Going Places: Amazing Journeys | Collection Building

In this Article

Around the World and
Beneath Its Surface

“Traveling—it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller.” So writes the narrator in Traveling Man: The Journey of Ibn Battuta, 1325-1354, James Rumford’s picture-book introduction to the greatest travel writer of the 14th (or, for that matter, probably any) century.

Whether undertaken from simple restlessness or curiosity about the world, in hopes of finding a better life, to flee war or natural disaster, or simply to go where no one has gone before, travel creates experiences and memories that not only change the traveler but, in the right hands, also become some of our finest and most enthralling stories.

Here is a mix of odysseys real and imaginary, published for the most part within the past decade, that will captivate readers with both the lure of new and exotic locales and the hazards and rewards of the journeys themselves.

Over Lands and Seas

BOYCE, Frank Cottrell. Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Flies Again. illus. by Joe Berger. Candlewick. 2012. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-7636-5957-8; ebook $16.99. ISBN 978-0-7636-5961-5.

Gr 4-6–The car with the mind of its own starts out this wild and wacky sequel all in pieces. With help from the Tooting family, it puts itself back together, gathering parts in the course of a flying journey in far-flung locales, from England to Madagascar. Frequent pen-and-ink sketches add suitably comical notes.

BROWN, Don. Uncommon Traveler: Mary Kingsley in Africa. illus. by author. Houghton Harcourt. 2000. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-618-00273-3; pap. $6.95. ISBN 978-0-618-36916-4; ebook $6.95. ISBN 978-0-547-77276-9.

Gr 2-4–Forced by family obligations to stay at home for most of her first 30 years, Victorian Mary Kingsley made a most unlikely candidate for the role of intrepid explorer. Once free to do so, though, she set out for the remote areas of Africa that she had only read about. Fluid watercolor illustrations underscore the drama of her adventures.

BURLEIGH, Robert. Night Flight: Amelia Earhart Crosses the Atlantic. illus. by Wendell Minor. S & S. 2011. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-1-416-96733-0.

Gr 2-4–In an extreme test of determination, nerve, and skill, a flier sets out on a 2000-mile solo flight across the ocean. With equal drama, the text and the pictures combine to capture the flight’s long hours of danger and uncertainty, as well as the renowned aviator’s steady courage.

EVANS, Shane. Underground: Finding the Light to Freedom. illus. by author. Roaring Brook/A Neal Porter Bk. 2011. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-1-596-43538-4.

Gr 3-5–In a hushed, terse text and illustrations done in dark blues with stark flashes of white later changing to golds to signal terror’s end and the Sun’s rising, this powerful picture book follows a family making an urgent, danger-filled journey from slavery to freedom.

FREEDMAN, Russell. The Adventures of Marco Polo. illus. by Bagram Ibatoulline. Scholastic/Arthur A. Levine. 2006. RTE $17.99. ISBN 978-0-439-52394-3.

Gr 4-7–Freedman’s skeptical account of Marco Polo’s travels from the Mediterranean to the court of Kublai Khan reflects current doubts about their veracity–but what a grand tale nonetheless! Ibatoulline’s accomplished illustrations, enhanced by plenty of archival art and even period images, add proper visual magnificence to this renowned 13th-century travelogue.

ITA, Sam. The Odyssey: A Pop-Up Book. illus. by author. Sterling. 2011. Tr $26.95. ISBN 978-1-402-75867-6.

Gr 4-6–Well-endowed with terrific moveable parts and melodramatic encounters with monsters and other hazards, this graphic-novel-style account of Odysseus’s long voyage home from Troy covers the high spots with riveting visual and verbal exuberance.

JUDGE, Chris.The Lonely Beast. illus. by author. Andersen, dist. by Lerner. 2011. Tr $16.95. ISBN 978-0-761-38097-9.

Gr 1-3–Prompted by a need for companionship, a monster, depicted as a huge, hairy, enigmatic black silhouette in Judge’s cartoon illustrations, leaves its familiar forest and sets out on a quest that takes it over many lands, under oceans, and into various adventures with a happy surprise waiting at the end.

