This summer has been unlike any other. Many have scrapped summer travel plans and opted for “staycations.” For those who have chosen to stay at home but are experiencing a bit of wanderlust, Sue Ridnour, Director of Library Services at Flower Mound Public Library offers some thrilling book suggestions that will transport readers of all ages to far-away places.
A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail by Bill Bryson. (1998)
Bryson has written some outstanding books about traveling in other countries - In A Sunburned Country, Neither Here Nor There, Bill Bryson’s African Diary - but this journal of his adventures exploring the 2,100-mile Appalachian trail is a fascinating history of the eastern United States, in particular the region that stretches from Georgia to Maine. Along the trail, he meets some interesting characters and has some crazy experiences. For adults and older teens.
The Paris Hours by Alex George (2020)
Taking place over the course of a single day between the two world wars, The Paris Hours is the story of four ordinary people in The City of Lights who are each looking for something they’ve lost. Actual historical figures such as Gertrude Stein and Marcel Proust interact with the fictional characters in this beautifully-written period drama with a breath-taking ending. Fans of All the Light We Cannot See and The Dream Lover will enjoy this title. For adults and older teens.
Me, Frida, and the Secret of the Peacock Ring by Angela Cervantes (2018)
Eleven-year-old Paloma Marquez is forced to give up her summer plans to accompany her mother on a trip to Mexico, where her deceased father was born. On her first night in Mexico, Paloma becomes entangled in a mystery involving an artifact once owned by the artist Frida Kahlo. Paloma jumps in to solve the mystery, but realizes she’s involved in something sinister. For young readers who love art, mystery or travel. Recommended for grades 4-6.
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