The Once Upon a Time Map Book

The Once Upon a Time Map Book by B.G. Hennessy and illustrated by Peter Joyce

Teaching map reading skills just got a lot more fun.  Using keys, coordinates, and a compass rose, follow detailed tour routes of fairy book lands.  Visit Neverland with Peter Pan, the Land of Oz with Dorothy, Wonderland with Alice, the Giant's Kingdom with Jack, Aladdin's Kingdom with the Genie, and the Enchanted Forest with Snow White.  Each tour has points of interest to look out for as well as hidden objects to find, and is strewn with danger as well! 

My daughter loves visiting Neverland.  The tour starts like this:  "Moor your boat at Mermaid Cove (E1).  Take the sandy path east.  Where the path splits go south through the jungle."  You're using coordinates and a compass rose already -- and you've just started!  You'll want to keep your eyes peeled for the Jolly Roger anchored in Pirate's Cove, Wendy's house, and Peter's hideout (a chimney sticking out of the ground!).  Try to find the treasure chest, and see if you can find seven Lost Boys as well.  The key shows how long a pirate mile is, and shows you the difference between a sandy path, a rocky path, the war path (which is littered with skulls), and a coastal path.

We've spent many an afternoon visiting these enchanted lands.  The most cool thing about this book?  You're sneaking in learning, and your kids won't even suspect it!

Learn More:

• Learning Map Skills:  This is a collection of websites from North Canton City Schools, and it has some AWESOME links on it.  It's categorized by "Online Activities", "Resources", 'Lets Make Some Maps!", and "Lesson Plans and Activities".
  

• While out on a walk in your neighborhood, make a map.  Note street names, landmarks (that house with the crazy rhino statue), their friends' houses and stores.  Then when you get home, challenge your child:  I went 2 blocks north and 1 block west -- where am I? 
  

• Google Maps:  Type in your address at this site.  When you click on your house on the map, does it say "Street View" in the window?  It gives you a virtual walking tour of your neighborhood.  Compare it to map you made above.  It's also fun to look at your neighborhood in the Satellite view as well.

• Collect maps from amusement parks, zoos, national parks, IKEA -- anywhere you go.  Keep them where your child can easily grab them and peruse at their leisure.  My daughter makes up stories using these maps (she's 4).   We also use Google Maps in their Satellite view and compare them.  She has fun looking at Disneyland in Google's satellite view and comparing it to the Disneyland map.