When planning an overseas trip, both T and I kick off the process by purchasing the latest Lonely Planet travel guide for the country we have in mind. With my trusty highlighter in hand, I work through the pages highlighting places of interest and hot tips. It’s only after I work through this process that I open my Mac and start doing any online research.
Of course, when our kids became old enough to love books themselves we had to introduce them to the Lonely Planet Kids book range which provide insight into the world we live in on a global, nation and city level.
This October, Lonely Planet Kids have released The Lonely Planet Kids Travel Book; Lonely Planet Kids : How to Be an International Spy; and, Lonely Planet Kids : Adventures Around the Globe. We were sent our own copies to read and decided that they really needed a post.
The Lonely Planet Kids Travel Book
Table of Contents
Our family regularly plays scattegories with “country” a category that always features. This book is going to come in handy! Master R was most impressed by this book exclaiming “they’ve covered EVERY country inside. EVERY single one. They’ve even covered Tuvalu and Palau!“. Yep, 208 different countries are represented within the pages of The Travel Book, with a whole page dedicated to every single one.
At the top of each page is the “country cards”, a pair of cards that are colour coded to reveal the continent the country sits within, a small map, the flag, population size, life expectancy and landmass. It allows you to rank the country in these areas and is a great first introduction to the country. The rest of the page focuses on facts about the country. We love it!
The Lonely Planet Kids Travel Book retails for $29.99 and is available at most bookshops around the country. You can currently grab it at Booktopia for $23.95.
Lonely Planet Kids : Adventures Around the Globe
We first learned about the Lonely Planet Kids sticker books when we reviewed Adventures in Famous Places a couple of months ago. When Miss N spotted this special edition, featuring 60 fun pages, she actually squealed and started working through the pages straight away. I didn’t even have time to have a look myself until she had created the globe, coloured a few pages and started applying stickers left, right and centre.
So why do we like the Lonely Planet Kids activity sticker books so much? To be honest, because they keep the kids busy for hours! Literally, hours!! You will need to let go and accept that the gorgeous glossy pages and beautiful images (unusual in an activity book) are supposed to be written on to get the most value our of each book.
This Lonely Planet Kids : Adventures Around the Globe edition explores each continent of the world. Your kids (and perhaps yourself?) will learn that there are more than 1000 languages spoken in Africa, that adult orang-utans grow a beard and moustache, that is some places of the Atacama Desert in Chile it has not rained for 400 years and the emu can run up to 50 kph, among numerous other facts. They’ll have the chance to stick 250 reusable stickers and complete a number of puzzles. See….so much time. You may as well enjoy a coffee while they set to work.
This Lonely Planet Kids : Adventures Around the Globe activity book retails for $16.99 and is available at most bookshops around the country. You can currently grab it at Booktopia for $13.50.
Lonely Planet Kids : How to Be an International Spy – Your Top-Secret Guide to Espionage
This is a book that my kids (6 and 9) needed a little assistance with to read. It’s full of information, almost bursting at the seams, which was a little overwhelming for them. However, it is absolutely perfect for one of my students who I’ll be sharing this with next week!
The book is broken up into 9 main sections: Spies like us; Which side are you on?: Double identity; Code Breaking; Out in the field; Animal spies; Awesome gadgets; The Internet; and, The Spy Challenge. Each provide an in-depth look at each area and provide activities the reader can work through to learn exactly how to put the theory into action (kid version – not real spy like).
Lonely Planet Kids : How to Be an International Spy – Your Top-Secret Guide to Espionage book retails for $24.99 and is available at most bookshops around the country. You can currently grab it at Booktopia for $17.50.
Want to read more Lonely Planet Kids books? You might like to have a look at our last review.
Your chance to WIN!
Thanks to Lonely Planet Kids we have an October Book Pack to giveaway comprising of 1 copy of The Lonely Planet Kids Travel Book, 1 copy of  Lonely Planet Kids : Adventures Around the Globe and 1 copy of Lonely Planet Kids : How to Be an International Spy – Your Top-Secret Guide to Espionage.
