventures of Lilly P. Badilly: Costa Rica takes readers on a journey with a spunky child-millipede named Lilly, her wig-wearing Grandma, and flatulence-prone Grandpa. The lengthy (64 pages) hardcover picture book also comes with a 30-minute CD that includes the entire text of the story with an original score and sound effects.

Lilly and her family live in the Miami International Airport. When Grandma Nellie tires of the familiar surroundings of the airport the entire millipede family, including a reluctant Grandpa Willie, heads out on an educational adventure to the rainforests of Costa Rica. There they encounter glimpses of Costa Rican culture and discover both friends and enemies amongst the native insect population.

Despite encountering and escaping from a spider named Ruth Less with less than noble intentions, the family still manages to do some sight-seeing before returning to Miami. Lilly is a book lover and talented musician, and her natural proclivities help her family to overcome difficulties and fears on their journey.

There is some confusion during the first portion of the book, leaving readers uncertain as to exactly when the decision to travel to Costa Rica was made. I was unable to tell if someone had made the decision to plan for a Costa Rican trip, or if this was indeed a random departure as Grandma Nellie had indicated she would be interested in. If the departure was random, Lilly was surprisingly well prepared. Thankfully, we can put these concerns aside once the traveling millipedes reach their destination and begin learning about the flora, fauna, geography and culture of this country. Glade’s aim is to educate and entertain simultaneously.

Author and self-taught illustrator Debbie Glade uses bright, saturated watercolours to bring the Costa Rican landscape to life. Her bold and clearly defined illustration reach children on their own level, and is reminiscent of children’s artwork. Glade’s work is charming, though there are some seemingly inadvertent perspective issues – particularly with human figures; their hands seem far too tiny in comparison with the rest of their bodies, particularly the feet. Glade’s illustrations successfully engage children in the story, but do leave room for improvement.

The CD that accompanies the book brings the quirky characters and Costa Rican landscape to vivid life. The day we received this title my five-year-old pre-reader listened to the CD and ‘read’ along with the book no less than five times. We have been treated to Lilly’s squeaky voice countless times since then. Glade has produced a winner according to my children.

Debbie Glade’s lively and unusual voices accompanied by the songs and score that her daughter Rachel and husband John collaborated on render the story unforgettable. Glade narrates the story, reading the dialogue of each character in his or her own unique voice. Recordings of authentic wildlife and rainforest sounds in the background contribute to a realistic feeling – as realistic as one can expect when accompanying a talking millipede family in their journeys!

There is one sound effect I could have done without. I had to wince when Grandpa’s flatulence was inserted… loudly, for comic relief along with Lilly’s laughter. Children definitely go through a period where they find bodily functions vastly entertaining, and it will definitely be humorous for children at this stage. Parents who are trying to discourage their children from this tendency won’t find much backup with this title.

Glade’s family wrote and performed a varied score for the book, moving readers more deeply into the emotional moods throughout the story. Lilly sings in a squeaky, off-key voice that is strangely endearing. The songs prove to be catchy and entertaining - I find myself singing them around the house. “Granny wears a wig that makes her look old, but don’t let that fool you ‘cause she’s very bold.” It’s hard to resist winning lyrics such as that! Wig-wearing millipedes, who’d have thought?

Glade’s husband, John provides Grandpa’s singing voice, which does not at all match his spoken voice. Grandpa’s regular voice is croaky and old, while his singing voice is surprisingly smooth, warm and mellow – quite a difference. John also plays the guitar and harmonica, while daughter Rachel plays the piano and sitar.

While I noticed these small inconsistencies and lack of clarity regarding who planned the trip, or if it was planned at all, my children certainly don’t mind. This self-published offering is certainly worth exploring. The simple, lively music along with Lilly’s squeaky voice are hard to forget, and will make this bright, bold book and CD combination a favourite of young children everywhere.

For sample pages, audio clips and educational facts about Costa Rica, visit the official Lilly Badilly website.

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Publisher Info:

Title: The Travel Adventures of Lilly P. Badilly: Costa Rica
Author: Debbie Glade
Format: Hardcover, 64 pages
Publisher: Smart Poodle Publishing (2008)
ISBN-10: 098003079X
ISBN-13: 978-0980030792