Kids Travel Books

Children's books for travel. Travel for children's books.

Happy 150th Canada! – 150 Canada Books for Kids

Look at any list of places to go in 2017 and you’ll likely find Canada. It is the top destination of this year. While it’s always a top destination in my heart, part of the reason for its worldwide appeal in 2017 is because they’ll be celebrating their 150th anniversary of Confederation this year. And that celebration includes many cool events, activities, and deals throughout the year.

Some highlights that I’ve come across that are especially appealing to my readers include:

  • Free National Park entrances! Awesome! (Order the pass in advance through this link.)
  • Multicultural celebrations. I love how Ottawa has invited the international community to host events in honor of Canada’s 150th birthday. Between March and December, you’ll find programming from specific partners representing many of the world’s countries. Find out the details here.
  • The exchange rate is awesome! If you’re coming from the US, your dollar will go farther than it has in the past.

If, for some reason, you can’t make it to Canada this year but still want to participate in the fun, then I have an alternative plan. Books! Of course, right?

So in honor of 150 years of Canada, I present to you (drumroll) – 150+ children’s books set in Canada (loud applause).

Enjoy.

Please note: There are at least 150 different books listed below. However, I do list some books more than once if I notice that they fit more than one category. And sometimes I miss that they fit more than one category, so they’re only listed in one.

Please also note: Clicking on the book title will most likely take you straight to the link on Amazon. From there you can look at the book’s cover, read a description, see similar books, and buy it if you like it. There is at least one instance where clicking on the book title will take you to the creator’s website.

Please note this third thing: Some of the book listed below are also available on the Epic App. In a nutshell, Epic is like a Netflix of Children’s books. For a fee of $5 a month, you get access to a ton of books and other fun materials for kids. The app is free for the first month, so test it out if you see a bunch of Canada books that you want to read. If it is available on the Epic App, I’ll link to the Epic sign-up page. Click on the book title to go to the books Amazon link. If the book is also available via theEpic! App (an awesome app of children’s books that’s free to try and $5 after the first month) I’ll have a link toEpic! after the title. Pretty cool way to access a ton of books for free.

Also: This is a long post.

150+ Children’s books set in Canada

Putting these books in any kind of order that would make sense to a parent was hard. There’s a diverse range of book represented below. Sorting by category became very difficult… there’s a ton of them. Instead, I opted to have two main sections:

  • Books about Canada as a whole (or where the specific place within Canada isn’t as obvious), organized into ages. These age ranges are just an estimate, so if your child straddles two of the groups, you may find the perfect fit by looking at the other list.
  • Books organized by the Province they are more obviously set in

There are several books that are part of a series listed below. Just click on the series and it will take you to the bottom of the page where I share several titles from that series. Then click “back to the top” to continue reading.

Children’s books set in Canada

Children’s books set in Canada, age range 0-5

Check out these awesome Canada books for 0-5 year olds. #canada150 #kidslit Click To Tweet

Children’s books set in Canada, age range 5-10

Check out these awesome Canada books for 5-10 year olds. #canada150 #kidslit Click To Tweet

Children’s books set in Canada, age range 10-15

Check out these awesome Canada books for 10-15 year olds. #canada150 #kidslit Click To Tweet

Children’s books set in Canada, organized by Province

Children’s books set in Alberta

Children’s books set in British Columbia

Children’s books set in Manitoba

Children’s books set in New Brunswick

Children’s books set in New Foundland and Labrador

Children’s books set in Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Yukon

Children’s books set in Nova Scotia

Children’s books set in Ontario

Children’s books set in Prince Edward Island

  • I for Island  by Hugh MacDonald, Illustrated by Brenda Jones (Epic!)
  • The Anne of Green Gables Series. Click here for the whole series.

Children’s books set in Quebec

Children’s books set in Saskatchewan

Inuit-specific Stories

The following books are not destination specific, but are stories from or about the Inuit culture.

Series set in or about Canada

I referenced these above. Here’s the list of all (or a large selection) of the books in the series.

