The top 10 places to have a literary adventure for kids

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This was published 6 years ago

The top 10 places to have a literary adventure for kids

By Tracey Spicer
Hobbiton really brings The Lord of the Rings books to life.

Hobbiton really brings The Lord of the Rings books to life.

"There is more treasure in books than in all the pirate's loot on Treasure Island," Walt Disney once said.

Now, he might have been speaking about the billions he made adapting the aforementioned books into blockbuster movies. But teaching a child to read is a tremendous gift. It also comes in handy keeping them quiet on long journeys. So why not consider this love of literature at the destination as well?

Family Literary Travel is quite a trend, although the acronym FLT does have a rather different meaning in the urban dictionary.

Here are my top 10 suggestions for such a trip:

*Visit the home of JM Barrie, the author of Peter Pan, in Scotland. Barrie lived with his seven brothers and sisters in two upstairs rooms, one of which contains a special platform and wind machine where kids can pretend to fly.

*Unfortunately, you won't be dining on green eggs and ham, unless you go to a crappy cafe. But Springfield, Massachusetts, is home to a Dr Seuss sculpture garden featuring the Cat in the Hat, Yertle the Turtle and the Lorax, while the adjacent museum has workshops in rhyming, storytelling and creativity.

*Sure, the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios is excellent, but a more authentic experience is found at Alnwick Castle (Hogwarts) in Northumberland. You can do broomstick training and learn about the castle's history.

*There are activities honouring Lucy Maud Montgomery and her creation, Anne of Green Gables, all over Canada's Prince Edward Island, including horse and buggy rides, a stage play, and dedicated museum.

*Downstairs at The Roald Dahl Children's Gallery in Aylesbury is like a big pop-up book, where kids can crawl along Fantastic Mr Fox's tunnel, dress in Victorian school clothes under the supervision of Miss Trunchbull, or check out Willy Wonka's inventions.

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*Take a leisurely trip to Hannibal, Missouri, to make like Tom Sawyer or Huckleberry Finn. Walk the streets of Mark Twain's childhood, ride the riverboat down the mighty Mississippi, or brave the ghost tour.

*Yes, these are movie locations, but they're based on the best-selling Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins. In North Carolina, recreate scenes from the books at sites in District 12, the Hob and the Arena, without actually risking your life.

*The German Fairy Tale Route is simply stunning, taking in the birthplace of the brothers Grimm, who created Snow White and Sleeping Beauty. It includes Rapunzel's tower, the setting of the Pied Piper of Hamelin, and Little Red Riding Hood land.

*The World of Beatrix Potter museum in the Lakes District has a virtual walk of the Cumbrian countryside, Jemima Puddle-duck's woodland glade and Mr Tod's underground home. (Probably better for toddlers than teens!)

*Again this is a film set, but a visit to Hobbiton in New Zealand really brings The Lord of the Rings books to life. Tour guides lead you through the "shire", including the Green Dragon and the famed "hobbit holes".

I reckon a family literary tour is far more educational than a trip to a theme park – and probably half the price. There really is treasure to be found within the pages of a book.

Tracey Spicer has just released her memoir The Good Girl Stripped Bare.

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