SUBSCRIBE
SUBSCRIBE
SLJ Blog Network +
  • 100 Scope Notes
  • A Fuse #8 Production
  • Good Comics for Kids
  • Heavy Medal: A Mock Newbery Blog
  • Teen Librarian Toolbox
  • The Classroom Bookshelf
  • The Yarn
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • About/Contact
  • Fusenews
  • Reviews
  • Librarian Previews
  • Best Books
    • Top 100
    • Best Books of 2022
    • Best Books of 2021
    • Best Books of 2020
    • Best Books of 2019
    • Best Books of 2018
    • Best Books of 2017
    • Best Books of 2016
    • Best Books of 2015
    • Best Books of 2014
    • Best Books of 2013
  • Fuse 8 n’ Kate
  • Videos
  • Press Release Fun

April 5, 2013 by Betsy Bird

Barcelona Bound: Part II

April 5, 2013 by Betsy Bird   8 comments

Contrary to appearances I am not accustomed to international travel.  I have no frequent flyer miles set up.  I wouldn’t know what to do with myself if someone asked me to convert a Euro.  Yet in spite of all this, I seem to be on a plane today bound for bright and sunny Spain.  Some of you may recall how, two years ago, I combined my trip to the Bologna Book Fair with an additional trip to Barcelona.  Well now family reasons compel me to return, this time with a 2-year-old in tow.

How does one prepare one’s offspring for flight and foreign countries?  Well, if you’re me, you go to the books.

Step One: Get child comfortable with the notion of flight. 

Not too difficult since she flew to the Midwest last Christmastime, but flights overseas are longer, duller, and more confining.  Best to make the whole process familiar in some way.  So!  On to the airport books.  The kiddo likes these the most right now:

SCROLL TO KEEP READING THIS POST

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

Everything Goes: In the Air by Brian Biggs – Her #1 favorite, no question.  The love of Biggs runs strong in the sprog.  Whether it’s his illustrations on Cynthia Rylant’s “Brownie and Pearl” series or the work he’s done here (whether the books or the board books), Biggs knows how to give vehicles of every stripe and flavor their due.  In In the Air Biggs walks you through the airline process.  My kiddo, naturally, is most intoxicated by the shuttle bus at the beginning and the missing babies you’re encouraged to locate throughout the rest of the story.  Still, she understands a lot of the airline process thanks to Mr. Biggs and also thanks to . . .

Flight 1, 2, 3 by Maria van Lieshout – This book is not only recent (note the 2013 publication date) but it has a unique take.  On the outside it might look like it’s just a walk through the airport process using numbers along the way (counting books are very big in the Bird household right now too).  On closer inspection, Ms. van Lieshout tips her hat to the airport and in-flight signs that have become universal symbols.  In this book she writes, “Without these signs – mostly designed by AIGA artists Seymour Chwast, Roger Cook, and Don Shanosky – we wouldn’t arrive on time or at the right destination.”  Didn’t Seymour Chwast write a picture book or two of his own?  Small world.  In any case, the book is itself is lovely and quite up-to-date when it comes to airport screenings and all that jazz.

Airport by Byron Barton – Circa 1982, no less.  You might think that most older airport books are about as dated as Fly Away Home by Eve Bunting.  And to a certain extent you’d be right.  Certainly anytime we whip out a Richard Scarry book it’s an exercise in what no longer exists.  But the Barton book is super simple and there’s much to be said for that.  It’s hard to top Barton, anyway.

Step Two: Introduce the concept of Spain.

This is a bit more difficult.  Spain makes as much sense to a toddler as the moon.  Less, actually, since they can see the moon and if you told them they’d be taking a trip there they’d completely buy it.  But Spain?  Here is the kiddo’s #1 association with that country.

My First Songs by Tomie dePaola – Specifically “Rain Rain, Go Away”.  If you’ll recall there is a line in there called “Rain rain, go to Spain / Never show your face again”.  Admittedly, if we were more superstitious people we might question the wisdom of sending inclement weather to our vacation destination.  As it stands, we’ll risk it.

