As a young teacher, I planned a travel adventure each summer break, which gave me many core memories. Five kids later, big trips are more complicated (and expensive) to execute, but even if we can\u2019t roam around the world, my kids and I love living vicariously through reading. Experiencing different landscapes, landmarks, climates, foods, and traditions via book characters is almost as good as the real thing. Unlike major air carriers, books aren\u2019t limited by time or even truth, so the travel possibilities are endless. If your family has the travel bug, check out these captivating globe-trotting adventure books for tweens. They might inspire your next trip or satisfy you while you stay home. <\/p>\n
no no 9780823454846 The (Mostly) True Story of Cleopatra\u2019s Needle <\/i> by Dan Gutman <\/p>\n
Dan Gutman is a go-to author when I recommend books to other families, and my sons consistently call him a favorite. In his fun new title, a savvy mom spins a history lesson about a Central Park statue into a time-hopping tale following Cleopatra\u2019s Needle as it traveled from ancient Egypt to New York City. It\u2019s a great example of how focusing on history’s \u201cstory\u201d potential can take you on a journey. The easier formatting, reading level, and fast pacing make this book ideal for reluctant readers and those finding independence with chapter books. <\/p>\n
9781426338106 Explorer Academy Series by Trudi Trueit <\/p>\n
Coronado Cruz gets recruited to attend the exclusive Explorers Academy, a futuristic school that trains kids to complete risky global missions. But he quickly discovers the school and his family have hidden secrets. This series is action-packed and full of cliffhangers. While the plot details are fictional, the places Coronado travels for missions are real. Each book finishes with a \u201cTruth Behind the Fiction\u201d section highlighting the work of actual scientists related to the story. The varied text formatting, including notes, puzzles, illustrations, and color, will appeal to kids who complain that traditional chapter books are boring.<\/p>\n
9780142424247 Stranded Series by Christopher Tebbetts and Jeff Probst <\/p>\n
A newly blended family takes a vacation for everyone to \u201cget to know each other better.\u201d However, their travel goals change when a freak storm shipwrecks the four kids on a remote island in the South Pacific. Now they must figure out how to make it home alive \u2014 and getting voted off the island isn\u2019t an option. These books are quick-moving reads for kids to enjoy independently or as read-alouds. The story unfolds across the original trilogy, and then a second trilogy features the same characters on a different harrowing vacation escapade. <\/p>\n
9781536230178 The Last Mapmaker <\/i> by Christina Soontornvat <\/p>\n
Twelve-year-old Sai jumps at the chance to escape her flawed family and joins an expedition to the South Seas as an assistant to a famous mapmaker. Once aboard, she quickly realizes the expedition is more complex than she expected, and she must decide how brave she\u2019s willing to be. While the South Pacific locations in this story are fictional, it draws inspiration from Thai mythology and transports readers to another place.<\/p>\n
9781368023566 Rick Riordan Presents: Aru Shah and the End of Time \u2013 A Pandava Novel Book 1 <\/i> by Roshani Chokshi <\/p>\n
Twelve-year-old Aru Shah\u2019s peers brag about their globe-trotting adventures, and she feels compelled to make up outlandish stories about traveling over summer break. When some classmates call her bluff, she lights a storied lamp from her mom\u2019s museum, which releases an ancient demon and freezes time. This turn of events sends her on a journey wilder than any she could make up. Inspired by a Hindu legend, this is the first title in a popular series presented by middle grade mega-author Rick Riordan. If kids are hesitant to try this series, draw them in with the graphic novel version<\/a>!<\/p>\n 9781645952213 National Archive Hunters 1: Capitol Chase <\/i> by Matthew Landis <\/p>\n In this series starter, twins Iris and Carter try to get ahead of a string of art robberies after a mystery girl steals a portrait of George Washington during an event at their mom\u2019s Washington, D.C. museum. They travel up and down the U.S. East Coast, racing to research clues and figure out where the art thieves will strike next. Fun fact: This author is an energetic middle school social studies teacher. In 2025, he will take a break from the classroom to travel the country in an RV with his family, spreading his non-boring take on American history to kids everywhere.<\/p>\n 9780593643846 The Mona Lisa Vanishes <\/i> by Nicholas Day, illustrated by Brett Helquist <\/p>\n Kids might not think of the nonfiction section when looking for their next gripping adventure story, but this title defies expectations. The author takes readers back in time to Paris, to the art heist that made the Mona Lisa famous, and then back further to Florence, Italy, entering the life of painter Leonardo da Vinci. Its take on historical events is both thrilling and funny, setting a new bar for globe-trotting informational text.<\/p>\n 9781645951612 Clara Poole and the Long Way Round<\/i> by Taylor Tyng <\/p>\n