KIMMEL, Eric A., retel. The Flying Canoe: A Christmas Story. illus. by Daniel San Souci & Justin San Souci. Holiday House. 2011. RTE $16.95. ISBN 978-0-823-41730-8.

Gr 1-3–At the invitation of a mysterious and not entirely well-meaning stranger, a group of fur traders boards a magical canoe for a holiday journey home. Their legendary flight takes them from the wilds of Ontario to the city of Montréal, over remote towns and natural wonders that are expertly depicted in the San Soucis’ aerial views.

MCKAY, Sharon E. Thunder Over Kandahar. photos by Rafal Gerszak. Annick, dist. by Firefly. 2010. PLB $21.95. ISBN 978-1-55451-267-6; pap. $12.95. ISBN 978-1-554-51266-9.

Gr 5-7–Two young women are forced to make their way across war-torn Afghanistan toward the Pakistani border, facing deadly threats from the Taliban and other pursuers, in this suspenseful novel of courage and sacrifice in a very real, contemporary setting. Audio version available from Listening Library.

ROSS, Stewart. Into the Unknown: How Great Explorers Found Their Way by Land, Sea, and Air. illus. by Stephen Biesty. Candlewick. 2011. Tr $19.99. ISBN 978-0-763-64948-7.

Gr 3-6–Biesty’s fantastically detailed illustrations, several on foldouts, highlight this gathering of great voyages and epic quests. From the travels of Chinese explorer Zheng He to the expeditions of David Livingstone, from the deep sea dives of Jacques Piccard to the flights of his father, balloonist Auguste Piccard, there is adventure aplenty to inspire real or imaginary travels.

RUMFORD, James. Traveling Man: The Journey of Ibn Battuta, 1325-1354. illus. by author. Houghton Harcourt. 2001. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-618-08366-4; pap. $7.99. ISBN 978-0-618-43233-2; ebook $7.99. ISBN 978-0-547-77270-7.

Gr 4-6–Illustrations decorated with flowing Arabic calligraphy accompany a simple narrative that introduces the greatest traveler of the Middle Ages: a North African scholar. Along with clocking an amazing 75,000 miles, Ibn Battuta survived extremes of heat and cold, attacks by bandits, disease, and other hazards to leave a travelogue unsurpassed for its dazzling panorama of peoples, cultures, and natural wonders.

SHULEVITZ, Uri. The Travels of Benjamin of Tudela: Through Three Continents in the Twelfth Century. illus. by author. Farrar. 2005. Tr $17. ISBN 978-0-374-37754-0.

Gr 2-5–Enhanced with period-style scenes of compressed cities and of small ships being tossed on rough waters, this story of a 12th-century traveler who crossed three continents to visit every land mentioned in the Old Testament captures both the flavor of exotic lands and the terrors of going anywhere farther than one’s doorstep in those troubled times.

STEAD, Philip Christian. Jonathan and the Big Blue Boat. illus. by the author. Roaring Brook/A Neal Porter Bk. 2011. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-1-596-43562-9.

Gr 1-3–When Jonathan’s clueless parents trade in his beloved bear for a toaster, off he steams in a huge ship to reclaim his stuffed toy. He finds other, even more unlikely, companions along the way. A dreamy, surreal tale with appropriately quirky illustrations.

Around the World and Beneath Its Surface

BLACKWOOD, Gary L. Around the World in 100 Days. Dutton. 2010. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-525-42295-2; pap. $7.99. ISBN 978-0-142-41963-2; ebook $7.99. ISBN 978-1-101-44529-7.

Gr 5-7–The son of Phileas Fogg decides to do his dad one better and drive all the way around the world in his newfangled, steam-powered automobile. Complications aplenty ensue, including the possibility that one of his three fellow travelers is a saboteur. A rip-roaring race against time.

BURKS, James. Beep and Bah. illus. by author. Carolrhoda. 2012. RTE $16.95. ISBN 978-0-761-36567-9; ebook $12.95. ISBN 978-0-7613-8721-3.

