The Latest & Greatest :: Travels with Gannon & Wyatt

“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness,”

~ Mark Twain (1835-1910), author of Tom Sawyer, and Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.

 
It is funny, I was just thinking the other day about how my travels after college really helped open my eyes to the ways of the world.  I grew up in Orange County, California and went off to college in Northern Califronia, but it wasn’t until I packed my bags and lived abroad for three years that I started to see the world and myself differently.  Traveling was the best thing I could have done to add to my education.  I still love to travel and look forward to doing more over the years with my kid in tow!

I am really excited to showcase the Travels with Gannon & Wyatt middle-grade adventure series that opens up a whole world for your kids – in the comfort of their own home!  Written by Patti Wheeler and Keith Hemstreet, the series features twin brothers, Gannon and Wyatt and their adventures which take them from Africa to the South Pacific.  The story is from their perspective as they write about their adventures in their journals.  What is so cool about this series is it is based on the twin brothers real-life expeditions and you can photographs and video on the Gannon and Wyatt website.

In the tradition of the historic journals kept by explorers such as Lewis and Clark and Captain James Cook, you are brought right along with them as they travel through Bostwana, the Great Bear Rainforest and Egypt. Every night since I received these books to read and review, my daughter and I have been enjoying reading about the twin brother’s adventures in Botswana.  I think I mentioned before that it is my lifelong dream to go on a safari in Africa someday, so I am not really sure who is enjoying the book more!  We both love reading about how they help a lioness and her baby cubs avoid the local poachers while learning about the wildlife that lives in Botswana.  You really get a feel for each of their personalities through their journaling. For example, Gannon wants to be a filmmaker when he grows up, while Wyatt is fascinated by all things scientific.  So the approach to the storytelling combines both of these facets.

And educators and parents will love the Resource Guide they provide on the website.  It contains 16 pages of questions and topics you can discuss with your child after reading through the books.  You will find quality information such as:

About Botswana

The Republic of Botswana is located in south central Africa, just north of South Africa. Botswana lies on a huge plateau and has an average altitude of about 3,300 feet above sea level. The Kalahari Desert occupies almost all the central and southwest areas of the country.  The Resource Guide includes a map of Africa as well as lots of fun facts for your adventure seeking kid!  I was really impressed with the Discussion Questions as well that include:

Discussion Questions:

“Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson.

Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) was an essayist, poet, critic and popular philosopher. What does he mean by encouraging people to go where there is no path? How do Gannon & Wyatt follow this advice in the book and how do their choices impact others?

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.5.4, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.6.4, (This tells you what Common Core Standards these questions address).

My daughter and I are about halfway through the Bostwana book and really look forward to reading all three of them.  This is the perfect addition to your library for your elementary (my daughter is only seven years old and loves it) to middle school student. And make sure to enter to win one of three Kindle Fires being given away on the Travels with Gannon and Wyatt Facebook page in November.

• Great Bear Rainforest (released October 2013)

• Egypt (to be released January 2014)

You can find them at: https://www.travelswithgannonandwyatt.com/

Make sure to check out the Educators and Parents Resource Guide: https://www.travelswithgannonandwyatt.com/images/educators-resource.pdf

Note:  I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

GOOD NEWS!  We are offering the Travels with Gannon and Wyatt series (all three books valued at a total of $38.85) as a giveaway!  Good only in the US.  Good luck!

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

UPDATE:  Congratulations to:

Name: Gloria Wilson             Facebook       

• Email: jaw_gjw@yahoo.com            Send Email
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