Anne of Green Gables Series, by Lucy Maud Montgomery, Ages 9-12

The Anne of Green Gables series holds a special place in many hearts. The story takes place in the early 1900s. Anne is an orphan mistakenly sent to Prince Edward Island to help a brother and sister on their farm. They were expecting a boy. While the novel is the best way to experience most stories, there are also films, television, musicals and plays to tell the story.

You can purchase Complete Anne of Green Gables series, get it on (Epic!), or buy them individually with these links:

Canadian Flyer Adventure Series, by Frieda Wishinsky, Ages 6-10

Through the magic of a red Canadian Flyer sled, Matt and Emily travel through time. They find themselves in various areas of Canada at important parts of the country’s history.

There are currently 17 books available in the series, here’s the first 7 to get you started:

I am Canada Series

Canada Concepts Series, by Per-Henrik Gürth, Board Book

Introducing Canada to the youngest readers-to-be is easy with the Canada Concepts Series. These colorful books look at various aspects of life in Canada, and also help kids learn the alphabet, numbers, shapes, colors, and more.

Many of these books are available on the kindle and Epic!

The Kids Book of…, various authors, ages 8-12

Ready to learn almost everything there is to know about Canada? The Kids Book of… series will help. The Kids Book of Canada book covers a little bit of everything. The format includes maps, timelines, people, history, and more. Follow the format in other books in the series for details on specific aspects of Canada’s story. Check out the titles below for more information:

Discover Canada Province by Province series, various authors, 5+

Using the alphabet, the Discover Canada Province by Province series dedicates each book to a different province. Focus on the places you’re most interested in to get a detailed look at the province A-Z, or collect them all to start your mission to become a Canada province expert.

The books are available free with a Kindle Unlimited Subscription, Epic!!, or individually and linked below.

Click here to go back to the top

Pin for later:Children's books about Canada

Children's books set in Canada

22 Books to Help Kids Prepare for EPCOT’s World Showcase

Book recommendations for Epcot Center World Showcase

I’m planning a trip to one of my favorite places on earth – EPCOT Center!!! Whoo!

I’m excited.

Since leaving Orlando over six years ago I haven’t made it to EPCOT and I’m ready to introduce my kids to it. This involves finding the Leave A Legacy photo my husband and I did the day after we got married, visiting all the fun rides within Future World, and then over to my favorite part – the World Showcase.

I can go on and on and on about how much I love World Showcase. The restaurants. The shopping (hello Japan!). Hello any cultural experience available outside of Metropolitan Orlando.

And for me, introducing my kids to the World Showcase means a fine selection of books set in each of the countries represented at EPCOT. And here we go.

Children’s books perfect for a visit to Epcot’s Mexico Pavilion

Book recommendations for Epcot Center World Showcase

Gracias, Thanks Written by Pat Mora, Illustrated by John Parra

This is not a specifically set in Mexico, but is a bilingual book starring a Mexican-American boy who is thankful for everything. My kids, who are so interested in the Spanish, will love this book. Add that to the wonderful storytelling (this time, poetry) and illustrations by John Parra – and we have a winner.

Mexico: Unpacked by Susie Brooks

Another option to learn more about the country is the Unpacked series. Their Mexico edition came out in October of 2016. This talks about the sights, history, culture, food, and people that make Mexico the destination it is today.

Children’s books perfect for a visit to Epcot’s Norway Pavilion

Book recommendations for Epcot Center World Showcase

Frozen: 5 Minute Stories 

Or any Frozen book will do. I haven’t been to EPCOT since they replaced my favorite ride with the Frozen-inspired version, but I’ve heard good things. In case you, or your kids, aren’t familiar with the story – time to brush up before your trip to Norway!

D’Aulaires’ Book of Norse Myths Written by Ingri d’Aulaire and Edgar Parin d’Aulaire

Sure the Norway Pavilion is Frozen-inspired, but, there should still be some references to the Norse Myths as you visit the Stave church and shops? Right? Well, it doesn’t hurt to know some of the famous mythology anyway.

