If you spend any amount of time in family travel forums you’ll come across someone’s post gushing over the “A Walk in…” series.
People love it.
Moms love it. Moms who travel love it. And their kids love it.
I had to see what it was all about so on a trip to the library I grabbed a copy. And read it. And this was my experience:
A Walk in London, a book review
A little girl narrates her trip to London with her mom in the book A Walk in London. Alongside the story and fun illustrations, the book has tidbits of information about the city. They juxtaposed the girl’s impressions of the city next to tour guide-like facts. In fact, some of these tidbits are things I remember from my own walking tour of London.
The book mentions all of London’s iconic treasures: double-decker buses, Buckingham Palace, Covent Garden, phone booths, Big Ben, Trafalgar Square, the Tower of London, and so much more.
The beauty is in the details
I like that the book explains some of the geographical and historical idiosyncrasies of the city. These tips are what makes visiting places extra special.
Some of the things they mention would actually help a family planning a trip to London. For example, the Bank of England has a museum where visitors can attempt to lift a bar of pure gold. And visitors can climb the monument commemorating the Great Fire of London (311 steps) and they’ll get a certificate at the end. How cool is that? I’ve been to London many times and have read many guidebooks and never came across those facts.
Panoramic Map of the Thames
They include a large, panoramic view of the Thames as a fold-out map. It highlights some of London’s extremes (more planes fly over this city than any other) and points out important buildings (like Shakespeare’s Globe theater).
Final thoughts on A Walk in London
This is a fun introduction for anyone who plans to visit London or just wants to learn more about it. I think this would be a fun book to read along with a map of London. Then the kids can point out all the places the family visits.
You can buy this book on Amazon.
During this trip to the library I didn’t check out the other books in the series, but if they’re anything like this one, I can see why people are such big fans.
More Information on A Walk in London
- Author and Illustrator: Salvatore Rubbino
- More books in the A Walk in series.
- Visitors information for the Bank of England Museum.
- Details for visiting the Great Fire of London monument.
- Plan a trip to Shakespeare’s Globe theater as a family.
