"Nikki can't sleep. She wants the map book so she can see
Florida, where her grandpa lives now, and Atlanta, DC
and Boston, where her cousins live.
She thinks about the black globe at home with different
countries in pink and orange, yellow and purple ...
England, where some cousins live, the lands in Africa,
where her ancestors came from, and Jamaica, where
her family's roots run deep."
Based on a childhood memory of a trip Ms. Hohn and her family made from Toronto to New York City for a family wedding, this book is sure to appeal to kids who are interested in geography and maps. It might also spark some story writing about one of their own family adventures.
A lot of excitement is attached to the chance to make the long trip from home to Grandma's house in time for Uncle Travis's wedding. As the family makes preparations for the trip, Nikki is busy checking the atlas the route they will follow. Once the car is packed, the five are ready for the long drive. Mom and the girls are in the back; Dad and Langston, with atlas in hand, are in the front. Soon everyone but Nikki and Dad are sound asleep.
Nikki is filled with excitement and thoughts of all the places she knows. The two listen to music they love, and Nikki reads each sign they pass. While Langston sleeps, Nikki asks her father to pass her the atlas. At their next stop, Nikki moves to the front to sit with her dad, and be the co-pilot he needs. When her father misses a turn, she is quick to set him on the right course by reading him instructions from the map on her knee.
Nikki misses the warm welcome the family receives from Grandma, who is impressed with their early arrival. With her navigation duties complete, she is finally getting some sleep!
Digital artwork is awash with a clear setting and many items from the 1980s time period. I love the retro feel and the memories the book inspired of trips we made with our kids back then. Lovely!
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