Traveling with young children can be both challenging and expensive, but fortunately, books work as an amazing way to bring the world home and to encourage an early love of travel. From picture books to nonfiction chapter books, there is a great world to explore for any age.
The youngest reader, or listener, is more enticed by a great story than a desire to learn about a location. For them, classic tales like “Madeline” and “A Bear Called Paddington” are wonderful ways to experience new cities.
“Madeline,” tells the story of 12 little girls in a Parisian boarding school, the smallest and pluckiest of them being Madeline. Madeline has adventures throughout Paris that children have enjoyed for generations. Similarly, Paddington Bear is about a little bear who is found at the London train station and over a variety of books has adventures throughout the city.
For a more modern take on visiting a new city, “Nana in the City” is a 2015 Caldecott Honor book about a young boy who spends the night in New York City with his grandmother. He is frightened of the noises and crowds of the city, but in true grandmotherly style, his Nana makes him a cape to help him be brave. “Nana in the City” is a beautiful book that not only introduces the wonders of a big city to a child but encourages children to face their fears and try new things.
For a fanciful take on world travel, consider “The Adventures of Bella & Harry.” This series of books follows brother and sister chihuahuas as they travel the globe with their owners. Older sister Bella acts as a tour guide for younger brother Harry. What is spectacular about these books is that they take details about foreign cities and bring them to a level that young children can understand and appreciate in a blend of fiction and nonfiction.
For those ready to tackle longer stories, there are a few wonderful series that takes the reader far and wide through fantasy travel. In “The Magic Treehouse,” a brother and sister are magically transported to locations and times in history to solve puzzles for esteemed librarian Morgan Le Fay. These historical fantasies take the duo from the Pacific Ocean to Africa, Italy, China, New Orleans, and Alaska. Throughout their journeys, the pair cover a variety of events in history in a wide range of locations.
“Flat Stanley” is a curious character who was flattened by a bulletin board in the original story by Jeff Brown. In the Worldwide Adventure series, Stanley is airmailed to various locations around the globe to help solve problems. Whether exploring San Francisco or helping an archeologist in Egypt, Stanley brings the world home to young readers.
Stepping away from fictionalized tales, the outstanding series “Where is…” fits the bill. This series debuted in 2015 from the publishing group that has long produced nonfiction gems about great events and people in history. With the new series, they take landmarks throughout the world and give a history of the site. Including American locations such as the Grand Canyon, the White House, and Mount Rushmore, this is a great series for kids heading to any of these locales or just wanting to learn more about a specific site. With a wealth of great books and your encouragement, children can start their travel exploration from home and open their eyes to the great big world around them.