K-Gr 2–In a quest tale that sets new standards for unlikely partners, the search for a sock’s misplaced companion sends a goat and a rolling robot roving far and wide. Comical cartoon illustrations depict encounters with a bull, a snake, a rock, and other equally unlikely sock owners.

CASTOR, Harriet, adapt. Jonathan Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels : Set Your Compass for a Journey of Interactive Surprises!. illus. by Fernando Juarez. Sterling, 2011. Tr $19.95. ISBN 978-1-84732-556-3.

Gr 4-6–Along with preserving much of the original classic’s merciless social satire, this droll abridged version of the hapless traveler’s many misadventures in exotic lands features stylish caricatures for illustrations plus pop-ups and inset booklets of useful advice and information for travelers.

CHAD, Jon. Leo Geo: And His Miraculous Journey Through the Center of the Earth. illus. by author. Roaring Brook. 2012. Tr $15.99. ISBN 978-1-596-43661-9.

Gr 2-4–A series of long, skinny vertical images depicts the monstrous residents, teeming cities, and more conventional geological wonders of our planet’s interior waiting for intrepid explorer Leo Geo of the Fizzmont Institute of Rad Science. A fascinating journey to the center of the Earth—and beyond.

JOHNSON, Rebecca L. Journey into the Deep: Discovering New Ocean Creatures. Millbrook. 2011. PLB $31.93. ISBN 978-0-7613-4148-2.

Gr 5-7–Replete with big, bright photos of seldom (or never before) seen undersea life and of scientists engaged in observing it, this expedition into the oceans’ shallows and deeps offers engrossing highlights of the recently completed, decadelong Census of Marine Life, with tantalizing hints that there is much, much more to be discovered.

KELLY, Irene. A Small Dog’s Big Life: Around the World with Owney. illus. by author. Holiday House. 2005. RTE $16.95. ISBN 978-0-823-41863-3.

K-Gr 2–Retold in fictionalized letters, this is the true and amazing “tail” of a stray dog who was adopted by the U.S. Postal Service and went on to travel thousands of miles with the mail, not only all over North America, but around the world as well. Lively watercolor scenes featuring a bright-eyed, nondescript pooch capture his winning personality.

MELTZER, Milton. Ferdinand Magellan: First to Sail Around the World. (Great Explorations Series). Marshall Cavendish/ Benchmark. 2001. ISBN 978-0-761-41238-0. o.p.

Gr 5-8–Meltzer dishes up a stirring account of the first European expedition to circle the planet, spiced with telling details, occasional ironic side comments, and plenty of period illustrations to go with a closing time line and a generous list of further resources.

O’CONNOR, George. Hades: Lord of the Dead. Bk. 4. illus. by author. (Olympians Series). First Second. 2012. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-1-596-43434-9; pap. $9.99. ISBN 978-1-59643-761-6.

Gr 3-6–Opening with a spine-tingling tour of the dim, dangerous underworld, this graphic-novel retelling of Hades’s kidnapping of the not entirely unwilling Persephone adds a distinctly contemporary air to the old myth. O’Connor casts a bratty, ambitious teenager against her equally hot-tempered goddess mother, Demeter, in locales ranging from Hades’s gloomy realm to Mount Olympus.

PHELAN, Matt. Around the World. illus. by author. Candlewick. 2011. Tr $24.99. ISBN 978-0-763-63619-7.

Gr 4-6–In graphic format, captioned largely with quotes from the memoirs of his subjects, Phelan follows Thomas Stevens, who rode a bicycle from San Francisco to Boston—and on to Yokohama; journalist Nellie Bly, who set out to beat the 80 days proposed by Jules Verne; and Captain Joshua Slocum, who sailed more than 46,000 miles accompanied only by memories and ghosts.

WILSON, Daniel H. A Boy and His Bot. Bloomsbury. 2011. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-1-599-90280-7; pap. $7.99. ISBN 978-1-599-90744-4.

Gr 5-7–Young Code falls into an underworld populated by robots and finds himself facing murderous metal gardeners and other deadly hazards on a desperate quest to save it—and his own world on the surface—from a tentacled conqueror. Readers who enjoy tales involving warrior robots, odysseys through bizarre lands, and destruction on a massive scale will be enthralled. Audio version available from Listening Library.

