Top Ten Tuesday: Books that Feature Travel

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toptentuesday

Today I’m indulging in one of my rare forays into communal blog posting, by participating in The Broke and the Bookish’s very popular (and discussion-inducing) TTT feature.  This week’s topic is…

my TOP TEN BOOKS THAT FEATURE TRAVEL IN SOME WAY!

I’ve divided my picks into categories for ease of perusal…

PICTURE BOOKS

possum magicThe quintessential travel guide to Australia for foodies and animal lovers alike!

are we there yet

Another award winning Australian picture book – this one features a family’s journey around the continent, with fantastic illustrations and great bite-size information about well-known (and not so well known!) Australian landmarks.

oh the places youll go

With brains in your head and feet in your shoes, you can steer yourself any direction you choose! Just watch your step so you don’t end up in a slump.

MIDDLE READERS/YOUNG ADULT FICTION

magician's nephew

Ah, the first (and my favourite) instalment in the Chronicles of Narnia, this tome has travel by magic ring, out-of-control-hansom-cab and flying horse…what more could one ask for?

attica

I came upon this book unexpectedly in the time before blogging and it has now become one of my absolute favourite books in the Narnian theme – that is, travel to another world through some sort of household orifice…in this case through the attic of a terraced house.  I’m not a die-hard fan of Garry Kilworth by any means, but this is a deeply engaging read that is perfect for independent readers in the pre-teen/early teen age bracket.

ultraviolet

Another unexpected favourite of mine – this one springs the travel theme on the reader about two thirds through the book.  I won’t say where or how the travel occurs because it was a great surprise to me when I first read it…but it’s unexpected, to say the least.  Incidentally the book deals with a teenage girl’s time in a psychiatric facility dealing with her suspected involvement in the disappearance of a classmate. Oh, and she’s also a sinaesthete.

sabriel

This modern fantasy tale sucked me back into reading many years ago after a reasonable period in which I had neither the energy nor the inclination to pick up a book.  Also the start of a great trilogy, it features cross country ski travel, enchanted paper plane travel, long-time-in-a-leaky-boat travel, wading-into-Death travel and the added accompaniment of quick-let’s-get-out-of-here, running-away-from-shuffling-hordes travel.

BOOKS FOR BIG PEOPLE

mrs queen

Imagine if you will, the Queen (yes, old ER herself!), wrapping up in a hoodie and taking off on the train.  Delightful, charming and oh-so-British.

call of the weird

I love Louis. And this book sees him travelling all around the US in search of those who practice…alternative lifestyles…of one sort or another.

andthentherewasnone

Ten people travel to an inaccessible island at the behest of a mysterious stranger. Nope, nothing could possibly go wrong.

Feel free to let me know what you think – and what I’ve missed!

Until next time,

Bruce

27 thoughts on “Top Ten Tuesday: Books that Feature Travel”

    • It’s a great read! One of her best I think…I have to get my paws on Ten, which is the new YA version of it and see if it’s any good 🙂 Thanks for dropping in!

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  4. It is the time of year that I start hearing lots of talk about travel. Who’s traveling here to visit and where are my folks traveling to. I just hope I get included. This looks like a pretty interesting list to comtemplate. Do you do any traveling?

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    • In a word, no. In a phrase, no, not really, sometimes 😉 Although Mad Martha is quite well travelled. Have you ever travelled by plane perchance, and if so, how did you find it?

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      • Yes, I have been on several plane trips. I can’t say much about the trips though as I slept under the Mom Person’s feet the whole way. Airports are pretty cool though. Pure chaos! Lots of good people watching if you’re into that. And lots of interesting smells. Are you planning a trip?

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      • Look at us communicating in real time from opposite sides of the planet…It’s gotta be the coolest thing since long-distance telephone calls!
        No, not planning a trip – bookshelf gargoyling doesn’t bring in the cash like you would expect. I must say I’m glad you got to sit in the civilised part of the plane – I had visions of you quivering in a box in the hold. Can’t imagine that would be too fun.

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      • Technology! And for dogs and gargoyles! Who woulda thought?! I got to travel in the people part of the plane because I was a Guide Dog In Training. A special somebody. Now I’m not that special so no more plane rides for me as my Mom Person would not dream of putting me in a box with the luggage! So just road trips from now on! Which is much more fun anyway! Although it would be hard to get to Australia from here in a car!

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      • Yes. Unless it was some sort of fancy aqua-car. You should have saved the little doggy vest that you get to wear when you’re on duty, then you could have tricked the airline and flown whenever you want. But that’s probably a bit underhanded for an upstanding citizen like you…

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      • I do still have the vest. It’s a little small now and I don’t look much like a pup anymore. And I would probably feel so guilty that I wouldn’t get a wink of sleep. I’ll just stick to the car.

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  9. Sabriel!!! I love the Abhorsen trilogy, omg. And I really really need to read Ultraviolet, I’ve heard such good things about that book.

    Thanks for stopping by my TTT! 🙂

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  10. The Magician’s Nephew is so underrated. Where else can you see a whole world created and then subsequently live through the ages with it. The Hansom cab was great, I always imagined that Holmes and Watson were in it for some odd reason.

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