THE BOOK CLUB • May 2022

Books for little travellers

These seven charming tales for the young explorer in your life will spark their wanderlust and teach them about the world and its wonders

Explore the World

By Anton Hallmann
If your bookworm likes their history, pick up this illustrated guide to the world as we know it. Starting with an intuitive timeline of the planet’s past, the bright and bold pages bring explorations of old to life, from heroic Arctic expeditions to charting the rugged American West with Lewis, Clark and Sacagawea.

Explore the Rainforest

By Anne Ameri-Siemens and Anton Hallmann
From the makers of Explore the World, meet its canopy-covered companion: Explore the Rainforest. Two tiny protagonists, Emma and Louis, end up deep in the jungle, and set about getting to know the curious flora and fauna they discover on their adventure: from big, strong cats to trees with life-giving features. It’ll certainly convince your children to watch the next Attenborough-in-the-Amazon escapade.

Travel as a family with British Airways

Whatever the Weather

By Steve Parker and Jen Metcalf
Mini-meteorologists will be delighted with this one. What you see from your aircraft window is often a mystery, but this picture book neatly explains how the weather works. Ever pondered how lightning seemingly sparks from thin air? Or why crickets can tell the temperature? Whatever the Weather might just answer your child’s questions – and those that have been bugging you since school, too.

The Airport Book

By Lisa Brown
First time at the airport and bracing yourself for lots of “Where are our bags going? Why do they need an x-ray?” enquiries? This pretty yarn, following a family from house to holiday, will cover everything your child wants to know about the inner workings of the airport. Plus, there’s a little side quest to solve – the adorable sock monkey gets lost along the way, and it’s up to you to find it.

A Taste of the World

By Beth Walrond
Sampling new foods is one of the best ways to understand a culture, as any seasoned traveller knows (excuse the pun). If you want your little ones to share the joy, this book wanders all over the world to discover humanity’s finest food traditions. Immerse your family in swathes of pink while picnicking under the Hanami cherry blossoms in Japan, or discover the origins of Britain’s favourite family meal: the hearty Sunday Roast. Just be sure to eat beforehand as it will make you hungry.

Girl on a Motorcycle

By Amy Novesky
“I want the world to be beautiful, and it is beautiful. I want people to be good, and they are good.” Anne-France Dautheville was the first woman to motorcycle solo around the world, and Girl on a Motorcycle documents her enlightening discovery of humankind. Inspirational etchings trace Dautheville’s journey from 1970s Paris, showcasing the je-ne-sais-quoi atmosphere of the French capital, before taking you on a journey across oceans, underneath lucid Arctic skies and even to landmarks long since destroyed.

Somewhere in the World Right Now

By Stacey Schuett
If your little ones wake up in the middle of the night, settle them with dreams of our planet’s hustle-and-bustle. Luminescent brushstrokes and gentle, evocative words bring to life what’s going on in the world along all time zones, from London’s bakers pushing early-morning bread into their ovens, to bean-filled suppertime in Central America. Your child will sleep soundly, knowing that somewhere in the world, something warm and comforting is happening.