Encourage Your Child to Take a Virtual Trip This Summer

Whether you will spend the summer in your backyard or in another country, the right reading material can take your children to any destination.

Ah, summertime. No longer forced to house multiplication tables, vocabulary words and other academic facts in their heads, children are free to explore the world around them. So, where will your child travel this summer?

If you are planning a family vacation to a new, exotic or cultural destination, your child will be truly prepared if he or she has an idea of what to expect before getting there. Even so-called “adult” tourist destinations can be a source of anticipation, if your child recognizes them from what he has read beforehand—particularly if the information is framed from the perspective of someone (or something, as is the case with very young children) with whom he can relate.

If you don’t have the resources or time to expose your child to a far-flung destination this summer, you can still take him there—with the right reading material.

So, whether your child will go only as far as the neighborhood swimming pool this summer or will hop on a plane to visit a foreign country, he can travel far in his mind. Here’s a list of age-appropriate reading sources to get your child started. Comb your local library, your favorite bookstore or the Internet for additional ideas.

For Children Ages 4 - 5
B is for Blue Crab: A Maryland Alphabet by Shirley Menendez (Sleeping Bear Press, 2004)

Description: A beautifully illustrated, alphabet book that helps children learn their letters as they discover an alphabet’s worth of Maryland destinations, events, and people.

Note: You can find similar books for other states, including Delaware, New Jersey, West Virginia and Nebraska.

Gaspard on Vacation by Anne Gutman and Georg Hallensleben (Random House, 2001)

Description: A stuffed dog named Gaspard, while vacationing with his parents in Venice, breaks away from the customary, tourist attractions as he sets off for real adventure in a red kayak.

Note: Stuffed animals, Gaspard and Lisa, are featured in a series of short stories with cute illustrations. If your child enjoys their adventures, try reading Gaspard and Lisa at the Museum or Gaspard and Lisa’s Rainy Day.

Bear About Town by Stella Blackstone (Barefoot Books, 2001)

Description: A bear walks through town and sees different things or visits different places each day of the week, from the bakery on Monday to a movie on Wednesday to the playground on Sunday.

For Children Ages 6 - 8
Whiteblack the Penguin Sees the World by Margaret Rey (Houghton, Mifflin Company, 2004)

Description: As Chief Storyteller of Penguinland, Whiteblack should have many tales to tell, but he has run out of stories. Concluding that traveling the world will give him the opportunity to obtain new stories, Whiteblack sets sail in his handmade canoe.

Space Bingo by Tony Abbott (Skylark, 1996)

Description: Ned Banks is the new kid in school who wants to make friends. Ned is not sure how he did it, but he beamed two students from the year 2099 into his bedroom closet. Roop and Suzi are time surfers - cool kids who travel through time- and they want Ned to join them for their next adventure in space.

Hour of the Olympics by Anne Mary Pop Osborne (Random House, 1998)

Description: A magic tree house takes Jack and Annie back in time to retrieve a lost story in ancient Greece, where a very important event is taking place. Join them as they race against time and witness the very first Olympic games.

For Children Ages 9 - 13
This Is Ireland by M. Sasek (Universe, 2005)

Description: This reissued, 1964 classic brings Ireland to life for the young reader. Vibrant illustrations have been preserved, but all facts have been updated.

Note: Other books written by Sasek include This is Venice, This is Paris and This is New York.

Stories from Where We Live: The North Atlantic Coast by Sara St. Antoine (Milkweed Editions, 2000)

Description: The first in a series of books to uncover animals, plants and places from the various “eco regions” along the shores of North America. The book relies on poems, journal and memoir excerpts to make these special areas come alive for young readers.

Note: If your child is intrigued by this book, look for others in the series.

Going to Edinburgh: The Bridges in Edinburgh by Michele Spirn (Four Corners Publishing, 2004)

Description: When a family visits relatives in Edinburgh, children, Robin and Jo, look to their cousin, Angus, to help solve riddles about their departed uncle. Their search takes them through various “must-see” destinations in the Scottish capital. Young mystery lovers will find the story intriguing and will learn about Scotland along the way.

Note: Four Corners Publishing specializes in children's travel novels for readers ages 9-13. Each adventure story stars a young American who has adventures in a far-flung place. The back of each book contains a map with a guide written from the main character’s point of view on intriguing places that you won’t find in other guide books. Plus, the Web site (http://www.fourcornersbooks.com) allows browsers to take virtual tours of the cities in which the books take place.

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