35 best travel books for kids to inspire them to explore the globe

Do you read with your kids every day? If you’re anything like me, you do, and you might be getting tired of the same old titles. That’s one reason I put together this comprehensive list of the best travel books for kids. From learning about the world’s many cultures, places and people to diving into exactly how your luggage gets onto a plane, these children’s books about travel will make you and your nuggets itch for your next trip.

We don’t travel all the time. But during the weeks we’re at home, we still like to send our imaginations to far-off lands. That’s why reading is such an important part of our daily life.

Whether your kids are already world travelers or are just starting their adventurous ways, I’m pretty certain they’ll love these travel books for kids. I put together a list of the best children’s books about travel because I believe what we read shapes us. These travel books are all about inspiring curiosity, learning about other places, embracing diversity and embracing wanderlust.

I can’t wait to hear what you think about our favorite travel books for kids!

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Children’s books about traveling the world

Atlas of Adventures

The Atlas of Adventures is a sturdy, thick book for a reason: There are so many things to do, see and explore on this wide world of ours, and this travel book for kids shows many of them!

I like this children’s book because each two-page spread shows a detailed scene of life someplace in the world. From bathing elephants in Thailand to ice-skidding Emperor penguins in Antarctica, the adventures that await are too numerous to count.

The colorful illustrations in Atlas of Adventures will inspire your kids’ imagination and wanderlust.

Everything & Everywhere

This children’s book about the world is perfect for curious kids. It is jam-packed with illustrations and facts about different places, from Hong Kong to Paris. (You will come away with tidbits of knowledge, too, that you might just be able to use at trivia night!)

Edie and Max loves this style of book, which includes a treasure trove of detail. They pore over the illustrations, pointing to each one and asking me about it—”Why is that guy dressed like that? Is that animal nocturnal? Have you ever ridden a yellow taxi?”

Each time you flip through Everything & Everywhere, you’ll find some new detail to explore.

A Ticket Around the World

I fantasize about doing an around the world trip. I haven’t made that happen for my family (yet!) but in the meantime can pretend we’re doing so with A Ticket Around the World, a children’s book about travel!

In this book, a young boy takes us along as he visits 13 countries on 6 continents. And in each destination, he makes a local friend who shares some of the best things about their home.

Each page is based on a map, so kids get the beginning of a geography primer, too. More of interest to most kids, though, are the fun details about every page—like the monkeys that live outside one child’s house in Costa Rica and how people cross the desert in Morocco.

I like that at the end of the story, the main character asks questions that challenge readers to recall details from each country. It’s a terrific way to not only “travel” from the comfort of your home but learn about countries around the world.

Gifts

Gifts, by Jo Ellen Bogart, is a book that gets me right in the nostalgia muscle. It’s a sweet story about an adventurous grandmother who brings back something special for her granddaughter from her travels. But these aren’t typical souvenirs. The girl asks for true experiences of travel—like the feeling of mist, the kiss of a warm sunrise, a gentle breeze.

The grandmother visits places all over the world, from Australia to Mexico’s pyramids. Meanwhile, the little girl grows up and the grandmother gets older and frailer.

You and your kids will love the gift on the final page. It got me right in the feels.

Maps

If your kids like diving into detailed books, they’ll love Maps—a book of 52 intricately detailed maps covering every region of the globe.

Yes, these maps display a country or continent’s geography, with mountains, cities and rivers. Each map is also filled with illustrations of what makes that place special. Animals, native plants, famous people, fun facts and awesome things to do—you and your kids will finish this travel book knowing so much more about the world!

Barefoot Books World Atlas

I love having reference books at home. We rarely sit down to read them start to finish but rather dip in and out, learning a bit each time we crack it open. The Barefoot Books World Atlas is like that: It’s dense, so you probably won’t want to bring it out at bedtime, but it’s an absolute wealth of information.

My favorite thing about this kids’ World Atlas is it’s a terrific introduction to geography for kids. Its bright, colorful maps and fold-out pages invite kids in, taking away any sense of intimidation they might feel. And the book introduces kids to concepts like continents and borders, making later discussions about travel a lot easier.

Whether you occasionally take this book home from the library or add it to your own bookshelves, the Barefoot Books World Atlas will be a book you return to for years as your kids grow.

Here We Are

My kids and I love Oliver Jeffers, so I knew I’d adore Here We Are. And I was right! This travel book for kids applies his wry sense of humor and distinctive artistic style to a very big topic: the world!