Children’s books perfect for a visit to Epcot’s China Pavilion

Book recommendations for Epcot Center World Showcase

Bella and Harry: Let’s Visit Beijing written by Lisa Manzione, Illustrated by Kristine Lucco

Since there’s a replica of the Temple of Heaven at the China Pavilion, it only makes sense to read a book that mentions it. Bella and Harry visit all of the popular Beijing hotspots, many of which will be included in the 360-degree film.

All About China

The exhibits and shows at the China Pavilion are more than just Beijing, so to help make up for the differences of what to expect when visiting – try out this book of activities that kids will surely enjoy.

Children’s books perfect for a visit to Epcot’s Germany Pavilion

Book recommendations for Epcot Center World Showcase

This is Munich by M. Sasek

The biergarten at the Germany Pavilion is one of my favorite places to eat. It’s just fun. The buffet choices are delicious. I love it. It has a very Bavarian feel to it, so reading more about Munich just makes sense.

Look What Came From Germany by Kevin Davis

I’ll be honest. My German-born children are constantly inundated with books about all things German. They’re well-versed. However, I think this series of things that came from their birth country would be interesting for all of us, and help us to prepare for the shopping opportunities at EPCOT’s German pavilion.

Children’s books perfect for a visit to Epcot’s Italy Pavilion

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The Treasures of Venice by Dario Cestaro and Paola Zaffoli

The Italian Pavilion at EPCOT is heavily inspired by the city of Venice. If your travels have never taken you there, this is a good compromise. And before heading to Orlando, this pop-up book is a fun way to get to know the sites of you’ll soon see.

Pinocchio

From previous visits to EPCOT it seems that the Italy Pavilion is focused on the atmosphere, food, and shopping to give you an Italian feel. There are opportunities to meet the most famous Italian Disney character, Pinocchio, so prepare by reading the book.

Children’s books perfect for a visit to Epcot’s America Pavilion

Book recommendations for Epcot Center World Showcase

The Dreadful, Smelly Colonies by Elizabeth Raum

The American Pavilion at EPCOT has a very colonial feel to it. A very clean, disneyfied (of course), version of the colonies. So, why not have some fun with American history and look at some of the yuckier parts of that era?

Awesome America 

The opposite of the book above, this book focuses on the history, culture, and people of America. I like this pick because the American Adventure show at the pavilion concentrates on the people.

Children’s books perfect for a visit to Epcot’s Japan Pavilion

Book recommendations for Epcot Center World Showcase

Life in Ancient Japan

The first thing a visitor walking into the Japan Pavilion notices is the awesome architecture. Most of the “look” of EPCOT’s Japan Pavilion was inspired by Ancient Japan. So we’ll spend sometime checking out the cool buildings before heading inside to my one of the best places ever…

Manga, Hello Kitty, and Origami

… the inside of the palace is a huge department store. They sell real Japanese goods. Kimonos, kitchen items, toys, food, etc. It reminds me of my younger years in Okinawa. It is my favorite shopping destination in Orlando and I can’t wait to take my kids. However, knowing them, they will not have the patience to help me pick out kitchen dishes (why, yes, I do go to Epcot to get dishes). So, for me, this means making sure they’re in the know about some of the other things this shop has to offer. That means Manga, Hello Kitty, and Origami. Let their dad take them to that part of the store, while I get my serving for 8.

Children’s books perfect for a visit to Epcot’s Morocco Pavilion

Book recommendations for Epcot Center World Showcase

The Street Cats of Marrakech by Dee Toth-Jones, Illustrated by Seline Stevenson

Fortunately, it’s easy enough for me to leave Japan because of the promise of fun shopping in Morocco, too. And I always love how different the feels are between the Japanese and Moroccan pavilions. I can stare at the tiles for hours. My favorite part of this pavilion (other than the sit-down restaurant) is how the shops have an outdoor feel, even if so much of it is indoor. My kids will love this book talking about the street cats of Marrakesh.

The Storyteller by Evan Turk

I’m taking my kids to EPCOT because I love the quick glimpse into other cultures. I’m showing them some books before we go because I like them to have more knowledge about a place. I love stories. And this story, The Storyteller, talks about the importance of storytelling using Morocco as the background. The perfect setting, if you ask me.

