I’ve been toying with this idea for a while. A book club. For families. With a travel focus. Why? While researching all of the books for this website I often think, there’s got to be a fun way for parents to read their own books set in a specific destination, too. Other than, obviously, just reading the book itself. So, I thought that parents should read a book set in the destination of where their kids are reading. And LIVRE VOYAGE the travel-themed family book club was born.
Welcome.
What is Livre Voyage?
Livre is French for book. Voyage is French for travel. So this is what it is – book travel. For the family.
How does THIS family book club work?
There are a ton of family book clubs out there. And I think there’s time for all of them in our life. But, let me explain how this one works.
- Pick a destination.
- Search for a book set in that destination for the adult.
- Search for a book set in that destination for the child.
- The adult reads the adult book on their own time, though older kids can also read that book subject depending.
- The adult reads the kid’s book with the kids.
- Discuss the kid’s book together, with special focus on the setting.
How do we find the books?
There’s two ways you can research books.
Find books on your own. Whether you ask your favorite local bookshop, friends, or use awesome resources like Trip Fiction or Tale Away. Trip Fiction and Tale Away have resources for books based on destinations and you can find your book there. Then come to Kids Travel Books and look for a book from that setting here. (Or, go to our new FB group and ask there – I approve new members frequently).
Wait for me to post it. I started working on book pairing for Livre Voyage already. I’ll have a destination and provide some added tips to make the experience extra special. Bookmark this site and check frequently, follow me on Facebook for updates, or sign up for my newsletter in the side bar.
That’s the basic idea. It’s a fun way for kids and adults to learn about other countries via books. However, this doesn’t have to be it.
I have a passion for teaching kids to become readers, to become comfortable with a book, not daunted. Books shouldn’t be daunting, they should be funny, exciting and wonderful; and learning to be a reader gives a terrific advantage.” – Roald Dahl
How can we enhance the Livre Voyage Family Book Club experience?
With just the littlest planning you can bring this book club to life.
Want to do more than just read about the destination? Here are more resources.
If you want to make your family book club even more special, you’ll need to prepare a little in advance. Purchase the books you’ll be reading, set a date to finish the books by, and then plan for a small celebration. The celebration can have food, activities, and anything else you want to include.
Please note, we’ll give more specific resources in our Livre Voyage posts. These tips are for destinations you want to read on your own.
Conversation
Prepare a set of questions in advance. Here is a list that should be good for any destination-based reading that should be a good jumping-off point. (Here’s a free printable with a few questions to start it off and that can be used to record some answers.)
Food
Food makes things fun. Prepare food or purchase snacks that are from the same destination. My favorite resource for this is Food By Country. They have easy to make and delicious recipes and often include food background.
Music
Finding music these days is so easy. I either ask Google, YouTube, or go on to Spotify to find lists.
Activities
This one can be a little more difficult. Since this is a book club and the activity should be part of the discussion, I think an at-home activity is best. I’d do a Pinterest search along the lines of (COUNTRY activities for kids) to get something that fits within my budget.
On the side
I can’t be a travel site for families without encouraging travel. If this destination seems to spark your family’s interest, consider adding it to your bucket list. Keep in mind what the kids really seem to like about what they’ve read and follow that trail to help you plan your next Livre Voyage Book Club or your next family vacation.
That’s it!
This is what you want it to be. Don’t want to do more than read a few books? That’s ok. Want to make a whole month of it? That’s ok, too. The books and conversation are the key to it all.
My first Livre Voyage book club pairing will post tomorrow.
Do you want to join other like-minded families who are interested in learning about other cultures via books and travel? Join our Facebook Group. I approve new members daily. It’s still small but growing.