From the macro (space, the atmosphere) to the micro (people who come in all shapes, sizes, colors and headwear), Jeffers addresses what it’s like to live on planet Earth.

In his signature conversational style that makes it feel as though he’s sitting on the couch talking to you, he addresses the things you’d expect in a world book, like regions that are hot and cold, and the many animals that live here with us.

He goes beyond, though. He puts in important messages, like to be kind to animals and to protect our resources.

We could all use a reminder of the closing message: “Well, that is Planet Earth. Make sure you look after it, as it’s all we’ve got.”

Travel books for kids about getting there: Planes, trains and automobiles!

The Airport Book

The Airport Book is one of our favorites. It shows everything a family does, from leaving their front door through flying to their vacation destination. This book was how I prepped Max and Edie when they were little when we were getting ready for family trips.

Kids sometimes get nervous or scared about things they’ve never done before. And some parts of travel can be extra-unfamiliar. So it helps to have a fun, colorful book about airports to help them feel more in control of the plans ahead.

Max and Edie’s favorite part about this book about travel is the youngest child’s stuffie. While the family is going through security, getting on the plane and getting their luggage, the stuffie is having an adventure of its own!

Are We There Yet?

Road trips start out as exciting—but for a bored kid in the back seat, they can get pretty tiresome after a while. In Are We There Yet, a child lets his mind wander while his family drives cross-country. And instead of time dragging on, it moves him back in time!

The road trip suddenly becomes a lot less boring when he finds himself in the Wild West and, eventually, the time of the dinosaurs!

Are We There Yet should be required reading for kids about to go on a road trip. It shows the power of imagination—and what can happen when you let a bored imagination roam.

Planes Fly!

Transportation—getting from A to B—doesn’t have to be boring! Planes Fly! is one way to bring a ton of excitement into the prospect of travel.

I like not only this transportation book’s active, energetic illustrations but also its rhymes. Through the rhythmic text, kids will learn all about air travel. Ask your kids which of the planes they’d most like to fly in!

How Airports Work

This Lonely Planet Kids book invites littles to literally look behind the scenes at the airport. Toddlers and even elementary aged kids will have fun lifting the flaps through How Airports Work to better understand everything about air travel.

From how security works to where luggage goes after you check it, this informative kids book about travel answers dozens of questions about the airport.

For children nervous about flying for the first time to transportation nuts who are wild about planes, this airport book is terrific for everyone. My own kids love to fly (I think it has to do with the movies they get to watch on their tablets, as well as other fun things to do on a plane!). This book makes them love to read about it, too.

Travel books for kids about people

People

Earlier this year, Edie cracked her chin open while trying (and missing) a scooter trick. When she got the stitches out, she distracted herself by looking at a Where’s Waldo? poster on the doctor’s wall. She loved the irreverent crowds. If your kids do, too, they’ll adore People as well.

The simply titled People, by Caldecott Medal winner Peter Spier, shows the many, many ways people can be, act, dress and look all over the globe. The level of detail in each page makes me want to dive in for hours.

Aspects of people and their culture, from religion to pets, features in this iconic book about travel.

Good People Everywhere

Good People Everywhere is not only a wonderful children’s book about people who live all over the world but also a good reminder for grown-ups that people are generally good. (I’m pretty sure I’m not alone that the news cycle makes me wonder sometimes.)

I love that this children’s book emphasizes that, essentially, we’re all cut from the same cloth. No matter where you live or how you grow up, you’re not terribly different from others. Parents have babies. People build homes. Musicians and dancers perform.

What’s more, kids immediately connect to the relatable acts of kindness in Good People Everywhere. They, too, have helped a friend who fell down or taken care of a sibling.

Emphasizing similarities as well as differences helps kids grow their empathy and embrace diversity. This ability is crucial for kids who travel.

The simple message of Good People Everywhere resonates with families who love to travel—and anyone who wants to emphasize that there is more good than bad in the world.

This Is How We Do It

This big, beautiful book shows a day in a life of children who live all over the world. I love its simple, matter-of-fact text. After all, even if there are infinite ways to grow up, each is completely normal and unremarkable to the ones living it.

This Is How We Do It focuses on the parts of a day kids are most interested in. The kids’ travel book highlights where each child lives, their family, their school and, of course, how they play!