To enter, please comment below telling us in 25 words or less which country you would most like to explore with your child(ren) and why. *please remember to include your correct email so we can email you if you win!
COMPETITION CLOSED
Winner: Amelia.
Terms and conditions: The KidBucketList Lonely Planet Kids October Book Pack giveaway is a game of skill. The competition opens, Friday 2 October at 6.00 am EST and closes on Friday, 16 October at 6.59 pm EST. One entry per person. Australian entries only. Participants must provide a valid email address and answer the question in the comment form to be eligible. One (1) entrant will win a Lonely Planet Kids Book pack including The Travel Book, Adventures Around the Globe and How to Be an International Spy RRP$71.97. The judge’s decision is final and no correspondence will be entered in to. All entrants must follow the instructions provided. KidBucketList reserves the right to change the dates of the promotion if required. Also, if there are compelling technical or administrative reasons which we cannot control, KidBucketList can cancel or modify the promotion. Notice of any changes to the promotion will be given at www.kidbucketlist.com.au. The winner will be notified by email and their name will be published on KidBucketList. KidBucketList reserves the right to select an alternate winner if we determine in its sole discretion that the winner/s do not adequately satisfy these terms and conditions. Prizes are not transferable and not redeemable for cash. The prize winner is responsible for any expenses, fees and costs connected with the prizes that are not included in the prize descriptions. KidBucketList and their promotional partners are not responsible for any loss or damage in relation to the prize once it has been awarded. All entries become the property of KidBucketList. Once submitted, your entry will not be returned to you. In return for entering the competition you grant KidBucketList a worldwide, non-exclusive, irrevocable licence in perpetuity to reproduce, publish, adapt, communicate and broadcast all or part of your entry in any media for the purposes of this competition and inclusion in KidBucketList branded products and marketing materials. KidBucketList will use the personal information contained in your entry to conduct the promotion, and award the prize. If you win a prize, KidBucketList can use your name to credit you for your entry and for marketing purposes. Prizes must be claimed within 48 hours of notification at which time an alternate winner will be chosen and announced.Â
Borneo so they can learn about the Orangutans and see the damage we are doing to their home and how we can make better choices.
Iceland. I’d love them to see the northern lights. Just this one time we could all stay up past bedtime. 😉
South Africa. For the food, the culture, and so that we can all find the power of one. Also, Cheetah conservation!
Africa. My daughter has been called the ‘animal whisperer’ and would love to show her the king of the jungle as well as visiting her Uncle’s heritage.
We’d love to explore Malaysia,
there’s so much to see and do.
Plus a quick visit to Legoland,
would be a nice treat too!
Italy, to learn a little more about their family heritage (all while eating copious amounts of pasta followed by lashings of gelato, of course!).
Egypt for all the mystery and adventures to be had there. Perhaps our explorations would discover one of antiquities greatest secrets!
Australia, so much to see, so much to do. Best to explore what’s on our own front doorstep before taking on the big wide world.
Italy would be great to explore with my children! So much to learn and eat 🙂 plus see their Nonna
It is my dream to explore the US one day with my children. Disneyland, Central Park and Las Vegas are on the must-do list!
Finland for its beauty and because my son Fin is desperate to discover ‘his’ country and his brother wants to visit Santa (me too).
I’d love to see Hungary with my kids, it’s where my Mum and Dad came from, it’s our history!
South Africa … Visiting our ‘roots’ by taking a trip down memory lane and create more memories as a family.
New Zealand the four of my kids are more excited by hobbiton than theme parks and I want to bunny jump
England and Ireland as it is very scenic and we have family there also
We would like to go to Montana USA so we can go dinosaur fossil digging.
We would love to take our kids to Japan…. It’s all about culture, food, sight seeing and showing our kids what a wonderful world we live in.
England because my kids would love to see where Robin Hood lived, where the queen lives and see her Crown Jewels
France – My daughter is already infatuated with Paris so I would love to show her that there is more than just the Eiffel Tower!
I’d love to explore Venice, ITALY with my child to experience some Beautiful Italian Gelato flavours, great Pastas the Famous Grand Canal & a wonderful Gondola ride at Sunset.