Read Your Way Around the World
Travel around the world without leaving your living room, with these five parent-kid book pairs!
With travel plans cancelled for the foreseeable future, we’re all looking for new ways to feel transported from our homes, without putting our families at risk. That’s where these book duos come into play! With one title for adults and one for kids (ranging from books for younger children to YA for teens), each pair is an opportunity to travel to all kinds of places — around the globe, to real-world inspired fantasy lands, and even through history! Family trips have always been a source of both excitement and enrichment, and these titles can sweep readers away while also creating opportunities for important and enlightening conversation.
All of these genre-spanning stories include vivid imagery sure to take your family on a journey!
Travel to Italy with…
From Scratch: A Memoir of Love, Sicily and Finding Home by Tembi Locke
This New York Times-bestselling novel spans three summers that author Tembi Locke spent in Sicily with her daughter Zoela, in the wake of her beloved husband Saro’s death. It was love at first sight when Tembi met professional chef, Saro, on a street in Florence. There was just one problem: Saro’s traditional Sicilian family did not approve of him marrying a Black American woman, an actress no less. When Saro passes away just as they have begun to reconcile with his family, Tembi feels drawn to the family, food, and possible future she and her daughter might find in her husband’s homeland. Reese Witherspoon, who selected From Scratch for her book club, describes it as, “a beautiful memoir” that “takes us on Tembi’s personal journey of love, parenthood, and ultimately the loss of her husband…” as she “learns to heal in the most beautiful way — through the support of three generations of women.”
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(Per School Library Journal, great for: Kids in grades 6+)
In this Bank Street Best Books selected story, award-winning author Donna Jo Napoli takes young readers on a journey to the heart of the mystery surrounding one of the world’s most famous paintings. Romance and history are blended together to create the perfect level of excitement in what Booklist calls a “richly embroidered romance” that “skillfully draws readers into the vibrant settings.” Elisabetta is a well-crafted and nuanced protagonist who begins an ill-fated romance with a young Medici. When her father attempts to force her into an arranged marriage to save their family from financial ruin, Elisabetta is caught between obligation and love. To complicate matters further, she has also caught the eye of none other than famed painter Leonardo da Vinci.
Travel to Swaziland and Swaziland-inspired fantasy worlds with…
Scarlet Odyssey (Book 1 of the Scarlet Odyssey series) takes place in Umadiland, a land of magic that can’t be found on any map. However, author C. T. Rwizi, born in Zimbabwe, raised in Swaziland, and now living in South Africa, builds a rich setting by combining recognizable aspects of his home with deft and fantastical world-building. In a world where magic is considered women’s work, eighteen-year-old Salo discovers he has a talent for technosorcery and becomes his clan’s mystic. When his village is attacked by a cruel enchantress, he must embark on a quest to the political heart of his continent, accompanied by fellow outcasts. Tor.com describes Scarlet Odyssey as “thrillingly refreshing, a propulsive story built around a fascinating cast of characters,” that is “brutal and beautiful and bold and Black in every way.”
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When the Ground is Hard by Malla Nunn
(Per School Library Journal, great for: Kids in grades 7+)
This stunning and compassionate historical novel, which won the 2019 Los Angeles Times Book Prize for young-adult literature, explores the complex relationships between the students of a hierarchical Swaziland boarding school in the 1960s (of which the author is an alum). Adele has always been popular at Keziah Christian Academy, a privilege that’s given her access to better food, books, and sleeping accommodations in a place where access hinges on wealth, racial heritage, and parentage. When she finds herself banished from the inner circle and forced to room with outcast Lottie, she must contend with her own biases. The two soon form an intimate bond, and when a classmate goes missing, they embark on a rescue journey together that teaches them about both their surroundings, and themselves. Kirkus Reviews says the, “gorgeous imagery sets the scene wonderfully.”