The book’s rhythm—each child covers the same topics in the same way—reinforces the underlying message that although we live in different places, eat different food, have different color skin and write in a different language, we’re more similar than not.

Finally, This Is How We Do It is a terrific way to discuss diversity and culture around the globe to young travelers.

Walk This World

The bold, graphic illustrations in Walk This World make this book an instant favorite. Each page takes kids to another place and culture, where they can explore what makes us similar and different.

This is a terrific starting travel book for kids because it’s a lift the flap book! Toddlers (and older kids, too—including my 4 and 6 year old!) love lifting the flaps to see surprises underneath.

Why We Live Where We Live

For older kids with plenty of “why” to go around, Why We Live Where We Live is chock-full of answers. It explores why humans live where they do—in small villages and megacities—and what they need to thrive.

Its no-nonsense, straightforward sections explore everything from how humans adapt to their landscape to where they get food and what kinds of dwellings work best in the local climate. After reading Why We Live Where We Do, your curious kids will have a much better understanding of global geography and culture.

This travel book for kids is also an excellent one to read before traveling to a location where the culture is different from your own. Using it as a touchstone, you and your kids can discuss questions your kids have about your destination—why do the houses look different? why are the roads like this? why are people speaking so many different languages?—using knowledge gleaned from the book.

Hello World! It’s a Small World

This colorful board book is the perfect way to introduce babies and toddlers to people and places around the world. On each page, people say “hello” in their local language. (Don’t worry, there’s pronunciation help for adults!)

I like that Hello World! It’s a Small World is a fun, relatable way to introduce diverse cultures to even the littlest learners (and future travelers). It’s also a terrific way to start conversations about similar and different. Like, what is similar in what we and people from India wear? What’s different about where we live and where this boy in Brazil lives?

This board book about travel is one in the Hello World! series. There are plenty more to explore that introduce kids to concepts in science, nature and geography.

Same, Same But Different

When I was a kid, I loved to write. (Are you surprised?) I had dozens of pen pals over the years, so Same, Same But Different really struck a chord with me. It’s the story of two boys who strike up a pen pal relationship and share what their lives are like, learning that, yes, they’re same, same but different.

This book is laid out in a series of letters back and forth, though each one is more painting than words. (Sounds right for kids!) The text feels so authentic to how young boys would write to each other. On one page, the boy from India asks his American counterpart if he lives in a tree. The innocence and curiosity—and total lack of judgment—make this travel book for kids a great way to learn about others.

Plus, your kids may end up wanting to find a pen pal of their own!

All the Colors of the Earth

We adults tend to think of colors of skin in a very literal way. All the Colors of the Earth turns that on its head, using gorgeous poetry and paintings to celebrate skin color in a whole new way.

We know that children as young as babies see differences in skin color, so the whole “we don’t see race” approach simply doesn’t work. In fact, it can backfire, making important discussions around race, equality, diversity and more difficult to have.

I love that All the Colors of the Earth celebrates our differences with expressive language and descriptions. For example, the whispering gold of summer grasses describes one person’s skin, and another one is the “roaring brown” color of a bear.

Kids (and adults!) need language to comfortably talk about differences and similarities, especially when we travel. This award-winning book provides a new, and beautiful, vocabulary to do just that.

Everybody Cooks Rice

Food is integral to culture and identity, which is why I’m super sensitive about the girls making faces or saying “yuck” about anyone’s food. Still, they stick with their macaroni and cheese while I eat colorful salads, stir fry, refried beans and curry.

Even if I can’t get them to develop more adventurous tastebuds (yet!), I can help them explore other people’s food through books.

Everybody Cooks Rice follows a young girl wandering through her neighborhood at dinnertime. Each family she visits is from a different country—and each is using rice in their meal in a different way. After all, rice is one of the most-eaten foods in the world.

And if your kiddos are willing to explore just a little farther, Everybody Cooks Rice also includes simple recipes so you can make meals featured in the book right at home.

Whoever You Are

“Little one, whoever you are, wherever you are, there are little ones just like you all over the world…“

This comforting message is how Whoever You Are begins. This board book about the people of the world emphasizes diversity as well as commonalities.

After all, sometimes kids feel like they’re alone, weird or unlike anyone else—I know my kids have felt that way before. So it’s a lovely reminder that we’re never, in fact, alone.

Travel book series

Larry Gets Lost in _____

Larry the adorable dog has a serious case of wanderlust—and a habit of getting lost! He accompanies his family on trips all over the place, from Washington, DC to San Diego.

