Adventure Awaits

The Atlas Obscura Explorer’s Guide for the World’s Most Adventurous Kid
by Dylan Thuras & Rosemary Mosco ill Joy Ang

Most nonfiction can be neatly classified into specific categories, Atlas Obscura Explorer's Guide for the World's Most Adventurous Kid defies a  simple type of classification.

The introductory and final pages are an invitation for young readers to be curious and explore wonders waiting to be discovered "starting in your own backyard." Some of the directives are practical. Others are fantastical. For example, the traveler's Packing List includes basic items such as sunscreen and a first aid kit. But look further down the supply checklist and you'll find a Geiger Counter and treats for goats "just in case you run into some adorable hungry goats."

Arrangement of the book's content is intriguing. Thuras and Mosco have eschewed tradition organization. Readers are initially invited to explore the interior of a volcano, located in Iceland.  While in Iceland, the facing page describes sighting Blue Whale migration in an Icelandic bay. 

Travel itinerary becomes evident on succeeding pages. Note that the next stop is about migration of a different sort. Kasanka National Park in Zambia is home to migrating fruit bats. The facing page describes another wonder found in Zambia: The Devil's Swimming Pool, sitting at the lip of Victoria Falls. Turn the page and the pattern continues. This time adventure awaits at the Blood Falls in Antarctica. As one would expect, the final page of the book takes readers to back to where the journey began: the heart of a volcano in Chili. Each entry also includes longitude and latitude location coordinates, a small image of the globe pointing to the country's location and a few geographical pariculars. It is worth noting that entering the location coordinates into a Google search will bring up the featured destination.

Full page, full color illustrations highlight the magnificence of these wonders located throughout the world. Joy Ang offers panoramic vistas as well as images of young explorers. It's a visual invitation to find out more. 

Back matter includes Alternative Travel Routes organized by specific areas of interest. Modes of travel are arranged by speed, with human walking at about 3.1 mph as the slowest and commercial jet at 550 mph as the fastest. There is also a comparison of height for some of the destinations. Finally, there are suggestions for creating personal investigations and sources for further reading.

This volume is jam-packed with multiple opportunities to experience the wonders of the world. Pair the book with a camera, binoculars, a notebook or art supplies and you've got the perfect gift for inquisitive kids everywhere.

Bonus: Create Your Own Adventure

​As Ellie declares, "adventure is out there."  Curiosity is the first step. 
Visiting local museums, natural parks, and libraries (probably best not to rip out pages of books, Ellie) will feed the heart and soul of adventurers young and old. 

Uncorrected copy provided by publisher.

Pub date: September 18, 2018 Publisher: Workman Publishing Company ISBN: 978-1523503544