On occasion we come across a book that is very much in line with the message we hope to impart with Travels with Gannon & Wyatt and the Youth Exploration Society. How To Be An Explorer Of The World by Keri Smith is one of those books. Part “how to” book, part book of inspiration, How To Be An Explorer Of The World will help young readers to see the world around them through a different lens.
Travel can do many things. It can excite, or it can frighten. Travel can relax and it can also be trying. The beauty or chaos of a new place can awaken senses that lie dormant when we are at home. Travel can introduce us to new people, cultures and environments. It can teach and it can inspire. Travel can even change our perspective on life. The best travel, I believe, does all of these things.
Here are seven great quotes on writing. When I speak at elementary and middle schools, I tell students that a big part of writing is "rewriting."
Writing Travels with Gannon & Wyatt is an adventure in itself, given all the work that goes into each book.
The series is often described by educators as “realistic fiction.” That means the books are a mix of imagination and reality, or fictional adventures in realistic settings.
March 11, 2014Kona to Mauna Kea, HawaiiWoke at 4 AM because of time change. Still dark. Lie in bed looking out the window. As the sun began to light the sky, Hualalai took shape. I stepped out onto the lanai. A thousand birds sang. The air was warm but pleasant. Little yellow lights like stars still lit the slopes of the 8,275 ft volcano, Hualalai. Somewhere behind it, the largest volcanoes on earth, Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea.
As the flatbed speeds down the interstate, the signing continues. The song the kids sing next is Happy Birthday. Ricky and Shae’s son, Canaan, turns five today. The rendition the kids belt out is as loud and enthusiastic any I’ve ever heard. Canaan is a kind and quiet boy, somewhat shy, much like I was at his age, but I can see that he appreciates the attention. As we turn and bounce down a potholed, dirt road toward the coast, the flatbed truck squeaks and rattles, prompting the kids to sing even louder. Ricky has his hand pressed over Canaan’s chest to keep him from falling over. The birthday boy is jostled back and forth and is grinning from ear to ear.