From family adventures to a children’s book

TORQUAY local Melissa Langley-Symonds has made her debut as an author, publishing her first children’s book last month.

The book, Foxy’s Old School Van Trip, is inspired by the author and her family’s caravan adventures, and teaching her kids how they used to live.

After purchasing a caravan about five years ago, Langley-Symonds wanted her kids to experience the way she used to live, going on a trip with no technology.

“We did the whole trip with no technology in the car, they were in the back for some days, eight hours a day.

“When kids do have time to be bored, that’s when their mind is most creative, that’s when they invent their own imaginative games.

“When it was first published I did get a lot of interest because of how well it’s touched on the whole no social media and just bringing our kids back to how the old days were.”

The story follows the lives of two foxes on a trip around Australia as they reconnect with nature, meet new people, play games, explore wildlife and enjoy their time as a family.

 

The idea for the story came around four years ago, before the mum of two started working on it consistently for the past 18 months.

Writing the book was a fun and challenging experience for the author, being self-published, she sourced her own illustrator and editor, watching countless YouTube videos on how to format.

The story related heavily to Langley-Symonds’ family and their experience, which was something she enjoyed about writing it, and she hoped others who read it will also get back to enjoying the simple things in life.

“Sometimes the best things in life are free and you don’t necessarily need to buy things to make kids happy, and finding your own fun and just getting back to nature and being with family and friends,” she said.

Langley-Symonds will host an author talk at the Torquay Library on February 1, 2025 from 10.30am.