Travel Pop-Ups: New books that inspire travel

There are plenty of guidebooks out there that help parents plan family trips. We have our favorites, including Fodor’s Around series (Around London with Kids, for example) and the student guide series of Let’s Go (Let’s Go Western Europe is sitting right beside me).

travel-books-for-kids

 

However, it’s harder to get the kids inspired pre-trip. They’re not as involved in the planning process, even if you make an effort, and they have a harder time picturing the destinations you’ll be visiting. This is where inspiring travel books come into play.

Recently, the team at Candlewick Press offered to send me a selection of travel books designed for kids. I accepted, but honestly, I’ve seen travel books I’ve felt were either too silly or too boring for kids, and wasn’t sure I’d be endorsing the books. As soon as Candlewick’s Panorama Pops series and World Unfurled series arrived, however, I knew I’d be featuring them here. Why? They’re simply beautiful, and when the beauty of destinations can be captured, inspiration sets in!

Panorama Pops series:

This is my favorite. Each of the 15 pop-up books in this series is the size of a notebook, and unfold accordion style to reach nearly 5 feet. Each features a different world city and all the major attractions within it. Unfolding the Rome book, I felt a wave of nostalgia and excitement to soon share this city with my kids. After our trip, I just know this book, which fits into a hardshell slip case, will become a keepsake that sits on one of the kids’ bookshelves to remind him of the trip. Pick one up, such as Rome or San Francisco, for only $8.99. The photo does not do it justice!

Traditional Pop-Up: 

For a bigger, more epic experience, try Pop-Up New York, in which each page depicts a different part of the city. Each cityscape is iconic, and information blurbs tell kids what they can expect at the various landmarks like the Brooklyn Bridge or Rockefeller Plaza. Like the Panorama Pops series, this book will be just as fun after a trip, and far more meaningful to kids. Because pop-up books are fragile, I’d recommend them for kids over age three. For older kids needing a New York-specific book, also try Inside and Out: New York, which is a highly-detailed double-sided wall chart and map that unfolds to over two and a half feet. Kids can search out objects, or use it after a trip to mark things they did.

What travel books do you seek out for your kids when planning a trip?

As noted above, Candlewick Press sent us their new pop-up books at no cost, for the purpose of review. 

 

Shares