Slow adventures Enjoy every moment : 40 real-life journeys by boat, bike, foot, and train

Gr 3--7--This informational text attempts to provide enticing albeit calming travel facts of somewhat off-the-beaten-path locations throughout the world. The table of contents reveals that entries are organized by different travel modalities: by foot, bike, boat, and train. The journeys cover many different countries and cultures of the world, inviting readers through chapter headings to "Get a Bird's-Eye View of the Nyungwe Rainforest" and "Lose Track of Time on the Trans-Mongolian Railway." Each entry is a spread of drawings and text that describe the travel modalities and provide location facts, embellished by soft pencil and digital color images of families enjoying the excursion. The art style is somewhat cartoony and stylized, but elements of realism convey the exploratory tone. Colors are muted and emphasize the deliberate pace of slow travel and tranquility. Young readers may find the organization and content appealing for accessing introductory information, and the book does contain engaging facts that will encourage mindful travel. However, older students seeking accessible information for research or realistic images may struggle to use the book effectively. VERDICT With the format leaning more explorative and "surfable" than research-focused, this book may need some handselling to find the right audience. An additional purchase.--Patricia Feriano

An ode to what can be seen when you slow down and enjoy the journey, whether by foot, bicycle, boat, or train. Each section begins with a world map showing the locations of a different trip readers can take. The author devotes just a single spread to each experience, so the facts and attractions he presents are necessarily brief and rather perfunctory, though fascinating and intriguing. There's something for everyone, from nature- and animal lovers to city explorers, aspiring historians, and athletes. These journeys are not for folks with a shortage of either funds or time. The vast majority require world travel (only four are in the lower 48), guides, tickets, rentals, etc., and many cannot be completed in a day or even a week, though they can still be enjoyed in smaller sections. (The EuroVelo 10 bike route is 5,725 miles through eight countries, and the Inca Trail in Peru involves some difficult walking.) Still, this is wonderful fodder for dreamers and world travelers. The scratchy-textured artwork focuses on the sights mentioned in the text and features a different family or friend grouping on each spread. While cute enough, the illustrations don't do justice to the marvels mentioned in the text, and readers will long for photos. People depicted are diverse. A feast for world traveler wannabes. (12 ways to travel 'slow,'" further reading) (Nonfiction. 8-14) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.