Every time, something draws this distractible dog away from his people. In his attempt to find his way back, he discovers what makes each place unique. During the journey, kids will learn about a place’s history, culture and people.

I love the Larry Gets Lost series and recommend you find a copy for the city where you live—or where you’re traveling to next!

This Is ____ Series

The iconic This Is ___ series (This Is Rome, This Is Paris, This Is New York) was originally published in the 1960s. It has stood the test of time, showing that these terrific travel books for kids are worth bringing to your bookshelves!

The bold, graphic paintings bring famous cities to life. From famous landmarks to the people who live there and even the stray cats (!), what makes each city unique is lovingly illustrated for young readers.

And if you want to visit more places in one book, check out This Is The World! The same creator takes readers across the globe in one book.

All Aboard! series

For the littlest travelers, the All Aboard! board book series takes them all over the world, through cities, countries and U.S. states. One of my favorite is All Aboard! National Parks. (I just bought it for my youngest niece. Shh, don’t tell!)

These board books are simple, since they’re for itty bitty readers, but that doesn’t mean they’re dumbed down. The All Aboard! books still share plenty of details and fun facts about each featured destination, from Paris to Texas.

After all, it’s never too early to inspire wanderlust in kids.

Living In ______ Around the World series

Kids are naturally curious. I know my littles want to know everything! That’s one reason why I love nonfiction books like the Living In _____ Around the World series. Each one introduces readers to a child in a different country and shows what life is like there.

These Level 2 easy readers are just above Edie’s independent reading level, so she’ll be able to read them on her own soon. In the meantime, I am happy to read to both her and Max about life in Australia, South Korea, Russia and other countries.

The friendly illustrations in Living In ____ books immediately invite readers in to the story. And while they’re nonfiction, they’re anything but boring.

Kitty Cat, Kitty Cat, Where Have You Been? series

In the Kitty Cat, Kitty Cat, Where Have You Been? travel book series, a friendly grey cat travels to cities across the United States and the world. Stopping in Rome, Paris, Washington DC and beyond, Kitty Cat explores not only each city’s important landmarks but also teaches why that place is significant.

For example, in Washington DC, Kitty Cat visits the White House. Not only are the illustrations of landmarks like the president’s residence incredibly detailed yet approachable, these pages pack a lot of information into a few rhyming lines. Concepts as complex as the federal government are a little easier to understand with Kitty Cat’s straightforward explanations.

Before you head to a new city, see if Kitty Cat has been there before you. She can help your kids learn about the destination even before you set foot on a plane!

The Katie Travel Book Series

Multigenerational travel is having a heyday, for good reason. We often travel with both sets of my kids’ grandparents, and Katie—the title character in the Katie series by James Mayhew—is the same.

“Fortunately Grandma was the sort of grandma who liked an adventure,” the book writes—because Katie and her family are always getting into adventure on their vacations!

Take for example Katie in Scotland, where they get an unexpected tour guide. (I won’t spoil the surprise but trust me, it’s fun!)

Other Katie books travel throughout the United Kingdom as well as famous art, including paintings by Van Goh and Monet. (Maybe some of which you’ll see in art museums while traveling with kids?)

A Walk In ______ series

Walking around a new place is my favorite way to explore a new place, so this children’s travel book series is right up my alley!

The A Walk In _____ series shows cities worldwide through a child’s point of view. It takes readers through a day of walking around, from wandering around the Eiffel Tower in Paris to marveling at the tippy top of the Empire State Building in New York. (This skyscraper is so tall, in fact, it requires a fold-out page, which kids love!)

I like that these books take kids through a city, literally step by step, while tossing in fun tidbits of information. (Did you know more hot dogs are eaten in NYC than any other place in the US?!)

Kids’ feet get tired, of course, so these books have sitting breaks, too. Where will the characters pause to have a rest? Will they write post cards, listen to live music, find a beautiful park?

Whether you’re going to one of these cities or want to walk through one vicariously, these travel books for kids are fun adventures.

Children’s books about travel: Wanderlust

The Snail and the Whale

In this charming book, a humble sea snail wants to leave its rock and explore. The other snails scold it, but a kind whale offers some kindness—and its tail—to help the little snail.

The Snail and the Whale takes the title character (and little readers) all over the ocean, from deep sea caves and crashing waves to tropical beaches and frozen glaciers. We see so much of the world via this ocean trip.

