Family Travel Books

Adventures with PawPaw, a great resource to introduce children to other countries and cultures is a book series about a little dog who visits a different country in each volume (Peapod Publishing, Inc.). The books are designed to help children explore the world, meet people of other lands, and learn foreign words and objects (teaching page in each book). Titles available now are China, France, and Costa Rica. Coming soon are Kenya, Turkey, Israel, Italy, Argentina, and others. Books are hardcover, 32 pages, and geared for ages 2-8. Purchase at www.adventureswithpawpaw.com. A portion of profits helps to support PawPaw's Pals, Inc., a non-profit organization that funds children's charities around the world, www.pawpawspals.org.

Adventuring with Children by Nan Jeffrey (Avalon Travel Publishing). Great overseas and domestic advice for active families who want to backpack, camp, sail, bicycle, or canoe.

The Family Travel Guide: An Inspiring Collection of Family-Friendly Vacations by Carole Terwilliger Meyers. (Carousel Press). First-hand family travel accounts from all over the world. Helps you picture your trip and includes additional suggestions of places to go and things to see.

Travel with Children by Cathy Lanigan (Lonely Planet Publishing). Advice for hard-core family travelers, even those heading to Third-World countries with infants and toddlers. Useful info for anyone; will make travel in Europe seem like a snap.

Family Sabbaticals: Book Reviews by Sherry Schwarz
As parents struggle to balance the increasing demands of work and life, it’s not surprising that an increasing number are contemplating taking time out to explore the world and discover new passions with their kids. On the scene to help are two new books:
	Bring Your Own Children: South America! A Family Sabbatical Handbook by Robin Malinosky-Rummell, Ph.D. (Book Publishers Network, 2007, $19.95, 452 pp.) with comments by Christopher Malinosky. Psychologist and travel enthusiast Robin Malinosky- Rummell has been working with children and families in a variety of settings for more than 20 years. After planning and fulfilling a year-long sabbatical with her husband and son that included learning Spanish, making connections with local people, and volunteering in South America, she wrote this book to help other families prepare to take the “plunge.” In addition to detailed travel narratives that give readers a sense of what to expect while journeying throughout South America, she also provides practical resources and advice for planning and making the most of a family sabbatical. The author’s website is www.rumskytravelworks.com.
	The Family Sabbatical Handbook: The Budget Guide to Living Abroad with Your Family by Elisa Bernick (The Intrepid Traveler, 2007, $15.95, 296 pp.). Bernick is well qualified to write about how everyday families can realize their dream of moving abroad for an extended period of time, because she and her family did just that, living in Mexico for 18 months. They did not work during their sabbatical and instead lived on three years’ savings and the rent from their home back in the U.S. Bernick says the decision was “one of the best” her family ever made—and her book addresses a wide range of practicalities to guide other parents into creating a successful sabbatical abroad too. It covers “the good, the bad, and the ugly” and offers comprehensive planning information and resources. For more information, see the author's website at www.familysabbatical.com.

Portions selected and reviewed by Cynthia Harriman