Book Inspired Tropical Vacations

Reading a book takes us all into places we’ve possibly never discovered before. This same transformation is similar to what is experienced by taking a vacation. When traveling with children, there are childhood favorite stories and classics that inspire vacation choices. On a recent Today Show segment, Trisha Thompson, executive editor of Wondertime magazine, highlighted a few vacation destinations kids can relate to based on books. She discussed how kids can waddle like the duck family and take a swan boat ride in Boston as in “Make Way for Duckling” by Robert McClosky; how touring the home of Orchid House of Louisa May Alcott which was the predominant scene for Louisa and her three sisters in Little Women; or visiting Hannibal, Missouri to explore where Mark Twain ventured; or having tea in New York’s infamous Plaza Hotel where Eloise made her name known.

There are so many stories that take our and our children’s imaginations to places that we can actually take time to visit during a vacation. During her Today Show interview, Thompson explained that she is trying to help parents’ travel to be meaningful and relevant to the kids too. I take this to heart, even with a three-year-old. Our family treasures tropical family vacations and in turn, we have turned our little one onto sea creatures, marine life and pirates! A few books we have used to inspire travel for our next island vacation or tropical cruise or even a day trip to Sarasota’s Mote Aquarium include: “Shiver Me Letters: A Pirates ABC” by June Sobel; “Fidgety Fish and Friends” by Paul Bright; “Hello, Fish! Visiting the Coral Reef” by Sylvia A. Earle; and a new favorite “Mister Seahorse” by Eric Carle.

One travel tip I’ve provided before traveling to help keep kids occupied is bringing a new book or toy. Our little one loves to read so for our upcoming Carnival cruise to Cozumel, Mexico, I have already purchased a few enchanting pirate and sea tales for our adventure. We will be exploring “The Night Pirates” by Peter Harris; “A Pirate’s Tale” by Alan Jardine; and “Sharks” by Catriona Clarke. All three of these stories are available via Scholastic.

Not only by using books as a travel tool do you help stimulate the creativity for the journey, but you also are being educational in your approach. A win-win! I also encourage you to bring any travel-inspired books with you on your travels to serve as a “travel guide” for you and your kids.

What titles have inspired you and your family for your journeys?

--Jenn Thomas