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In the Kitchen

Gran Cocina Latina, The Food of Latin America

Maricel E. Presilla

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Endurance, Shackleton's Incredible Voyage

Alfred Lansing

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Barry Lopez

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Every Day in Tuscany, Seasons of an Italian Life

Frances Mayes

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Reading Beyond the Ordinary: Smithsonian Family Adventures

READING AND TRAVEL GUIDE

Great Travel Books for the Whole Family

Giant Pandas

Giant Pandas

by John Seidensticker | Susan Lumpkin

  • NATURAL HISTORY
  • 2007
  • PAPER
  • 186 PAGES

An informative, family-friendly overview of the natural history, conservation and habitats of Central China's giant pandas. With 200 color photographs, many taken in Sichuan. (CHN456, $19.95)

Young Fu of the Upper Yangtze

Young Fu of the Upper Yangtze

by Elizabeth Foreman Lewis

  • LITERATURE
  • 2008
  • PAPER
  • 266 PAGES
  • MIDDLE READERS (Age 9-12)

For ages 9-12. Drawing on her experience in China as a missionary in the 1920s, Lewis illuminates the transformation of 13-year-old Young Fu from a country bumpkin to a resourceful apprentice coppersmith in the dangerous, semi-feudal city of Chunking in this Newbery-winning classic. 75th anniversary edition. (CHN148, $7.99)

Greek Myths

Greek Myths

by Ann Turnbull

  • LITERATURE
  • 2010
  • HARD COVER
  • 168 PAGES
  • MIDDLE READERS (Age 9-12)

Rarely-told Greek myths stand beside the old classics in this gorgeously illustrated children's book. (GRE473, $18.99)

Built to Last

Built to Last

by David Macaulay

  • ART & ARCHITECTURE
  • 2010
  • HARD COVER
  • 272 PAGES
  • FAMILY

A compilation of MacAulay's books Castle, Cathedral and Mosque with updated research and new color drawings. MacAulay tells the fictional but accurate stories of how these structures were built, explaining their historical and cultural importance. Packed with wonderfully detailed illustrations, this book will appeal to all ages. (GEN953, $24.99)

We All Went On Safari, A Counting Journey Through Tanzania

We All Went On Safari, A Counting Journey Through Tanzania

by Laurie Krebs

  • CULTURAL PORTRAIT
  • 2004
  • PAPER
  • 32 PAGES
  • YOUNG READERS (Age 4-8)

This lively, award-winning counting book also teaches youngsters about the Maasai and wildlife of Tanzania through simple text and colorful illustrations. (EAF183, $7.99)

Going Solo

Going Solo

by Roald Dahl

  • BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR
  • 2009
  • PAPER
  • 224 PAGES
  • YOUNG ADULTS

With its large print and album-like photographs, both young and old will delight in Dahl's recollections of his adventures as a WWII-era Royal Air Force pilot in Tanzania and Greece. (EAF78, $6.99)

Lost City, The Discovery of Machu Picchu

Lost City, The Discovery of Machu Picchu

by Ted Lewin

  • EXPLORATION
  • 2003
  • HARD COVER
  • 48 PAGES
  • MIDDLE READERS (Age 9-12)

Caldecott-winning author Ted Lewin traveled in the footsteps of the 1911 explorer for this captivating tale of Hiram Bingham and the discovery of Machu Picchu, geared for ages 9-12. With detailed watercolor illustrations of Cuzco, the Urubamba Valley and Machu Picchu, it will appeal to the whole family. (PRU51, $17.99)

Secret of the Andes

Secret of the Andes

by Ann Nolan Clark | Jean Charlot

  • LITERATURE
  • 1970
  • PAPER
  • 120 PAGES
  • MIDDLE READERS (Age 9-12)

In this novel for pre-teens, a native boy in Peru goes on a magical discovery of his roots, learning much about Inca tradition. A Newbery Award-winning book first published in 1952. (AND19, $5.99)

Bug Zoo

Bug Zoo

by Nick Baker

  • NATURAL HISTORY
  • 2010
  • HARD COVER
  • 64 PAGES
  • YOUNG READERS (Age 4-8)

This fun, illustrated guide to safely capturing, keeping, feeding and studying backyard bugs will appeal to children aged 5-8. Parents be warned: you may end up with a menagerie of creeping critters. (BST181, $12.99)