Above (and Beyond) the Planet

ABADZIS, Nick. Laika. illus. by author. First Second. 2007. pap. $17.95. ISBN 978-1-596-43101-0.

Gr 6-9–Framed as a graphic novel, but with plenty of resources provided at the end for readers who want to know more, this heartrending tale recounts the experiences of an abandoned dog chosen by Soviet scientists to be the first living creature sent into Earth orbit.

HATKE, Ben. Zita the Spacegirl. illus. by author. First Second. 2011. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-1-596-43695-4; pap. $10.99. ISBN 978-1-59643-446-2.

Gr 4-6–When her best friend is kidnapped, intrepid Zita leaps to the rescue through a portal to a distant planet where she finds herself among aliens–lots and lots of aliens, of many shapes and dispositions. The art in this graphic novel is as winning as Zita herself.

HICKAM, Homer. Crater. Bk. 1. (A Helium-3 Novel). Thomas Nelson. 2012. Tr $14.99. ISBN 978-1-595-54664-7.

Gr 6 Up–Teenaged orphan Crater Trueblood takes on a job herding a caravan of long-haul truckers across the surface of the Moon and winds up playing a central role in a rebellion against Earth’s overlords. An unusual (to say the least) journey highlighted by encounters with a small, fuzzy supercomputer and a live horse with its own space suit.

HURD, Thacher. Bongo Fishing. illus. by author. Henry Holt. 2011. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-805-09100-7.

Gr 4-6–After helping a friendly alien repair his spaceship (which bears a remarkable resemblance to a 1960 Dodge Dart), young Jason is rewarded with a thrilling jaunt to the Pleiades and beyond (along with adventures here on Earth with UFO chasers). An awesome, if not entirely serious (could you tell?), interstellar outing.

MCNULTY, Faith. If You Decide to Go to the Moon. illus. by Steven Kellogg. Scholastic. 2005. RTE $18.99. ISBN 978-0-590-48359-9.

K-Gr 3–In a terrific blend of wish fulfillment and scientific fact, McNulty lays out what to pack for a trip to the Moon, what the journey will be like, and what a visitor might see and do on our satellite’s surface. Kellogg’s illustrations crank up the exuberance and provide compelling reasons for a stronger appreciation of Earth’s wonders.

SCOTT, Elaine. Space, Stars, and the Beginning of Time: What the Hubble Telescope Saw. Clarion. 2011. RTE $17.99. ISBN 978-0-547-24189-0.

Gr 5-8–Peering into deep space, the Hubble Space Telescope has provided the beginnings of a map of the universe and hints of the glories that await. This gathering of the best and most tantalizing photos taken through our eye in the sky will fuel flights of imagination now–and perhaps, one day, physical journeys to the high frontier.

TAYLOR, Jane. Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star. illus. by Jerry Pinkney. Little, Brown. 2011. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-316-05696-0.

PreS-Gr 1–Pinkney turns the familiar bedtime rhyme into a nighttime sojourn that takes a small chipmunk from its cozy nest all the way to the Moon and back. Lush close-ups of leafy branches and other outdoor features in the artist’s accomplished watercolors create natural settings as intimate as they are accurately detailed.

WESTERFELD, Scott. Leviathan. illus. by Keith Thompson. S & S/Pulse. 2009. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-1-4169-7173-3; pap. $9.99. ISBN 978-1-4169-7174-0; ebook $9.99. ISBN 978-1-4169-8706-2.

Gr 5-7–In high-flying steampunk style, this grand adventure places a fugitive heir and a young midshipman who isn’t quite what “he” seems to be aboard a gigantic airship that is a living, biologically engineered dirigible for a dangerous mission over war-troubled Europe. Thompson’s ornately detailed illustrations add even more dash and drama to a breathlessly paced odyssey. Audio version available from S&S Audio.

On the Web

Atlas Obscura: A Compendium of the World’s Wonders, Curiosities, and Esoterica.

atlasobscura.com. Atlas Obscura. (Accessed 3/19/10).

