The Reading Road Trip has officially come to an end. Over the past two months we’ve driven through open country, spotted big trucks in constructions zones, seen some breathtaking sights at overlooks and mountaintops, taken some time to rest, learned something new at a museum, had a fun time at an amusement park, and finally reached the shore for a relaxing time at the beach. If you joined us, we hope you had a great time reading, discussing, and adventuring with your kids over the summer. If you missed some of the stops (or all of them), keep reading for a round-up of all the fun stops we made a long the way. It’s not too late to pair reading with summertime (or anytime) fun!
But first, we have a GIVEAWAY!
We love to share all of the great books we’re discovering. But even better is getting some of those books into the hands of readers! That’s why we’re doing a giveaway to celebrate the end of a summer of fun and reading. We giving away a prize pack of three great books (two picture books and one middle grade novel) that we featured over the summer to one lucky winner. Those books are Billions of Bricks, Most of the Better Natural Things in the World, and On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness. Another winner will receive a copy of All the Places We Call Home.
To be eligible to win you must have a U.S. mailing address, be at least 18 years of age, and fill out this form. That’s it! We will choose a winner by random drawing the evening of Sunday, August 11, so be sure to enter before then!
Enter the Giveaway
The Round-up
We started our trip by Hitting the Road and sharing some books and activities related to travel. We even shared a video on how to fold a simple paper airplane.
Our first “stop” on the road trip was a drive through open country, where Marci Whitehurst shared some great books and activities relating to farms, wildlife, prairies, and more!
Next, we slowed down in a construction zone! Here we had a chance to read and discuss books about construction vehicles, building with bricks and blocks, and some tool-toting forest animals. We paired these books with some ideas for fun building challenges.
Our next two stops were mostly about nature. We took in some breathtaking sights at a scenic overlook, sharing books about natural wonders or books with picturesque scenes. I think you’ll like the activity ideas by Mindy Baker, especially the colorful binoculars craft! Then we spent some time at Adventure Mountain, hiking, camping, adventuring, and exploring some caves. There’s even a super cute and easy cave art project that the littles are sure to enjoy making!
After all that adventuring we were ready for a break, so we stopped at a rest stop. Here we took some time to read a relaxing nature book and enjoy a yummy banana yogurt parfait! We even shared some books about actual rest stops, picnicking, and summer vacation.
What’s a road trip without a trip to a museum? At this stop we shared some educational books, and Mindy Baker had a great idea for making a miniature mouse museum exhibit. Too cute!
Nearing the end of our journey we stopped at an amusement park to do some reading just for fun! We shared some of our favorite fun and/or funny books, some ideas for having fun as a family (a trip to an actual amusement park was totally optional), and a cute tutorial for how to draw a simple dragon.
At last, we made it to the shore! It was time to explore beaches or waterways, learn about marine life, and maybe have an adventure on the edge of a fantastical sea (or pool)!
Books we discovered along the way:
Going Places by Tonya Bolden, illustrated by Eric Valazquez (Hitting the Road)
Ten Beautiful Things by Molly Beth Griffen, illustrated by Maribel Lechuga (Open Country)
Concrete from the Ground Up by Larissa Theule, illustrated by Steve Light (Construction Zone)
North Woods Girl by Aimee Bissonette, illustrated by Claudia McGehee (Scenic Overlook)
The Three Billy Goats Gruff, retold by Mac Barnett, illustrated by Jon Klassen (Adventure Mountain)
Everest by Sangma Francis, illustrated by Lisa Feng (Adventure Mountain)
You Nest Here with Me by Jane Yolen and Heidi E.Y. Stemple, illutrated by Melissa Sweet (Rest Stop)
When Sue Found Sue by Toni Buzzeo, illustrated by Diana Sudyka (Museum)
The Pigeon Will Ride the Roller Coaster by Mo Willems (Amusement Park)
Mr. Ferris and His Wheel by Kathryn Gibbs Davis, illustrated by Gilbert Ford (Amusement Park)
The Mysteries of Red Coral by Anne Jankeliowich, illustrated by Stephanie Kiehl (At the Shore)
Lottie and Walter by Anna Walker (At the shore)
That’s a wrap for the Summer Reading Road Trip! We are taking a break next week, but we’ll be back to our regular every-other-week schedule on Wednesday, August 21!
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