A Little History of the World

A Little History of the World

by E. H. Gombrich

  • HISTORY
  • 2011
  • HARD COVER
  • 304 PAGES
  • MIDDLE READERS (Age 9-12)

This splendidly readable, sweeping history for younger readers -- excellent for reading aloud -- covers the history of the world from the stone age until the dawn of the atomic age in 40 concise chapters. With 200 color illustrations, this new illustrated edition of Gombrich's classic is as handsome as it is engaging. (REF12, $29.95)

Children's Travel Journal

Children's Travel Journal

by Adrienne Hartman | Anne Banks

  • GUIDEBOOK
  • 2004
  • PAPER
  • 48 PAGES
  • YOUNG READERS (Age 4-8)

An inspired workbook and travel journal for children, spiral-bound and printed on heavy paper to accommodate lots of glue and watercolor. The book invites young travelers to get busy, alternating lined and unlined pages, with illustrations and suggestions throughout. (GEN118, $19.95)

 
Eyewitness China

Eyewitness China


by Poppy Sebag-Montefiore

  • CULTURAL PORTRAIT
  • 2007
  • HARD COVER
  • 72 PAGES
  • MIDDLE READERS (Age 9-12)

Geography, history, sports, daily life and food are all included in this visually rich introduction to today's China, which like many books in the Eyewitness series includes a poster and CD. (CHN563, $16.99)

The Great Wall of China

The Great Wall of China


by Leonard Everett Fisher

  • HISTORY
  • 1995
  • PAPER
  • 32 PAGES
  • YOUNG READERS (Age 4-8)

In brief text and bold black-and-white illustrations that any age could enjoy, this storybook recounts the construction of the Great Wall of China for young children. (CHN103, $7.99)

Up and Down the Andes

Up and Down the Andes


by Laurie Krebs

  • CULTURAL PORTRAIT
  • 2008
  • HARD COVER
  • YOUNG READERS (Age 4-8)

Sweet rhyming couplets and vibrant, double-page water color illustrations introduce Peru and its culture to youngsters ages 4-8. A delightful book. (AND75, $16.99)

You Wouldn't Want to Be an Inca Mummy!

You Wouldn't Want to Be an Inca Mummy!


by Colin Hynson

  • CULTURAL PORTRAIT
  • 2007
  • PAPER
  • 32 PAGES
  • MIDDLE READERS (Age 9-12)

The hilarious illustrations and light-hearted tone, helpful hints and glossary in this popular series for ages 7-10 will entice even reluctant readers. (AND72, $9.95)

My Family and Other Animals

My Family and Other Animals


by Gerald Durrell

  • BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR
  • 2004
  • PAPER
  • 288 PAGES

In this hilarious memoir, Durrell recounts sparkling anecdotes of his childhood on Corfu in the 1930s -- not least his passion for the toads, tortoises, bats, scorpions and other creatures. Read it aloud or give it to the budding naturalist in your life. (GRE35, $15.00)

A Girl Named Disaster

A Girl Named Disaster


by Nancy Farmer

  • LITERATURE
  • 1998
  • PAPER
  • 309 PAGES
  • YOUNG ADULTS

An 11-year-old girl embarks on a year-long odyssey from Mozambique to Zimbabwe in gripping this introduction to Southern Africa, the Shona and their ideas about the spirit world for young adults by National Book Award winner and three-time Newbery Honor author. (ZIM09, $7.99)

American Shaolin

American Shaolin


by Matthew Polly

  • LITERATURE
  • 2008
  • PAPER
  • 366 PAGES
  • YOUNG ADULTS

Laced with humor and illuminated by cultural insight, this coming-of-age tale explores one young American's quest to become a kung fu master at China's legendary Shaolin Temple. An ALA Best Book for Young Adults in 2008. (CHN572, $16.00)

An Elephant in the Garden

An Elephant in the Garden


by Michael Morpurgo

  • LITERATURE
  • 2011
  • HARD COVER
  • 208 PAGES

In this thrilling novel for middle schoolers by the author of War Horse, inspired by history, 82-year-old Lizzie recounts the story of her family and the struggle to save a young zoo elephant during the February 1945 bombing of Dresden. (GER286, $16.99)