Gr 4 Up—Searchable by name, category, and location, this huge gathering of places ranges from grand palaces and spectacular natural features to obscure monuments and remote locales. Of particular note: Tanzania’s Lake Natron and dozens of other “Wonders of Salt” and hundreds of unique museum collections, from the Cowgirl Hall of Fame to the Edward Gorey House.

Eyes on the Solar System. solarsystem.nasa.gov/eyes. Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology. NASA. (Accessed 3/19/10).

Gr 5 Up—Though this solar system tour requires downloading player software, the result is an outstanding interactive, full-screen view with a control panel that allows young astronauts to zoom in and away from each planet and dwarf planet, every current space probe and science satellite, and selected asteroids and comets orbiting our Sun.

Map: Tools for Adventure. www.nationalgeographic.com/toolsforadventure. National Geographic Society. (Accessed 3/19/10).

Gr 3-5—Perfect for armchair tourists, this page of map and geography games gives young explorers opportunities to enhance their map-making and map-reading skills by directing a robot into a pyramid, traveling to Mars, finding sunken treasure, and other adventures.

RoadsideAmerica.com: Your Online Guide to Offbeat Tourist Attractions. www.roadsideamerica.com. RoadsideAmerica.com. (Accessed 3/19/10).

Gr 4 Up—Want to ride the giant jackalope in Dubois, Wyoming, or thrill to exhibits in the National Museum of Crime and Punishment in DC? Enhance any tourist itinerary with hundreds of strange and unique attractions along this country’s highways and byways. Browse at random or select a state or major city for a pinned road map.

Media Picks

BY PHYLLIS LEVY MANDELL

Greek Mythology for Students: The Journeys of Odysseus. DVD. 23 min. Prod. by Schlessinger Media. Dist. by Library Video Co. 2005. ISBN 1-57225-746-6. $29.95.

Gr 4-8–The story of Odysseus’s long and treacherous journey to return home after the Trojan War is introduced by a host who provides background information. Then simple animation and classic storytelling combine to present the tale of how the hero overcame adversity to find his way back to his kingdom.

Henry’s Freedom Box: A True Story from the Underground Railroad. DVD. 10 min. Weston Woods. 2009. ISBN 978-0-545-13438-5. $59.95; CD, ISBN 978-0-545-13445-3: $12.95; CD with hardcover book, ISBN 978-0-545-13455-2: $29.95.

Gr 2-5–One of the most interesting stories from the Underground Railroad is that of Henry “Box” Brown, raised a slave, who mailed himself to Philadelphia and freedom in a small wooden crate. Ellen Levine tells his tale (Scholastic, 2007) with well-crafted, evocative text, beautifully paired with Kadir Nelson’s heart-touching illustrations that are scanned iconographically. Nicely narrated by Jerry Dixon, with original music and sound effects that help bring the story to life, the Caldecott Honor book is well-served by this presentation.

The Journey of Oliver K. Woodman. DVD. 11 min. Nutmeg Media. 2005. ISBN 0-9772-3383-9. $49.95.

K-Gr 3–Tameka lives in California but longs to see her favorite uncle, whose home is on the East coast. Uncle Ray builds a life-size wooden person, names him Oliver K. Woodman, and leaves him on the side of the road with a note asking passersby to help Oliver in his journey to reach Tameka’s home. Darcy Pattison’s picture book (Harcourt, 2003) presents the story via letters, and Joe Cepeda’s vibrant illustrations and a musical background enrich the telling. Viewers will cheer Oliver on his journey.

Where Do You Think You’re Going, Christopher Columbus? DVD. 31 min. Weston Woods. 1991. ISBN 978-0-545-02767-0. $59.95; CD, ISBN 978-0-439-72284-1: $14.95; CD with hardcover book, ISBN 978-0-439-73527-8: $29.95.

Gr 2-6–Jean Fritz’s witty, unconventional look at the great explorer who accidentally discovered the New World while on a voyage to reach the Indies reveals the navigator’s obstinate as well as his visionary side. Margot Tomes’s illustrations are scanned iconographically and enhance this entertaining biography.

Author Information

John Peters is a Children’s Literature Consultant in New York City.