Some books enable us to wander the world without leaving home! It's a wonderful and timeless way for kids to explore the globe. Discovering the world through stories and imagination can be as thrilling as boarding a plane and it fuels curiosity, builds empathy, and opens minds to diverse cultures, places, and perspectives.
Children are natural explorers and books can answer their questions about other parts of the world questions in vivid, memorable ways. They see life through others’ eyes, understand global diversity, and grow emotional intelligence by navigating unfamiliar situations and viewpoints safely within the story. Travelling the world through books isn’t just about knowledge, it’s about connection. When kids read about children in different parts of the world, they start to see themselves as part of a shared human story. Books can plant the seeds of tolerance, appreciation, and a hunger to learn more. Here are just a few of our favourite books for different ages, that help children to discover different cities, countries and cultures around the world...
Middle grade books for confident readers aged 8 and up...
The Unexpected Tale Of Bastien Bonlivre by Claire Povey (8+): A dangerous secret, a hidden mystery and an unexpected race across Paris for the truth combine to create a classic tale of friendship, hope and the power of imagination.
Blue's Planet, Australia by Lucy McRobert (8+): The first in an exciting, globetrotting ecological adventure series that follows a passionate 12 year old animal lover called Blue and her quest to save the world. This book takes us into the heart of the Blue mountains in New South Wales.
The Girl Who Stole An Elephant by Nizrana Farook (9+): This story of friendship and righting wrongs is a joyous adventure through the Sri Lankan jungle where revolution is stirring and leeches lurk.
Danger At Deadman's Pass by M.G.Leonard (9+): The fabulous Adventures On Trains series begins with The Highland Falcon Thief and each book takes us to a new and exciting location, from Britain to California, South Africa, Australia and the Artic Circle. Danger At Deadman's Pass begins in Berlin and takes readers on an exciting journey to investigate an ancient family curse high in the German mountains.
The Explorer by Katherine Rundell (9+): A thrilling story of adventure, friendship and survival in the Amazon Rainforest, and an absolute must-read!
Rickshaw Girl by Mitali Perkins (9+): Set in Bangladesh, this short novel features a brave young girl challenging gender norms.
The White Giraffe by Lauren St John (9+): Orphaned Martine goes to live on a game reserve in South Africa, where she discovers a mystical white giraffe and a destiny tied to wildlife conservation.
Maise Vs Antarctica by Jack Jackman (8+): A fast-paced and funny adventure story that begins when Maisie and her dad crash land on ice in Antarctica... how will they survive?
When Life Gives You Mangoes by Kereen Getten: (9+) Set in a small village in Jamaica, Clara can’t remember what happened last summer, but secrets begin to unravel in her tight-knit coastal village. An exploration of memory, friendship, and identity.
Running On The Roof Of The World by Jess Butterworth (9+): A beautiful story of adventure, survival and hope set in the vivid Himalayan landscape of Tibet and India. Filled with friendship, love and courage, discover a young girl's thrilling journey to save her parents.
My Name Is River by Emma Rae (9+): Dylan's mum thinks he's on the school Geography trip. Dylan's teacher thinks he's at home with the flu. In fact he's 30,000 feet up in the air on the way to Brazil! This is a beautifully researched adventure which encompasses the Welsh countryside and the Brazilian Amazon, along with a strong ecological message.
Tamarind & the Star of Ishta by Jasbinder Bilan (9+) Tamarind travels to her mother’s ancestral home in India and unravels a magical mystery with roots in her heritage. An atmospheric, emotionally rich story infused with Indian mythology and nature.
Chapter books for independent readers age 5 and up...
Alice Eclair, Spy Extraordinaire by Sarah Todd Taylor (6+): Baker by day, spy by night, Alice Éclair leads an exciting double life! In the first in this series, a mysterious message sends Alice on a mission aboard France's most glamorous train, The Sapphire Express.
Red Panda Rescue by Jess Butterworth (6+): The first in The Adventure Club series whisks readers to Nepal and the Himalayas, where Tilly rides on yaks, plants a bamboo forest and even spots the secretive red panda.
Big Sky Mountain by Alex Milway (5+): Rosa comes from the city to live with Grandma Nan in a North American style wilderness. And what big surprises are in store for her! A series of four delightful stories explore the great outdoors.
The Weather Weaver by Tamsin Mori (7+): Stella has returned home to Shetland to spend the summer with her Grandpa, but it's nothing like she remembers. Here begins to learn the craft of weather weaving. A wonderful coming of age story, intertwined with island myths and hidden magic.
Anna Hibiscus (5+) In a modern African city, Anna navigates daily life between her Nigerian and Western heritage, often visiting family or experiencing the city. This series offers sweet, warm family-focused stories about cross-cultural childhood.
The Travels of Ermine: Trouble In New York by Jennifer Gray (5+): Ermine may be small but she's on a BIG journey around the world! But when her suitcase is switched in New York City, Ermine finds some robbers are hot on her tail... the first in a delightful series of early chapter books which also take readers to London and Sydney.
Ariki And The Giant Shark by Nicola Davies (6+): A funny and touching mystery adventure starring a strong and independent young heroine living on a tropical island in the Pacific.
The Great Dodo Comeback by Fiona Sandiford (7+): Leni loves birds. So when two scientists arrive on her island home of Mauritius to try to de-extinct the dodo, she jumps at the chance to help. But Benny Shoober, the Sugar King, hates birds and loves growing sugar... both funny and heartwarming with an environmental message.
Picture books for younger readers aged 3 and up...
Katie in London by James Mayhew (3+): When one of the Trafalgar Square lions comes to life Katie is treated to a wonderful tour of all the best sights!
Red and Lulu by Matt Tavares (3+): This is a classic for Christmas but a lovely read at any time. Through the story of two birds readers experience all the magic of New York City, and the real meaning of the festive season: how important it is to be surrounded by love.
Mirror by Jeannie Baker (3+): This innovative picture book comprises two stories designed to be read simultaneously – one from the left, the other from the right. Readers experience the lives of two little boys – one from Sydney, Australia, the other from Morocco while the story illustrates how, even in some small way, we are all connected.
Wombat Walkabout by Carol Diggory Shields (3+): A whimsical counting poem that follows six brave little wombats on walkabout in the Australian outback, bringing the wilderness and local fauna to life.
The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind (Picture Book Edition) by Bryan Mealer and William Kamkwanba (4+): When fourteen-year-old William's Malawi village was hit by a drought, everyone's crops began to fail. Without enough money for food or school, William spent his days in the library and figured out how to bring electricity to his village. An inspirational tale of perseverance.
Emma Jane's Aeroplane by Katie Haworth (3+): Emma Jane zooms off in her aeroplane discovering the cities of the world. Along the way she makes a crew of animal friends who save the day when her little plane gets into trouble!
Mama Panya's Pancakes by Mary and Rich Chamberlin (3+): On market day Adika invites everyone he sees to a pancake dinner. But how will Mama Panya ever feed them all? This heartwarming story about Kenyan village life highlights the importance of sharing.
Why not bring armchair travel to life with your family with a few extra activities? You could create a “book passport” and stamp it for each country your child visits through reading a book. Or use an Atlas or Google Earth to explore the locations they are reading about. You could even find some recipes for traditional dishes and sample the food they may have read about!
