Mini Me - Sydney & Melbourne

These little books, appropriately called 'Mini Me' are perhaps the first travel guides for littlies. Subtitled 'fun places for parents and kids 0-5yrs to play, shop and eat', they are colourful enough to keep the youngsters happily flipping through the pages and looking at the pictures, yet useful enough for parents, to help them to sidestep many a bored preschooler's tantrums.

So what have we got here? Firstly there are maps inside the cover flaps which work as bookmarks. The legend helps you to locate important needs in a young family's requirements such as easy pram access, kid's books, change table, high chairs - and WCs!

The books are broken up into three core areas: play, shop, eat, and there are a dozen or so suggestions in each category. Play runs from museums to babies proms, parks and the zoo; Shop includes kids' toys, books and markets; and Eat - well, that's mums and child-friendly places across the city and 'burbs.

It's obvious that the bunch of writers who took on this challenge in both books are all parents and understand the pressures you face when taking out one or more littlies on an excursion. So the the text is clear and concise, telling you what you need to know, and there is a useful fact box on each entry with contact details, including website, and opening hours.

These a great little mothers' (and fathers') helpers. Small enough to tuck into a handbag (or nappy bag) the only way these could be better, would be if they also came as an app!

Mini Me Sydney & Mini Me Melbourne, by Kayte Nunn & Liz Ginis (Sydney) and others; Bunny Banyai & Madeleine Hamilton (Melbourne) and others, published by Explore Australia, 2014, paperback.

- reviewed by Sally Hammond

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