Children’s books about travel tend to focus on land, but the earth is actually 71% covered by water. The Snail and the Whale offers a refreshingly different take on exploration, then, while encouraging kids that it’s ok to want to see the world—even if others want to hold you back.

Letters from Felix

In Letters from Felix, disaster strikes at the airport: A little girl loses her favorite toy bunny. But this tragedy turns into adventure when that bunny, Felix, begins traveling the world—and sending letters back to the little girl.

The story takes us along, traveling to Egypt, France, the U.S. and beyond.

Best of all, the story is written in the form of actual letters. My kids love any interactive books, and opening up an actual letter to read a story definitely fits the bill!

If you and your kids fall in love with Felix and his wanderlust spirit, you’re in luck: Felix continues his adventures! There’s a whole series of Felix books plus a cartoon. You can find Letters from Felix videos on YouTube.

How to Make an Apple Pie and Travel the World

We talk a lot about problem solving in my house, and this book’s approach to a problem—a closed grocery store—is hands-down hilarious. In How to Make an Apple Pie and Travel the World, the main character wants to make dessert and ends up traveling all over the globe to collect the needed ingredients.

Wheat in Italy, fresh milk in England, apples in Vermont, USA—nothing but the best for this apple pie!

Not only does this children’s book about travel encourage wanderlust and a can-do attitude; it also teaches kids about where food comes from. In an age when we can get pretty much everything and anything at the market any time of year, it’s important to recognize that people work hard to grow the food on our table and the effort to get it to us.

Explorers: Amazing Tales of the World’s Great Adventurers

This nonfiction travel book for kids is written for older kids, but its large illustrations and short sections of text make it easy for kids to dip in and out. With dense books like these, I read just a few lines per page to Max and Edie, keeping their interest and essentially skimming the story.

Explorers introduces kids to history’s adventurers who crossed oceans, scaled mountains and dove deep underwater. I appreciate the emphasis on explorers from across time and geography.

Most of all, I’m glad this book doesn’t whitewash the often immoral actions of explorers. In a child-appropriate way, the book covers crimes they committed during their travels. After all, it’s a nonfiction book—it needs to teach kids the truth, not a sanitized version that erases the trauma many peoples endured.

Overall, though, Explorers is a book of inspiration. In fact, at the end, it highlights places that have yet to be fully explored! Your own kids may end up dreaming of exploring Mars or deep sea vents after reading this children’s book about travel.

Around the World with Mouk

At the beginning of Around the World with Mouk, two animal friends ask Mouk if they want to play. “I’m sorry, I can’t. I’m going on a trip around the world,” the little bear replies. And that’s how this vibrantly illustrated travel book for kids starts out!

Mouk travels all over the globe, including places not typically covered by children’s books about travel. (How many other globetrotting children’s books visit Lapland, Norway?)

Every spread introduces kids to a new place and the customs there. The pages are filled with animals going about their daily lives, which reminds me of the Richard Scarry books I loved when I was a kid. The animals’ little conversations are super fun to read with kids.

Toot & Puddle

Toot and Puddle are best friends, and this adorable book shows that friendship can withstand even a year of distance.

Toot decides to spend a year traveling the world, but Puddle prefers to stay home. Toot sends post cards back home, though, keeping Puddle up to date on adventures in Egypt, the Solomon Islands and France.

We are a post card-loving family, so the structure of this story really resonated. (There’s something special about getting snail mail, even if it’s in a book!)

This children’s book ending will resonate for travelers, too. Reunions between loved ones are the best—even better than collecting passport stamps and seeing new places.

The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend

In The Adventures of Beekle, a very special imaginary friend grows tired of a child to imagine him. Instead, he sets off to the real world to find one.

He has to explore unfamiliar places where his expectations don’t quite match the reality. (What, kids don’t get to eat cake all the time, and they have to take naps?! Bummer!) But he keeps going, continuing his search for a special child who will be his friend.

Beekle’s spirit of adventure shines through and just may inspire some wanderlust in your own family, whether or not it includes imaginary friends or not.

Our favorite travel books for kids

Are you feeling inspired? Are you as excited to crack open these books with your kids as I am?

I’m betting you are. Whether you add these books to your cart or request them all from your library, I know you and your littles will enjoy them.

Let me know which ones you liked the best! And did I miss your favorite travel books for kids? Suggest them below in the comments!