As for Barcelona itself, there really aren’t that many children’s books that include it.  However, if you think a bit outside the box, there are always options.  So it was that I remembered:

Building on Nature: The Life of Antoni Gaudi by Rachel Rodriguez, illustrated by Julie Paschkis – A too little remembered but really quite good picture book biography of the man responsible for a great number of buildings in Barcelona.  The illustrations of Ms. Paschkis are luminous and do a darned good job at bringing the man’s work to life.  I had the vague notion of bringing the book along with me to Spain (my 6-year-old niece will be joining us, and I figured she might get a kick out of it), but my hold didn’t arrive on time.  Alas for me, but useful for anyone else who might be traveling to that neck of the world.

And so I go.  Fear not, I’ll be posting interim posts during my absence.  Now if you’ll excuse me, I believe I have a plane to catch.

Filed under: Uncategorized

SHARE:

Read or Leave Comments

About Betsy Bird

Betsy Bird is currently the Collection Development Manager of the Evanston Public Library system and a former Materials Specialist for New York Public Library. She has served on Newbery, written for Horn Book, and has done other lovely little things that she'd love to tell you about but that she's sure you'd find more interesting to hear of in person. Her opinions are her own and do not reflect those of EPL, SLJ, or any of the other acronyms you might be able to name. Follow her on Twitter: @fuseeight.

ADVERTISEMENT

Related Posts

March 2023

Announcing the Stinetinglers Winner! The Kettle's Dark Secret by Clara J.

by Betsy Bird

March 2023

Bologna Presentations: IBBY Doing the Good Work That Needs to Be Done, Worldwide

by Betsy Bird

February 2023

Sydney Taylor Book Blog Award Tour Interview: Featuring Mari Lowe of Aviva Vs. the Dybbuk!

by Betsy Bird

January 2023

The Top Ten Most Disappointing Edibles and Potables of Children's Literature

by Betsy Bird

January 2023

Announcing the 2023 Newbery/Caldecott/YMA Pre-Game Show!

by Betsy Bird

ADVERTISEMENT

SLJ Blog Network

100 Scope Notes

BLUE FLOATS AWAY Turns Two!

by Travis Jonker

A Fuse #8 Production

Faced with a Parenting Dilemma? Write a Book About It! Jacob Grant Comes By to Talk About NO FAIR

by Betsy Bird

Good Comics for Kids

Review: Swim Team

by Esther Keller

Heavy Medal

March suggestions: early Mock Newbery possibilities

by Emily Mroczek-Bayci

Teen Librarian Toolbox

Post-It Note Reviews: Wish granters, brotherly mischief, a high-stakes scavenger hunt, and more!

by Amanda MacGregor

The Classroom Bookshelf

The Classroom Bookshelf is Moving

by Erika Thulin Dawes

The Yarn

Jarrett and Jerome Pumphrey Try Something New

by Travis Jonker

ADVERTISEMENT

Related Articles on SLJ

Introducing "Learn About": Read. Look. Discover.

SPONSORED

Star Journey: The Intense Collaboration Behind 'Ain’t Burned All the Bright' by Jason Reynolds and Jason Griffin

Star Magnet: Neal Porter, the VP/Publisher of His Eponymous Imprint, Discusses "Good Friction" and the Projects that Attract Him

Greenwillow’s Virginia Duncan on Working with 'Stars' Erin Entrada Kelly, Kevin Henkes, and Others

20 Audiobooks Featuring Multiracial Characters for Elementary, Middle Grade, and YA Listeners

About Betsy Bird

Betsy Bird is currently the Collection Development Manager of the Evanston Public Library system and a former Materials Specialist for New York Public Library. She has served on Newbery, written for Horn Book, and has done other lovely little things that she'd love to tell you about but that she's sure you'd find more interesting to hear of in person. Her opinions are her own and do not reflect those of EPL, SLJ, or any of the other acronyms you might be able to name. Follow her on Twitter: @fuseeight.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Annina Luck Wildermuth says

    April 5, 2013 at 7:43 am

    Dear Betsy,
    I loved reading this post about the books you are taking with you for your daughter and also which ones she likes! You talk the talk and you walk the walk–it is so great. All the best on your trip.

