Last week, I shared my visit to the Boston Public Garden to see the “Make Way for Ducklings” statue https://onthechildrensshelf.com/make-way-for-ducklings/. Seeing the world inside the pages overlap with the world around you, makes reading so exciting for young readers (and honestly, readers of any age). So I thought I’d share some other books that take place in real places that readers could visit.
“The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” by Washington Irving takes place in the small town of Sleepy Hollow in New York. The town embraces their ties to the legend and readers can visit the Headless Horseman’s bridge and the Old Dutch Church. Aside from being one of my favorite stories, Sleepy Hollow is a favorite bookish spot to visit. There are less scary, younger reader versions of the legend.
“Eloise at the Plaza” by Kay Thompson – I read this book when I was little and desperately wanted to live in the Plaza. Eloise is a young girl who lives in the Plaza. She shares her adventures through the hotel, visiting all her friends who work there, and the mischief she gets into. Standing in front of that building, imagining Eloise and her adventures inside, brings the book to life.
“From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler” by E.L. Konigsburg follows Claudia and Jamie who run away from home and stay at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. While I’m not condoning running away or sneaking into a Museum and staying there after it closes, definitely take your reader to visit the Museum after they finish the book. There’s so much to see and so easy for readers to see the book come alive all around them.
“A Bear Called Paddington” by Michael Bond follows the adventures of Paddington Bear after he arrives in London from Peru. Visit Paddington Station and see the bronze statue commemorating the book.