Hey Kid Lit Friends!
With spring vacation coming up (followed very quickly by summer, yikes!), I thought I would give some recommendations on great travel books for kids. Even though my family doesn’t travel that extensively, we love reading travel books from the comfort of our couch, dreaming about all the places we want to visit when we win the lottery. Whether you plan to travel or not, these books are sure to interest kids and make them curious about the world around them. (Please note that all descriptions come from the publisher.)
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Everything and Everywhere: A Fact-Filled Adventure for Curious Globe Trotters by Marc Martin
From Hong Kong to Reykjavík, Ulaanbaatar to New York City, enjoy a lush and unexpected journey around the world to discover what makes each place unique. Sleepy sloths, colorful cows, staggering skylines, terrible traffic—countless surprises await! All you need is a good guide and a little curiosity . . . so, what are you waiting for? Let’s go!
The Atlas Obscura Explorer’s Guide for the World’s Most Adventurous Kid by Dylan Thuras and Rosemary Mosco, illustrated by Joy Ang
For curious kids, this is the chance to embark on the journey of a lifetime—and see how faraway countries have more in common than you might expect! Hopscotch from country to country in a chain of connecting attractions: Explore Mexico’s glittering cave of crystals, then visit the world’s largest cave in Vietnam. Peer over a 355-foot waterfall in Zambia, then learn how Antarctica’s Blood Falls got their mysterious color. Or see mysterious mummies in Japan and France, then majestic ice caves in both Argentina and Austria. As you climb mountains, zip-line over forests, and dive into oceans, this book is your passport to a world of hidden wonders, illuminated by gorgeous art.
Grand Canyon by Jason Chin
Rivers wind through earth, cutting down and eroding the soil for millions of years, creating a cavity in the ground 277 miles long, 18 miles wide, and more than a mile deep known as the Grand Canyon. Home to an astonishing variety of plants and animals that have lived and evolved within its walls for millennia, the Grand Canyon is much more than just a hole in the ground. Follow a father and daughter as they make their way through the cavernous wonder, discovering life both present and past.
The Fifty United States by Gabrielle Balkan
Ghost towns, swamp tours, the center of the universe…bacon donuts, brainy berries, salmon jerky…The French Fry King, The Mother of Oregon, The Queen of Blues…be inspired by the inventiveness, beauty, and diversity of the United States in this curious collection of fact-filled maps. Each state’s map also contains information about which states it neighbors, its bodies of water and borders, as well as where it is situated in the country. Many state parks, battlefields, national forests, and reservations are also included to inspire you to respect and explore the great outdoors.
The Travel Book: Mind-Blowing Stuff on Every Country in the World by Lonely Planet Kids
Take a world tour through 200 countries with this brand new edition of the bestselling kids’ version of Lonely Planet’s popular The Travel Book, loaded with thousands of amazing facts on wildlife, how people live, sports, hideous and mouthwatering food, festivals and a wide range of other quirky insights on every page. Every single country gets its own dedicated page, and a mix of photography and beautiful illustrations brings each land to life.
National Parks of the U.S.A. by Kate Siber
Take a tour of America’s great outdoors and discover the beauty and diversity of its most iconic and majestic national parks. Packed with maps and fascinating facts about the flora and fauna unique to each of the 21 parks portrayed, this lushly illustrated coast-to-coast journey documents in large format the nation’s most magnificent and sacred places—and shows why they should be preserved for future generations to enjoy.
Maps of the World: An Illustrated Children’s Atlas of Adventure, Culture, and Discovery by Enrico Lavagno, illustrated by Sacco and Vallarino
Covering every continent, country, even outer space, Maps of the World is a vibrant and comprehensive atlas that children of all ages will love to explore. The dozens of colorful, detailed maps are filled with charming, educational icons representing the aboriginal people in Australia, giant tortoises in the Galapagos, the Gold Rush in California, traditional dress in Mali, and even James Bond in England. Flip the next page in the book, and the corresponding icon key explains hundreds of these cultural, environmental, and societal illustrations. Organized by continent, the atlas also includes details on populations, language, agricultural, politics, and other bite-size facts.
Redwoods by Jason Chin
A subway trip is transformed when a young boy happens upon a book about redwood forests. As he reads the information unfolds, and with each new bit of knowledge, he travels–all the way to California to climb into the Redwood canopy. Crammed with interesting and accurate information about these great natural wonders, Jason Chin’s first book is innovative nonfiction set within a strong and beautiful picture storybook.
You Are Home: An Ode to the National Parks by Evan Turk (Atheneum Books for Young Readers, June 4, 2019)
In simple, soaring language and breathtaking art, acclaimed author-illustrator Evan Turk has created a stirring ode to nature and nation. From the rugged coast of Maine to the fiery volcanoes of Hawaii, You Are Home reminds us that every animal, plant, and person helps make this land a brilliant, beautiful sanctuary of life.
Around the web…
Never-Published Ruth Krauss Picture Book Scheduled for October, via Publisher’s Weekly
20 Great Board Books for One-Year-Olds, via Book Riot
These Harry Potter Cross Stitch Patterns Are Magical, via Book Riot
I’m currently reading…
Caterpillar Summer by Gillian McDunn (Bloomsbury, 4/2/19) is a middle grade book that begins on the first day of school. From the very first page, the love that Cat and her brother Chicken have a very special bond. But when their summer plans get upended and they end up spending three weeks with grandparents they never knew. This book is so beautifully written, and I found the summer setting so wonderfully evocative and descriptive. This is Gillian’s debut novel, and I look forward to reading more from her.
I just finished The Season of Styx Malone by Kekla Magoon, which just recently won the Coretta Scott King Honor Award. This is a lovely story that touches on friendship, fighting for independence, and pushing boundaries. As a parent, I found a lot of kinship with the parents, and I know my eleven-year-old daughter could relate to the brothers in this story. This was a wonderful, insightful book.
What are you reading these days? Find me on Twitter at @KarinaYanGlaser, on Instagram at @KarinaIsReadingAndWriting, or email me at karina@bookriot.com.
Until next time!
Karina
Pretty much the perfect way to spend a Friday night! The Season of Styx Malone by Kekla Magoon is so good!
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