Children’s books perfect for a visit to Epcot’s France Pavilion

Book recommendations for Epcot Center World Showcase

Beauty and the Beast (coming January 2017)

I’m a bit excited for Emma Watson’s live action Beauty and the Beast coming out soon. There are many books of Disney’s cartoon classic available, but this one looks fun. My kids are already familiar with Belle. I hope we get a chance to run into her and the Beast while we’re in France… Pavilion.

Gustave Eiffel’s Spectacular Idea: The Eiffel Tower  by Sharon Katz Cooper, illustrated by Janna Bock

Is it just me, or is the Eiffel Tower the ultimate icon when talking about travel? I love the real one, the copies I’ve seen around the world, and the one at EPCOT. My kids have seen the real one and I think they’ll feel the same as I do about them all. But, even though this is just a fraction of the size of the original, why not bump up our knowledge about the building while we’re at it?

Children’s books perfect for a visit to Epcot’s United Kingdom Pavilion

Book recommendations for Epcot Center World Showcase

Shakespeare for Kids

I’ll admit that I haven’t spent too much time in the UK Pavilion on previous EPCOT trips. I lived near a really good pub and the lack of attractions had me just breeze on through. But, I’ve read that there’s a building based off of William Shakespeare’s wife’s childhood home. So now, a brief intro to Shakespeare may be worth it.

Mary Poppins and Winnie the Pooh

There’s a rumor that these are the two character sightings possible in the UK Pavillion. I wouldn’t know since I’ve never stuck around long enough. If there is, I know what I want. Pooh-bear.

Children’s books perfect for a visit to Epcot’s Canada Pavilion

Book recommendations for Epcot Center World Showcase

The Kids Books of Canada by Barbara Greenwood, illustrated by Jock MacRae

I took a course called “Canadian history” when I was in college. Within the first few days of class, I discovered that I knew nothing about Canada. It’s important to me that my kids know about our current neighbor to the north (which is where their grandfather is from), and this book is a nice introduction to the many sites and sounds of one of my favorite places to visit in real life and in EPCOT life.

Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery

Whenever I ask anyone about books about Canada, they mention this series. People love it. I haven’t read it and there’s no way that I will before we go to EPCOT. But, this is still on the list. If you’re looking to stock up on the books, I hear the shop at the Canadian Pavilion may be the place to get them all.

Whew!

Yes, I know this is a lot to get through. But, we’ll start with the ones my kids are most interested about, then move on from there. This doesn’t have to happen before our trip, either. It could happen when we get back, or read some books before we go and some when we get back. It’s just another way to help my kids have a more global view of the world through their personal experiences and books.

Planning a trip to Epcot or planning a read through the books listed anyway? Pin this for later:

22 Children's books to learn about the countries in Epcot's World Showcase.

I Explored, Now He’ll Explore: Dublin

Today I announce a new recurring Guest Post Series for KidsTravelBooks – I Explored, Now He’ll Explore: Souvenir Books for Aiden. What’s this about? Melissa from Baby Castan on Board frequently travels around the world. During her travels, she picks up a book or two for her son, Aiden. In this series she’ll share the books she finds and why she loves it. And now I’ll let Melissa take over.

add-heading

Souvenir Books for Aiden: Dublin

I recently traveled to Ireland for a business trip. I usually travel to Europe once a year and then a few times domestically for work. Now that Aiden is here, one of my favorite things to do is purchase a book, or two, from the location I am visiting. I try to get one that is culturally relevant to the area I am visiting and a second, more fun book. Purchasing books as souvenirs will help build a diverse library and help us educate Aiden on different locations and cultures.

Cultural Book: Dublin

Photo Credit: Baby Castan on Board
Photo Credit: Baby Castan on Board

For the cultural book I found a book called Irish Legends for Children. I thought this was a perfect book to bring home because if you know anything of the Irish culture, it is that they have a rich history of storytelling with many of their stories being passed down through generations.

