Beth Anderson, Children's Writer

Getting ready for back-to-school shopping? On the lookout for that perfect backpack? Well, here’s a chance to win a copy of this fabulous book to put inside!

To enter the BACK-TO-SCHOOL GIVE-AWAY, leave a comment below. Winner will be announced July 27.

Title: Adventures to School, Real-Life Journeys of Students From Around the World

Written by: Baptiste Paul and Miranda Paul

Illustrated by: Isabel Muñoz

Little Bee Books, 2018, nonfiction

Suitable for ages: 4-8

Themes/topics: school, world, education

Opening:

Each day, children around the world face interesting journeys. They have different ways of reaching their destinations, but they’re all headed to the same place.

Brief synopsis  (from barnesandnoble.com)

Children all around the world go to school. Whether they’re from Japan, Ukraine, Ethiopia, or the United States, all students have the desire to learn about the world and shape the future. In Bhutan, children walk for three hours to make it to school, and in Pakistan, children travel by rickshaw. Some children in China must climb a heaven ladder, while children in Nepal must walk over a wire bridge. The treks of these students are unique, extraordinary, and even dangerous, and they signify the common determination, perseverance, and sense of adventure shared by young people around the world.

Read along as students from thirteen different nations embark on their journeys to get to school in the morning, and learn about the diverse landscapes and cultures of these countries along the way!

Activities and Resources:

ESL: This book is a perfect opportunity for ESL students to share their journeys to school in their countries.

Writing: Tell about your own journey to school. (narrative)

Write instructions for a newcomer to your school from one of the countries in the book. Think about all the things that are different for them. Tell them what they need to do to get to school. (how-to)

Discussion: Which country would you like to visit and go along on the journey to school? Why? Compare and contrast to how you go to school.

Research: Go deeper – Choose one country to learn more about. OR Extend – Choose a country that’s not represented and use the book as a model to create a new page.

Geography: Focus on one spread/country each day, joining the child on his/her trip to school. Read the cultural information and about the trip to school. Find the country. What continent is it on? How is it different than where you live? (mountains, climate, etc) Connect the information to something else to be studied that day – a letter, math concept, geography terms, etc.

Transportation: Identify forms of transportation that appear in the book. Categorize or rank them for danger, fun, speed, land/water, etc.

Why I like this book:

As a former ESL teacher, it’s always interesting to learn about other cultures, especially the lives of children. For kids, the book is an opportunity to build awareness of what other children around the world encounter. The countries described in the book are spread across the globe. It’s an interesting and wide-ranging mix that parents and teachers will also find fascinating. Each beautifully illustrated spread offers a bit of cultural information in a sidebar in addition to the first-person narration of a child going to school. The text presents just enough information on each place to open the mind to differences and invite connections.

GIVE-AWAY!! Leave a comment below to enter a random drawing to win a copy of the book. Winner will be announced July 27. (limited to US mailing addresses)