London city trails

The Lonely Planet, well-known for travel guides, offers a kid-friendly take in the City Trails series, which introduces major world cities by way of their tourist attractions. Each title groups destinations together in thematic trails, which highlight the city's history and culture by focusing on food, architecture, transportation, infamous residents, and so on; however, the omission of addresses and directions diminishes their on-the-ground practicality. London City Trail's tours include a series of notable heights (like the tiered tower of St. Bride's Church); treasures (such as the vault at the Bank of England); and famous sounds (the hidden Lullaby Factory, for example). Though the frequent absence of background information and lack of further resources may limit classroom usefulness, the engaging, graphics-heavy layout; lively tone; and wide variety of destinations will nevertheless pique students' curiosity.--Hunter, Sarah Copyright 2016 Booklist

Gr 3-7-Highlighting 19 themed trails through three of the world's most-recognizable cities, these well-indexed guides are loaded with kid appeal and fascinating facts that are sure to intrigue any student (and please their parents). Three to six pages are devoted to each topic; areas of interest include animals, the arts, fashion, food, sports, history, shopping, and underground spaces. Each volume also offers a section on ghosts and haunted places, a surefire draw for young adventurers. Trails are initially marked on a large map of the city and progress logically from one geographic point to the next, using high-quality photos and colorful cartoon illustrations to describe each attraction. One vertical two-page photo presents the tallest or most iconic structure in each city (New York's Statue of Liberty, London's Shard, and Paris's Eiffel Tower). Informational blurbs are short, concise, and well written, with occasional vocabulary (e.g., kinetic) explained in context. Fun facts are highlighted in scallop-edged boxes, and specific bits of research appear in periodic smartphone images. Famous (and infamous) landmarks (e.g., Central Park, the Globe Theatre, and Versailles) are featured in each, but unusual places (e.g., Drummer's Grove, Spitalfields, and the Wall of Love) also make the cut, as do fun activities, such as playing music on a New York subway art installation, eating Blumenthal's "meat fruit" (London), and walking through a Parisian "living" horror show. VERDICT Ideal travel companions for elementary and middle schoolers; lifesavers for parents.-Nancy Menaldi-Scanlan, formerly at LaSalle Academy, Providence, RI © Copyright 2016. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.