Before our recent trip to the Northeast I decided to get my kids prepared by reading them a few books that had to do with our travels.
We were going to stop by places like Plymouth Rock and I didn’t want my kids to have absolutely no back story for it. I knew they would just stare at it and wanna leave two seconds after we arrived. Without context, there is nothing exciting about a rock, right?
Also, as homeschoolers I used the opportunity for some of our stops to double as field trips. With reading some books about the places we went before we were in the thick of it, it helped ensure that it was a more educational experience where they learned something new.
On our trip we stopped by Plymouth Rock, The Newport Mansions, Mt. Desert Island (which is home to Acadia National Park), Stowe, Vt, and we explored lots of different lighthouses. With those destinations in mind, this is the booklist I covered before we headed out of town:
1. Looking for a Moose by Phyllis Root
I won’t lie. This was my least favorite. But somehow it made my kids giggle. And, Maine is known for it’s moose population. So it seemed like the perfect fit.
2. The Little Island by Margaret Brown Wise and Leonard Weisgard
This book is a classic with lots of beautiful illustrations. Acadia National Park is on a little island. So this was a cute book to add to the mix.
3. Hello Lighthouse by Sophie Blackall
This was one of my favorites that we read. This book also has stunning illustrations. But, it’s also educational. And we learned all about how lighthouses and how they used to be operated. I personally found it fascinating because I didn’t know much about the history of them. I have just always thought they were beautiful to look at.
4. Who’s that stepping on Plymouth Rock by Jean Fritz
Ok, this book was hands down my favorite. I knew nothing about the history of Plymouth Rock except that it is housed in the general vicinity of where the Mayflower landed upon arrival in the United States. This book had us giggling. It was humorous and educational. And when we saw Plymouth Rock in person, it made it a million times more interesting. I would highly recommend reading it if you get the chance. Especially if you plan on making a visit to Plymouth yourself.
5. If you were a kid on the Mayflower by John Son
I really enjoyed the perspective this book was written from. It was also very educational. But not in a boring way. It kept my kids engaged while they learned all about what it was like to live on the Mayflower as it sailed to America. My kids are often completely bored with history. So, I was happy when this book kept their attention and taught them a piece of the past. This is a series that has more books on other topics in history. And I am excited to get more for my kids to read.
6. The 50 States by Gabrielle Balkan
This book is honestly a must for me when studying the United States. It has all the states represented with fun facts about each of them. This book helped us explore a bit about what Maine and Vermont are like before we got there in person. And then helped us appreciate them a little bit more once we arrived.
I would love to know if you have a favorite book about the area we visited that I did not include on our reading list. 🙂
