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CM . . . . Volume XV Number 21. . . .June 12, 2009. 
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Junior Jetsetters Guide to Chicago.
Pedro F. Marcelino & Slawko Waschuk. Edited by Anna Humphrey. Illustrated by John Michael Hiscott, Tapan Gandhi and students of the After School Matters of the City of Chicago.
Toronto, ON: Junior Jetsetters Inc., 2009.
129 pp., pbk., $15.95.
ISBN 978-0-9784601-1-2.
Subject Heading:
Chicago (Ill.)-Guidebooks-Juvenile literature.
Grades 3-7 / Ages 8-12.
Review by Ann Ketcheson.
****/4
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Junior Jetsetters Guide to Amsterdam.
Pedro F. Marcelino & Slawko Waschuk. Edited by Anna Humphrey. Illustrated by Kim Sokol, Maurice van Tiburg & Tapan Gandhi.
Toronto, ON: Junior Jetsetters Inc., 2009.
141 pp., pbk., $15.95.
ISBN 978-0-9784601-2-9.
Subject Heading:
Amsterdam (Netherlands)-Guidebooks-Juvenile literature.
Grades 3-7 / Ages 8-12.
Review by Ann Ketcheson.
****/4
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Junior Jetsetters Guide to Lisbon.
Pedro F. Marcelino & Slawko Waschuk. Edited by Anna Humphrey. Illustrated by John Michael Hiscott, Carlos Quitérie & Tapan Gandhi.
Toronto, ON: Junior Jetsetters Inc., 2009.
129 pp., pbk., $15.95.
ISBN 978-0-9784601-3-6.
Subject Heading:
Lisbon (Portugal)-Guidebooks-Juvenile literature.
Grades 3-7 / Ages 8-12.
Review by Ann Ketcheson.
****/4
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Junior Jetsetters Guide to Paris.
Pedro F. Marcelino & Slawko Waschuk. Edited by Anna Humphrey. Illustrated by Kim Sokol, Miguel Vieira da Silva and Tapan Gandhi.
Toronto, ON: Junior Jetsetters Inc., 2009.
129 pp., pbk., $15.95.
ISBN 978-0-9784601-4-3.
Subject Heading:
Paris (France)-Guidebooks-Juvenile literature.
Grades 3-7 / Ages 8-12.
Review by Ann Ketcheson.
****/4
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excerpt:
In Lisbon, you can just feel that great things once happened on every corner. Nowadays, one of the coolest things about it is the way old and new combine to create a modern city with a colourful past. Many buildings express this idea perfectly in their architecture, so keep your eyes open you’ll see tons of examples. (From Junior Jetsetters Guide to Lisbon.)
These are four of the newest additions to “Junior Jetsetters City Guides Collection” published by a Canadian company which specializes in travel books for children. They certainly live up to expectations about giving children interesting and up-to-date information about popular urban destinations, but these small volumes would whet the appetite of any traveller, young or old!
Each book is divided into five colour-coded sections. The first gives some general information and history as well as concrete travel tips. For instance, in the Guide to Chicago, children learn the website for the City of Chicago’s Official Tourism site and the Chicago Conventions and Tourism Bureau. There is also information about the Go Chicago Card or the Chicago City Pass which give tourists less expensive or even free access to many different sights. The same type of info is given for each of the European destinations.
The second section of the books, on brown pages, lists the Junior Jetsetters Top 5 picks for that particular city. Elsewhere in the books, there are attractions stamped with the “Editor’s choice” stamp or the “Really cool” stamp as well.
The most comprehensive section in each volume is the blue “attractions” section. The editors have taken care to include both the typical tourist attractions as well as some the average tourist might not know or think about. The variety is impressive! For example, along with The Eiffel Tower in Paris or Anne Frank’s House in Amsterdam, readers will learn about visiting important cemeteries or taking workshops involving crafts or music. The attractions section includes the arts, science, historical places, sports venues and so on.
Section four, on red pages, centres on activities available in each city. The activities may be indoors or outside and may require an admission or be free of charge. They will appeal to both boys and girls equally. As in all other sections of the book, the descriptions are complete on one double-page spread and include interesting facts and reasons why “everyone” who visits the city would want to participate in that particular activity.
The final, dark green section gives kids ideas of what is available out-of-town or further afield. This, of course, presumes that they have access to a rental car or some other form of transportation. This section would benefit from a few more details, such as a map or at least an idea of how one could get there from the city centre, including how long it might take and what the cost might be. A sample from this section in the Guide to Paris includes such places as the Chateau of Versailles, Chartres Cathedral and Disneyland Paris.
Each book provides a reference section for parents with specific information, such as addresses, hours, admission prices, contact information and so on for most of the various tourist sights. Kid-friendly hotels and restaurants are also mentioned. Obviously, this is the type of information which can quickly go out-of-date, but it, at least, provides a starting point for parents planning a holiday. In the guides to European cities, there is also a two-page section of basic vocabulary in French, Portuguese or Dutch.
Not only are these small books a wealth of tourist information, they are also attractively produced and well designed for their target audience. There are lots of bright colours, photos and illustrations. As mentioned earlier, each sight is dealt with in a two-page spread so the basic facts are accessible with a minimum of reading. In each, there are two children who act as guides. Keira and Jordi turn up in most photos and help bring them to life while being pictured wearing roller blades and helmets, for instance, or wearing historical costumes related to the sight being discussed. In each book, the two guides are accompanied by an appropriate animal friend: Bill the bison in Chicago, Brigitte the poodle in Paris, Nuno the burro in Lisbon and Roos the Frisian cow in Amsterdam. To add to the interest for young readers, there are ”cool, yeah” insets on most pages which add little-known facts and trivia.
If there is one drawback to the books, it is the lack of maps. There are sections of Paris maps depicted, for example and a tiny replica of the Metro subway system ,but they are far too small to be useful. They seem intended more as decoration than for use as actual maps. The websites recommended in the books presumably provide maps which can be downloaded and printed, or travellers can find local maps once they arrive at destination.
That said, there is everything to like about this series of travel books. Small and compact, they will fit easily into luggage, backpack or purse and are sturdy enough to make the journey with their owners! They are designed for children and are terrific for that young audience, but they are also a wealth of facts and suggestions that will appeal to anyone who wishes to travel. Tourists of all ages will benefit from taking a look at these guides and can only hope that Junior Jetsetters has plans to add many more destinations to their global “itinerary.”
Highly Recommended.
Ann Ketcheson is a retired teacher-librarian and teacher of high school English and French. She lives in Ottawa, ON, where she has turned her love of travel into a new career as a travel consultant. Thanks to these books, Amsterdam, Lisbon, Chicago and Paris are now high on her “gotta go there list”!
To comment on this title or this review, send mail to
cm@umanitoba.ca.
Copyright © the Manitoba Library Association. Reproduction for personal use is permitted only if this copyright notice is maintained. Any other reproduction is prohibited without permission.
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