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The United States spans six time zones and includes a wide variety of climate types ranging from the polar climate of Alaska to the tropical region of Hawaii. There are mountains, parks, deserts, rivers, lakes, beaches, and wide-open spaces.
The views are stunning. Visiting some of these scenic spots with your child will give both of you a new and fresh perspective on this amazing country.
You may agree that travel is a great adventure, but you might not be able to get away. In addition, you might want to avoid fluctuating gas prices, airline flights with an increasing possibility of delays, and the cost of traveling.
My answer to this dilemma is simple. You and your child can still have the enriching elements that travel provides—by using books.
Charting Your Book Voyage
To add to the experience, get an inexpensive map and chart the path of your trip. You can even go online with your child to discover more about the places and sights along the way.
To get in the mood for this journey, start with the book Oh the Places You’ll Go! by Dr. Seuss. This book, while often given as a graduation gift, is the perfect travel brochure. Seuss encourages children to explore and to be open to new things. This book has such a positive interpretation of life; you may find yourself reading and rereading it in many different circumstances.
To start the book tour, use the wings of imagination to travel to Hawaii. Once there, begin the adventure with Hawaii Volcanoes National Park by Sharlene Nelson and Ted Nelson. This book is part of the educationally acclaimed True Book nonfiction series. It offers a thorough view of Hawaii’s No. 1 visitor attraction—the living museum of volcanoes.
A companion book to enrich the experience is Volcanoes (Let’s-Read-and-Find-Out Science 2) by Franklyn M. Branley. Branley’s book has superb full-color photographs of volcanoes and is quite easy to understand. There are even instructions in Branley’s book for making a volcano with baking soda.
The next leg of the journey is to board a cruise ship bound for Alaska by way of To Alaska!! Peter the Cruise Ship. This book is by Hans Mateboer, an actual ship captain.
According to the website for Captains Publishing, the book “frequently and freely crosses the border between fiction and nonfiction, as it is based on actual situations in Alaska, written by a captain who has sailed the waters there more than 200 times. Children will learn about fog at sea, the beauty of Alaska, the Northern Lights, and the challenges of sailing in the narrow channels.” (www.captainspublishing.com)
While sailing, don’t forget to glance at the exquisite photographs of the ocean in the following books: Oceans by Seymour Simon, Smithsonian Ocean: Our Water, Our World by Deborah Cramer, and Eye Wonder: Ocean by Mary Ling.
When you reach Alaska, it is time to take A Bus Ride Into Denali (Denali National Park) with authors Bernd & Susan Richter. This folding book opens to a large panoramic view of the park and its major attractions, the wildlife and of course its centerpiece, Mt. McKinley or Denali, “The Great One,” as it is referred to locally. This 20,320-foot mountain is the highest in North America.
You can find this book and other informative children’s books about Alaska on the website alaskachildrensbooks.com.
Expand on the facts learned about this huge national park (which is larger than the state of Massachusetts) with Denali National Park and Preserve by David Petersen. This book is another in the True Book series, featuring full-color photographs and facts that will fascinate children.
Next on the itinerary is to locate Big-Enough Anna: The Little Sled Dog Who Braved the Arctic by Pam Flowers. This is a truly inspirational story about the importance of the young runt of the litter during the author’s 2,500-mile solo journey across the top of the world.
Anna would love the challenge of taking you and your child from Alaska to the Everglades!
Armchair Tours
On arriving in the Everglades, be prepared for a fascinating time with the book Welcome to the River of Grass by Jane Yolen. Amazon.com describes this book as the “perfect armchair tour through a surprisingly vast array of wildlife in a swampy strip unlike any other place on earth. Creatures that fly to those that crawl are presented in lilting, poetic words and lush, dramatic images.”
From there, travel to Boston on the famous train The Little Engine That Could by Watty Piper. This book has the timeless message of hard work and optimism.
There are many fun and fascinating stops along the way up the East Coast. When you reach Boston, be sure to read Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McClosky to get a duck’s-eye view of this city.
You will enjoy the sketched illustrations of the trip from downtown Boston to the Boston Public Garden drawn in the 1940s. Most spots shown are recognizable today. End this portion of your trip by imagining a relaxing ride on the historic swan boat shown in the book.
Then it is on the train again! Stop at the most visited urban park in the United States—Central Park in New York City—with Central Park Serenade by Laura Godwin and Barry Root.
You’ve traveled a lot by now, so it is time to rest at a nearby place—the Plaza Hotel. The hotel has just begun to offer the one-of-a-kind Eloise Suite, with rates starting at $995 a night. You and your child can stay there for a lot less money by reading the book Eloise by Kay Thompson.
While you are enjoying the luxury suite, contemplate where you might like to travel in the future. “The world is your oyster” to quote a famous saying.
Linda Wiegenfeld is a veteran teacher in Somerville, Mass. She often uses children’s literature to enrich her teaching. She welcomes any comments or suggestions for future trips at LWiegenfeld@aol.com.
