As I mentioned a few months ago, my family is going to Boston for vacation later this summer. It will be the first time my wife and boys have been, and my first trip there since I was 11 years old, and so I’ve been on the lookout for books to prep us on our visit.
Complementing the titles mentioned (and commented upon) in my original post, here’s what we’ve currently got on our vacation-themed shelf. (Well, right now, these titles are actually piled up on the floor next to my desk, but I hope to have them back on the shelf before the kids are awake. Or perhaps I’ll treat the boys to a conspicuous show of putting books back on the shelf, but that’s really a topic for another post…)
- Goin’ to Boston: An Exuberant Journey in Song, by H. Ellen Margolin and illustrated by Emily Bolam
- The Freedom Trail: An Artist’s View, by Leonard Weber
- What’s the Big Idea? Four Centuries of Innovation in Boston, by Stephen Krensky
- Subway, by Anastasia Suen and illustrated by Karen Katz. It’s not Boston-specific, but we will be taking a lot of rides on the T.
- As I Was Crossing Boston Common, by Norma Farber and illustrated by Arnold Lobel
- Dangerous Crossing: The Revolutionary Voyage of John Quincy Adams, by Stephen Krensky and illustrated by Greg Harlin
- The Boston Coffee Party, by Doreen Rappaport and illustrated by Emily Arnold McCully
- George vs. George: The American Revolution as seen from Both Sides, by Rosalyn Schanzer
- You Wouldn’t Want to Be at the Boston Tea Party: Wharf Water Tea You’d Rather Not Drink, by Peter Cook and illustrated by David Antram
- Sleds on Boston Common: A Story from the American Revolution, by Louise Borden and illustrated by Robert Andrew Parker
- Old Ironsides: Americans Build a Fighting Ship, by David Weitzman
- The American Story, by Jennifer Armstrong and illustrated by Roger Roth. Especially for “1919 – The Great Molasses Flood,” but also for “1820 – The Whale’s Fury” — which leads us to…
Whales. We’ll be up bright and early (or early and bleary) one Sunday for a whale-watching cruise, which explains why we’ve got so many whale-related titles around the house these days:
- Whaling Days, by Carol Carrick and illustrated by David Frampton
- Revenge of the Whale: The True Story of the Whaleship Essex, by Nathaniel Philbrick
- Peggony-Po: A Whale of a Tale, by Andrea Davis Pinkney and illustrated by Brian Pinkney
- and, finally, Whale Port, by Mark Foster and illustrated by Gerald Foster
Where are you bound this summer (whether by flight or by foot), and are you reading anything to get ready?
Despite the creepy news coming out of Gloucester this week, the whale-watching cruise I did off Gloucester with my parents around 1990 still ranks as one of my favorite family vacation memories. Have a great time.
We’re heading to DC in a week (grew up there) for three weeks. August brings our first road trip with kids to New Mexico (Carlsbad, Area 51, Pueblo) and Colorado (Fort Collins). Must test the DVD player before leaving the house.
No reading ahead fir DC, but for NM – this is a really good idea. My 7-year-old loves books on aliens.
Have a great trip, Chris!
No travel plans here. Not only is it tough to get away with farm during the busy season, but this is when our little corner of Canada (and my garden) is at its most beautiful, and you can be outdoors from the time the sun rises at five am until it sets just after ten pm. I think I’d have to be blasted out of here right about now. Besides, when else would I get through that long list of books to read?!
Happy travels to you and Casey and the boys…
LOVE this list. I feel like just copying it and following you guys to Bean Town!
I’ve never been to Boston but I hava always longed to visit there.
We are not traveling this summer so I will enjoy any vacation posts as a sort of “virtual” vacation. Hope you all have a wonderful time.
Not a book, but I think you’ll all need this,
http://www.seriouseats.com/eating_out/2006/06/best-ice-cream-in-americas-bes.html
Article and comments for suggestions. The article is two years old, so there may be other options now. Stay cool!