Travel to Ireland with…
That Further Shore: A Memoir of Irish Roots and American Promise by John Feerick
A rare and evocative memoir of a respected constitutional scholar, dedicated public servant, political reformer, and facilitator of peace in the land of his ancestors. John D. Feerick’s life has all the elements of a modern Horatio Alger story: the poor boy who achieves success by dint of his hard work. But Feerick brought other elements to that classical American success story: his deep religious faith, his integrity, and his paramount concern for social justice. Described by William Treanor of the New York Law Review as “a superb autobiography, because it is an inspiring story of family and the importance of roots.” Of John Feerick, Treanor says, “We live in a dark time, and we all need heroes. John Feerick is my hero.”
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Tales from Old Ireland by Malachy Doyle, illustrated by Niamh Sharey
(Per publisher Barefoot Books, great for: Kids in grades 3+)
This enchanting collection of favorite Irish folk tales deserves to be read aloud at every hearth. Described by Malachy Doyle in captivating language, the larger-than-life characters, dramatic landscapes, and magical happenings of all the tales, including the famous legend of the bewitched Children of Lir, are also brought vividly to life by the luminous art of Niamh Sharkey, making this a book that will transport readers to another world for many happy hours. Tales from Old Ireland is well on its way to a reputation as a classic, and is described by The Sunday Times as a “comic, tender collection of tales” that will “give adults as much pleasure to read aloud as it will give children to hear.”
Travel to the Andaman Islands with…
Glorious Boy is a sweeping tale of war and devotion, longing and loss, colonialism and communication, and the power of love to prevail. This family drama is set during World War II, and follows the journeys of Claire, an anthropologist, her physician husband Shep, their young non-verbal son Ty, and eight-year-old Naila, Ty’s nanny with whom he shares a special connection. When their home is evacuated due to invasion by Japanese forces, the family is separated. As Liu herself say, “In the desperate odyssey that follows, Claire, Shep, and Naila will all take unimaginable risks while drawing deeply from their knowledge of these unique islands to save their beloved “glorious boy.”” Publishers Weekly describes this stirring novel as “a sharp take on a lesser-known part of WWII history,” which “upends the cliches of the white savior narrative.”
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Island’s End by Padma Venkatraman
(Per publisher Putnam Books, great for: Kids in grades 7+)
When author Padma Venkatraman visited the Adaman Islands, she described feelings as though she had encountered a “mode of life that pulses with its own special beauty.” This story follows fifteen-year-old Uido, whose ability to communicate with spirits in her dreams has earned her the privilege of becoming a spiritual leader in her community. In order to assume the role, however, she must undergo training that will challenge her mentally and physically, and strain her relationships with those she is closest to. As strangers from the mainland begin to encroach on her home, Uido must also strive to protect her loved ones from the violence and danger they bring. In a starred review, Publishers Weekly says that, “Uido’s strength, compassion, and commitment should win respect and spur discussions on the casualties of imperialism.”
Travel to England and English-inspired fantasy worlds with…
Becoming Mrs. Lewis by Patti Callahan
When poet and writer Joy Davidman began writing letters to C. S. Lewis — known as Jack — she was looking for spiritual answers, not love. Everything about New Yorker Joy seemed ill-matched for an Oxford don and the beloved writer of Narnia, yet their minds bonded over their letters. Embarking on the adventure of her life, Joy traveled from America to England and back again, facing heartbreak and poverty, discovering friendship and faith, and against all odds, finding a love that even the threat of death couldn’t destroy. A Library Journal starred review describes Callahan’s writing as “riveting” and says “her characters spring to life to create a magical and literary experience that won’t soon be forgotten.”
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The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
(Per publisher HarperCollins, great for: Kids in grades 3+)
What could be a more appropriate book to pair with a story drawn from Lewis’s real life, than his enchanting children’s series, The Chronicles of Narnia? This beloved tale follows siblings Susan, Peter, Edmund, and Lucy as they accidentally discover Narnia, a mystical world in desperate need of their help. It’s a story of bravery in the face of danger, sacrifice, and, of course, magic. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe is an adored part of the canon of classic children’s literature, and was selected by PBS’s The Great American Read as one of America’s top 100 most-loved novels.
