Books to Read When... You're Going on a Journey

Summer is a time for journeying. Whether you are traveling near, far, or just through a good book from the comfort of your sofa, take time to broaden your horizons with these picture book suggestions.

A Gift of Dust: How Saharan Plumes Feed the Planet

Written by Martha Brockenbrough

Illustrated by Juana Martinez-Neal

New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2025. Informational.

The unorthodox journey of dust is showcased in A Gift of Dust. Dust seemingly lifeless, is actually responsible for nourshing much of life on Earth as it travels. So watch as it starts in Chad, West Africa, as winds carry it across the continent, over the Atlantic ocean, to replenish the Amazon rain forest and beyond.

Sunday

By Marcelo Tolentino

San Francisco, CA : Blue Dot Kids Press, 2025. Picture Book.

Journey into Martin's imagination with his faithful dog companion, Maize. Follow along as they cross frozen tundras and arid deserts, encounter a sacred beast, and fearsome pirates. Readers will enjoy looking for the clues within the landscapes that hint at what Martin may be using in real life to spark his fantastic voyage.

On All Fours

By Gaëtan Dorémus

Brooklyn, NY: Enchanted Lion Books, 2025. Picture Book.

A young bear is stretching his independance by exploring on all fours the natural world around him. From meadow to stream and everything in between, sometimes the journey doesn't have to go far to feel big.

The Voyage

Written by Stéphane Servant

Illustrated by Audrey Spiry

Vancouver; Berkeley; London: Aldana Libros / Greystone Kids, 2024. Picture Book.

Our heroine was born with a spirit of adventure --always looking toward the unknown horizon. Her journey through life (chronicled with swirling, lush illustrations) is full of courage, strength, and love and always reiterates the importance of the journey itself not the destination.

Comments

Stand Tall by Joan Bauer

Stand Tall By Siena Siegel by Joan Bauer Putnam, 2002, 182 pgs Realistic Fiction Tree is 12 years old and over 6 feet tall. That would be great if he were a basketball player, but he is not. Dealing with his unusual size is not Tree's only challenge. Tree's parents have recently gone through a divorce, and his grandfather has had his leg amputated as the result of an old Vietnam War injury. The strength of this book is the characterizations. All of the main characters are dimensional and sympathetic. Bauer sets the characters in real and often funny family situations. Best of all is the character of Tree. He is boy with a heart to match his stature. This is a great book for boys or girls ages 9-12, as a read aloud or for individual reading. This book could also be a good Rx book for children whose families are going through divorce, or for anyone who feels like they don't fit in.

Review: The New Girl

The New Girl By Cassandra Calin New York: Graphix, 2024. Comic. 261 pages. 12-year-old Lia and her family have just moved from Romania to Montreal, and she's doing her best to keep up with the changes. But, she's homesick. She misses the rest of her family, her friends, and her favorite Romanian treats. She doesn't speak French and her English is shaky, which makes it hard to make friends, even in her international immersion class. And she's dealing with super painful menstrual cramps every month. But before long, Lia starts to hit her stride. She befriends the other bilingual girls in her class, she gets a spot as the artist for her school's magazine, and even has a new crush -- Julien. Though she may be the new girl, Lia is starting to fit in. This slice of life graphic novel is an adorable choice for middle grade readers and young teens. Lia is a likable protagonist and readers will have little difficulty relating to her adjustment to school. The text speaks to a...

Review: Cincinnati Lee, Curse Breaker

Cincinnati Lee, Curse Breaker By Heidi Heilig New York: Greenwillow Books, 2025. Fiction. 291 pages. Thanks to Cincinnati Lee's no good, dirty rotten, artifact stealing great great great grandfather, Cincinnati's family is now cursed and Cincinnati feels like it's up to her to break the curse. Which involves trying to steal the artifacts back from museums that her grandfather robbed from graves and archeological sites around the world and return them to their countries of origin. But when Cincinnati's first artifact stealing mission goes awry, she decides it might be more effective to steal an all-powerful artifact herself that she can use to break the curse - The Spear of Destiny. Unfortunately her race for the spear will pit her against art smugglers and thieves intent on finding the ancient artifact themselves. If you are looking for an Indiana Jones read-alike, this is the perfect for you! Heavy on the adventure with similar levels of mysticism to those seen in th...

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