The book includes six well known Irish legends, or short stories. The illustrations are beautiful and colorful which is great to capture the attention of a baby, and large clear lettering for when the time comes that Aiden can actually read the book. Each story has a moral which I plan to use to teach Aiden different lessons as he gets older.

One of the great things about picking up books from another country is that they can be quite different from what you might find in the United States. For example, many of the legends have adult themes such as death; the book doesn’t really gloss over, or sugarcoat those topics. This might be surprising for some parents, but I embrace the opportunity to teach Aiden about culture and educate him on the lessons the stories tell.

Fun Book: Dublin

Photo Credit: Baby Castan on Board
Photo Credit: Baby Castan on Board

The second book I purchased is a pop-up book called Dublin: A Three-Dimensional Expanding City Skyline. This book is really fun and I haven’t really seen anything like it before. It is a small square of cut-paper that you pull out of a cardboard holder. As you unfold the book it opens to popular sites in Dublin and gives a little history about the location. This one was really fun because when I would Skype with Aiden, I could show him all the sites I visited.

About the Author

Hi, I’m Melissa! I am a mama to my little baby boy Aiden Milo (born November 2015), and a police wife to my husband Dan. We live in Northern Virginia. I work full time as a meeting planner for two non-profits, one of which is international, so I travel several times a year.

When we brought Aiden home we were smacked with a huge dose of reality, but we wouldn’t have it any other way. I now share my experiences and adventures of being a first-time mama on my blog babycastanonboard.com to hopefully help other first time moms.

Follow her on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

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i-explored-now-hell-explore

8 Travel Book Series for Kids

There’s something fun about following the same book character(s) through a series of books. The kids become more familiar with the character and parents know what to expect.

Here’s a list of 8 book series that tell stories of their main characters traveling the world.

Please note that I link to both the KidsTravelBooks directory and Amazon. In some cases, the series listed in KidsTravelBooks only has a sampling of books available (I’m working on it!), so I link to Amazon’s complete listing of the book for your convenience. (Links to Amazon are affiliate links.)

8 Travel books Series

Flat Stanley’s Worldwide Adventures

Flat-Stanleys-Worldwide-Adventures-3-The-Japanese-Ninja-Surprise-0

These books are based off of the original Flat Stanley series of decades ago. Join Flat Stanley and his family, the Lambchops, as they find adventures around the world. Children will also love printing out their own Flat Stanley to bring on their trip.

  • Written by: Jeff Brown
  • Illustrated by: Macky Paminmtuan
  • Ages: 6-10
  • Find Flat Stanley books in the KTB directory, or directly on Amazon.

Benjamin Blog and his Inquisitive Dog

Australia-A-Benjamin-Blog-and-His-Inquisitive-Dog-Guide-Country-Guides-with-Benjamin-Blog-and-his-Inquisitive-Dog-0

This fun series provides a different format for readers. Benjamin shares his adventures with his dog, Marco Polo, via a series of blog posts. Don’t worry, you don’t need wi-fi to read them. They’re all in the book. These are fact-filled with real photos.

  • Written by: Anita Ganeria
  • Illustrated by: Semur Isik
  • Ages: 6-10
  • Find Benjamin Blog in the KTB directory, or directly on Amazon.

Rabs and Ted

Rabs and Ted!

The bunny and bear, Rabs and Ted, get into trouble wherever they go. Bad news for them, but great news for us since the go a lot of places! My kids love this duo.

Adventures of Riley

Adventures-of-Riley-Mission-to-Madagascar-0

Animal lovers will enjoy the Adventures of Riley series. Riley frequently joins her Uncle Max, a biologist, on animal studies around the world. Please note that some of the books in the series are hard to find (but not impossible)!

  • Written by: Amanda Lumry and Laura Hurwitz
  • Illustrations by: Sarah McIntyre
  • Ages: 4-8
  • Find Adventures of Riley in the KTB directory, or buy directly on Amazon.

