I am delighted to be participating in the blog tour to mark National Non-Fiction November, the annual celebration organised by the Federation of Children’s Book Groups highlighting the books that provide information and facts for eager readers.

One of the joys of nonfiction books for children is not only that readers learn as they read but they can also experience, albeit through their imagination, other parts of the world, other peoples and important places without leaving home. It’s the Journey Not the Destination encourages children to read forty slow adventures undertaken by boat, bike, foot and train. The slower pace of these explorations will inspire children to take their time and notice the details that make places unique and special.

The book is divided into four sections covering each mode of transport with a world map depicting the locations of the different journeys and the places visited on each route. Each section then takes the reader on an exploration, slowly savouring the landscape, the wildlife, the vegetation and the smells and sounds associated with each place. The muted colours and slightly retro feel of the illustrations fit the gentle pace of the text perfectly. This, just like the journeys themselves, is a book to read slowly and carefully.

I was tempted by several of the walks including the Way of St James to the city of Santiago de Compostela in Spain and closer to home, the Great Stones Way in the south of England. The cycle routes take the reader along the famous Silk Road, part of The Marvin Braude Bike Trail in Los Angeles and through the ruins of Angkor in Cambodia and many other fascinating places. The canal boat trip through Amsterdam brought back happy childhood memories for me and I would love to travel down the Danube. Kayaking in the Komodo National Park I may leave for the more adventurous! A stream train ride through the Scottish Highlands is now on my wish list too. The range of journeys takes in the more familiar, alongside the more unusual and this combination is a great balance. This would be a wonderful book for families to share prompting discussion about places already visited and those that have caught the imagination of the reader. However it would also work well in the classroom to support the teaching of geography and would definitely be an excellent addition to the primary school library.

The author has included key facts and observations that satisfy a child’s curiosity and give a taste of each country or place and importantly the people who live there too. The extra ‘12 Ways to Travel Slow’ at the end of the book are both timely and wise. It’s the Journey Not the Destination is published by Magic Cat Publishing and you may like to visit their website for a browse of their other publications too.

Thank you to the Federation of Children’s Book Groups (FCBG) for asking me to take part in the events this month and also to the publisher Magic Cat for providing a copy of the book for review.