  2. JMyers says

    April 5, 2013 at 1:43 pm

    Travel safely and have wonderful adventures! We’re all agog to hear about it in exhaustive (and, on your part, probably exhausted) detail as it unfolds!

  3. Sondy says

    April 5, 2013 at 4:26 pm

    Traveling with a 2-year-old always reminds me of the time we moved across the country when my son had just turned 2. He was wonderful on the flight — I didn’t let him know it was possible to get out of his carseat. We read lots of books. The lady in front of me complimented me on our choices.

    We stopped. More compliments on how good Josh had been. Then the pilot came on the speaker and said there was a delay at the gate, so we’d have to wait 10 minutes before getting off the plane. The plane was silent after his announcement, and my offspring decided to shout at the top of his voice: “I want OFF! I want OFF da airpwane!” Oh well.

    Have a wonderful trip!

  4. Jen Robinson says

    April 5, 2013 at 7:02 pm

    The third Knuffle Bunny book is also excellent as travel prep. Have a good trip!

  5. Karen Gray Ruelle says

    April 7, 2013 at 6:36 pm

    Not only has Seymour Chwast written a few children’s books of his own, but his daughter Eve Chwast has illustrated some lovely books. Check them out. And have a great trip to Spain! I highly recommend the churros y chocolate. Yum!

  6. Barbara Mojica says

    April 8, 2013 at 11:57 am

    Great choices! I think that it is so important to prepare children for the hectic scene at the airport, particularly if it is their first trip. Love the picture bio of Gaudi.-the cover illustrations look so appropriate.

  7. Carl in Charlotte says

    April 9, 2013 at 3:25 pm

    Don’t feel bad about sending the rain to Spain–it’ll stay mainly on the plain.

  8. Melanie Hope Greenberg says

    April 14, 2013 at 11:36 pm

    You’re such a thoughtful parent.

ADVERTISEMENT

Archives

  • External Links

    • A Fuse #8 Production Reviews
  • Follow This Blog

    Enter your email address below to receive notifications of new blog posts by email.

    This coverage is free for all visitors. Your support makes this possible.

    This coverage is free for all visitors. Your support makes this possible.

    Primary Sidebar

    • News & Features
    • Reviews+
    • Technology
    • School Libraries
    • Public Libraries
    • Age Level
    • Ideas
    • Blogs
    • Classroom
    • Diversity
    • People
    • Job Zone

    Reviews+

    • Book Lists
    • Best Books
    • Media
    • Reference
    • Series Made Simple
    • Tech
    • Review for SLJ
    • Review Submissions

    SLJ Blog Network

    • 100 Scope Notes
    • A Fuse #8 Production
    • Good Comics for Kids
    • Heavy Medal
    • Neverending Search
    • Teen Librarian Toolbox
    • The Classroom Bookshelf
    • The Yarn

    Resources

    • 2022 Youth Media Awards
    • The Newbery at 100: SLJ Celebrates the 100th Anniversary of the Award
    • Special Report | School Libraries 2021
    • Summer Reading 2021
    • Series Made Simple Spring 2021
    • SLJ Diverse Books Survey
    • Summer Programming Survey
    • Research
    • White Papers / Case Studies
    • School Librarian of the Year
    • Mathical Book Prize Collection Development Awards
    • Librarian/Teacher Collaboration Award

    Events & PD

    • In-Person Events
    • Online Courses
    • Virtual Events
    • Webcasts
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Subscribe
    • Media Inquiries
    • Newsletter Sign Up
    • Content Submissions
    • Data Privacy
    • Terms of Use
    • Terms of Sale
    • FAQs
    • Diversity Policy
    • Careers at MSI


    COPYRIGHT © 2023


    COPYRIGHT © 2023