Travels with Gannon and Wyatt

Travels-with-Gannon-and-Wyatt-Greenland-Travels-With-Gannon-Wyatt-0

Explorers Gannon and Wyatt are based off two real brothers. Their books take them on expeditions around the world and the diary entry format pays homage to famous journals of the past.

KeeKee’s Big Adventures

KeeKees-Big-Adventures-in-Athens-Greece-0

I first learned about KeeKee through my friends at The Three Under and Gone with the Family. They love how KeeKee the Cat introduces young children to the landmarks, culture, food, and more of each of her destinations.

Magic Tree House/Fact Checker

Magic-Tree-House-Fact-Tracker-31-China-Land-of-the-Emperors-Great-Wall-A-Nonfiction-Companion-to-Magic-Tree-House-14-Day-of-the-Dragon-King-A-Stepping-Stone-BookTM-0

Kids and parents both love the Magic Tree House series. Not all of their books are travel-based, but many are. What makes it extra fun is their accompanying Fact Checker series to help readers learn more about the destinations behind Annie and Jack’s trips.

Molly and the Magic Suitcase

By-Chris-Oler-Molly-and-the-Magic-Suitcase-Molly-Goes-to-Barcelona-Volume-2-1st-First-Edition-Paperback-0

Of course, no list of travel series on this site will be complete without mentioning Molly and the Magic Suitcase. Molly and Michael travel the world and meet local children who take them on a cultural tour around their city.

There are so many series available for kids to enjoy and learn about the world. I already know that I need to do a part two of this post in the future.

What’s your favorite?

Travel Books Series for Kids (1)

 

Four Holiday-Themed Book Series for U.S. Travel

For March’s Kids Travel Books Reading Challenge I’m focusing on the United States.

Before we get into some recommendations, a little story:

I moved to North Carolina a few days before Christmas in 2014. Before that I spent, maybe, a total of 6 days in this state.

I don’t know a lot about North Carolina.

We have a holiday tradition to buy a Christmas-related book for our kids for Christmas. When I went to Target on December 23, 2014, I found our book. Santa Claus is Coming to North Carolina.

I thought it would be the perfect introduction of our new home for our kids. As Santa flies over NC’s famous sites, we could almost consider it a check-list of things we might want to do while we live here. So cool.

Holiday travel books for kids

Now that I’ve been in the U.S. more than a year I’ve noticed something.

When I was in Florida, I saw a special Florida book.

When I was in South Carolina, there was a special South Carolina book.

One in Georia.

In Tennessee.

Before Valentine’s Day, my local Target sold a tour of North Carolina via loved sites. There’s a bunny book available right now.

My Santa is Coming to North Carolina book isn’t special for North Carolina. There’s one for every state and many cities across this country.*

*I have not actually checked if there is one for EVERY state, but they are available for quite a few states, some cities, and even some countries.

What do I think of these books?

I haven’t bought each of these books. I haven’t even looked at a sample for each of the different holidays. But, they have a common theme. Typically, a holiday icon flies over the state admiring the places that make it unique.

If you want to familiarize your kids with the sites in your home state, your favorite state, or anything in between – this is a great way to do it. While not filled with in-depth facts or analysis of local tradition and culture, they do give a great overview of some of the state’s most popular features. Find out what places seem to interest your child. If possible, visit those places. If not, give them other books and materials so they can learn more.

Holidays are a time families travel to other states. A holiday-themed book about a place you visited or plan to visit will have extra significance. Use it as a journal – let kids write in the white space about their thoughts for what they saw.

If the goal is to get kids excited about the world around them, I think they do a great job.

Holiday-themed books for U.S. Travel – Four Series to look for

Four Holiday-Themed Book Series for U.S. Travel

Here is a sample of some of the series available on Amazon. Click on the link to find your state. Let me know what you think in the comments. Or tweet it to your friends below:

Love is all around

Santa is coming to…

The Littlest Bunny in…

A Halloween Scare in…

There's a series of books for V-day, Easter, Halloween, & Christmas for each US state.… Click To Tweet

Check back in the upcoming weeks as we look at more books about the U.S., a book for every state, a book review, and an interview with one of the kids travel book authors!

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