Cautionary Tales for Children

Cautionary Tales for Children


by Hillaire Belloc

  • LITERATURE
  • 2002
  • HARD COVER
  • 72 PAGES
  • YOUNG READERS (Age 4-8)

Witty, brilliant, and strikingly irreverent, these unforgettable poems "for children and mature adults" are illustrated by the inimitable Edward Gorey. There's not just Jim, Who Ran Away from his Nurse and was Eaten by a Lion and Henry King, Who Chewed Bits of String and Died in Dreadful Agony but also Charles, who shows us What Everybody Might Become by Simply Doing Right. How about a new edition of The Bad Child's Book of Beasts? (GBR906, $16.00)

Gods and Heroes

Gods and Heroes


by Matthew Reinhart

  • LITERATURE
  • 2010
  • HARD COVER
  • 12 PAGES
  • MIDDLE READERS (Age 9-12)

This pop-up pantheon presents Zeus's Mount Olympus, Norse god Odin's frozen north, the Jade Emperor and many more of the world's great myths and legends. (GRE406, $29.99)

Listening For Lions

Listening For Lions


by Gloria Whelan

  • LITERATURE
  • 2007
  • PAPER
  • 194 PAGES
  • MIDDLE READERS (Age 9-12)

Plucked from her life among the Maasai and Kikuyu people in East Africa after the Great War, young Rachel fights for her family and the life she had in rural Africa in this absorbing novel for middle schoolers. (EAF179, $6.99)

Men and Gods

Men and Gods


by Rex Warner

  • LITERATURE
  • 2008
  • HARD COVER
  • 296 PAGES
  • FAMILY

The inimitable Edward Gorey vividly illustrates these 38 spellbinding tales, memorably retold by novelist and scholar Rex Warner. (GRE341, $16.95)

Nancy Drew, The Scarlet Macaw Scandal

Nancy Drew, The Scarlet Macaw Scandal


by Carolyn Keene

  • MYSTERY
  • 2004
  • PAPER
  • 160 PAGES
  • MIDDLE READERS (Age 9-12)

Nancy and her friends head for Costa Rica's Corcovado National Park to relax and study monkeys when they stumble upon, naturally, a mystery to be solved. (CRC50, $5.99)

Never Cry Wolf

Never Cry Wolf


by Farley Mowat

  • LITERATURE
  • 2001
  • PAPER
  • 246 PAGES
  • FAVORITE

A laugh-out-loud account of wolf research and government folly set on the barren lands of northern Manitoba. Perfect for teens. (BST34, $12.99)

Once and Future King

Once and Future King


by T. H. White

  • LITERATURE
  • 2011
  • PAPER
  • 640 PAGES
  • YOUNG ADULTS

White's delightful reimagining of Sir Thomas Malory's Morte D'Arthur introduces the search for the Holy Grail, creation of the Round Table and all the romance, wizardry and war of Camelot for the whole family. (GBR844, $25.00)

Prisoners of the Sun

Prisoners of the Sun


by Herge

  • LITERATURE
  • 1975
  • PAPER
  • FAMILY

In this 14th adventure, Tintin, Snowy and Captain Haddock follow the trail to an ancient Inca stronghold high in the Peruvian Andes in search of Professor Calculus, kidnapped by the locals. Many complications ensue. (PRU94, $10.99)

The Story of Ferdinand

The Story of Ferdinand


by Munro Leaf | Robert Lawson

  • LITERATURE
  • 1936
  • PAPER
  • 72 PAGES
  • YOUNG READERS (Age 4-8)

This beloved story of a bull who loved to smell flowers has lost none of its enchantment over the decades. Simple pen-and-ink drawings beautifully evoke the wildlife, landscapes and people of Spain. (SPN212, $7.99)

African Wildlife Trivia

African Wildlife Trivia


by Dawid van Lill

  • NATURAL HISTORY
  • 2008
  • PAPER
  • 128 PAGES
  • MIDDLE READERS (Age 9-12)

Full of facts and fun, this primer on the insects, mammals, reptiles, amphibians and birds of Africa contains eye-catching illustrations and information on African geography--a great introduction for kids and their parents. (AFR227, $12.95)

Ape

Ape


by Martin Jenkins

  • NATURAL HISTORY
  • 2010
  • HARD COVER
  • 49 PAGES

Conservation biologist Jenkins and zookeeper-illustrator Vicky White team up for this captivating survey of the great apes in action for ages 4-8, a Bank Street College Best Children's Book of the Year. (BST194, $16.99)

D'Aulaires' Book of Animals

D'Aulaires' Book of Animals


by Edgar D'Aulaire | Ingri D'Aulaire

  • NATURAL HISTORY
  • 2007
  • HARD COVER
  • 30 PAGES
  • YOUNG READERS (Age 4-8)

The celebrated husband and wife team originally compiled this introduction to nature for their own young son, Ola. More than 50 animals from the polar regions to the tropics are beautifully lithographed in full color in lovely settings. Unfold the book for an eight-foot-long panoply of round-the-world zoological delight. (NAT116, $16.95)

Eyewitness Jungle

Eyewitness Jungle


by Theresa Greenaway | Geoff Dann

  • NATURAL HISTORY
  • 2009
  • HARD COVER
  • 63 PAGES
  • FAMILY

Geared for ages 9 to 12, the hundreds of eye-popping photographs of birds, monkeys, towering trees, orchids and all manner of rain forest life will also appeal to the whole family. (FST06, $16.99)

Here Is the African Savanna

Here Is the African Savanna


by Madeleine Dunphy | Tom Leonard

  • SCIENCE
  • 2006
  • PAPER
  • YOUNG READERS (Age 4-8)

Rhyming verse and colorful illustrations introduce young readers to the animals, habitat and ecosystem of the African savanna. (EAF186, $9.95)

Serengeti Journey, On Safari in Africa

Serengeti Journey, On Safari in Africa


by Gare Thompson

  • NATURAL HISTORY
  • 2006
  • HARD COVER
  • 48 PAGES
  • YOUNG READERS (Age 4-8)

A fun and informative overview of the Serengeti and its wildlife for readers ages 4 to 8. (EAF150, $17.90)

Swimming with Hammerhead Sharks

Swimming with Hammerhead Sharks


by Kenneth Mallory

  • NATURAL HISTORY
  • 2002
  • PAPER
  • 48 PAGES
  • MIDDLE READERS (Age 9-12)

An excellent illustrated account of marine biologist Pete Klimley and his work with sharks. The author accompanied a team (including IMAX photographers) to Cocos Island off the Pacific coast of Costa Rica, famous for its schooling hammerheads. (OCE99, $7.99)

The Most Beautiful Roof in the World

The Most Beautiful Roof in the World


by Kathryn Lasky | Christopher Knight

  • NATURAL HISTORY
  • 1997
  • PAPER
  • 48 PAGES
  • MIDDLE READERS (Age 9-12)

A tropical botanist and her sons climb among the ropes and walkways of a rainforest canopy in this photographic odyssey. For ages 9-12. (FST04, $9.00)

The Place of Lions

The Place of Lions


by Eric Campbell

  • NATURAL HISTORY
  • 1995
  • PAPER
  • 208 PAGES
  • MIDDLE READERS (Age 9-12)

Stranded on the Serengeti after a plane crash, 14-year old Chris goes for help -- and befriends an aging lion along the way -- in this young adult thriller. With a glossary of Kiswahaili words and a strong sense of both the culture and landscapes of East Africa. (EAF168, $13.95)

Wild Safari Scratch and Sketch


by Heather Zschock | Kerren Barbas

  • NATURAL HISTORY
  • 2005
  • HARD COVER
  • 64 PAGES
  • YOUNG READERS (Age 4-8)

Reveal the wildlife of Africa as you copy simple sketches of 20 amazing animals in this fun activity book. The bright colors and fascinating facts are enough to entice any youngster. (EAF155, $12.99)

African Wildlife

African Wildlife


by James Kavanaugh

  • FIELD GUIDE
  • 1999
  • PLASTIC CARD

Slip this laminated foldout guide in your pocket for quick reference in the field. (AFR109, $5.95)

More Recommendations

Here are some other groups of books that might be of interest

Longitude provides recommended reading for travelers in partnership with the leading tour operators and travel programs for hundreds of destinations worldwide. We've got the classic, new and hard-to-find books and maps to help you get the most out of your adventures.