Passport to Fun

Destination: the center of the earth
Beneath the ground you walk on lies exactly what? Dirt, rocks, and fossils? Maybe a long-forgotten toy? How about rare gold coins worth millions of dollars or a parchment containing the secrets of the universe? Careful, you’re stepping on it!

The White Darkness by Geraldine McCaughrean
Sym Wates is a fourteen-year-old who is fascinated with Antarctica until her uncle takes her there for a surprise visit. She discovers that she has no choice but to follow her uncle on his maniacal quest for a portal to the center of the earth—a quest that could very well take her life. Age 12 and up

How to Dig a Hole to the Other Side of the World by Faith McNulty, illustrations by Marc Simont
Grab a shovel and start digging! This picturebook is a factual introduction to geology and also a fantastic 8,000-mile journey through the earth’s core and out the other side. Age 2-8

Journey to the Centre of the Earth by Jules Verne
When an ancient parchment reveals a secret passage through a volcano to the core of the earth, three men are bound to take the trip, even though it means certain death. Set in 1863, Verne’s entertaining tale of fantastic discovery and danger is a suspense-filled adventure and a true classic. Age 9-12

Destination: Time Travel
Think about it. Turn the hands of time back a few hours and suddenly you’ve got time to do all those chores you “forgot” to do. Go back further and change the course of the entire world. Fast forward and see yourself as an adult with children. Yikes! What does the future hold? What would you change about the past if you could? Take this trip—if you dare.

Flotsam by David Wiesner
After finding a camera at the beach, a young boy develops the film only to discover a series of strange images, including a chain of children that travels back in time. Mesmerizing illustrations depict the camera’s contents and how the boy joins the chain himself. Age 5-8

The Alchemyst: The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel by Michael Scott
Josh and Sophie Newman are fifteen-year-old twins who discover that Nick Fleming, the owner of the bookshop Josh works at, is actually Nicholas Flamel, a fourteenth-century alchemist who possesses the
secret to immortality. When an evil goon steals the secret, Josh and Sophie join with Nick and his wife to save mankind. Age 12 and up

Stonewords: A Ghost Story by Pam Conrad
Zoe and Zoe Louise are really the same girl—one from the past, the other from the present. Complete with spooky woods, creepy gardens, and a haunted house with a secret staircase, Stonewords follows “modern” Zoe’s trip back in time to save Zoe Louise. Age 10 and up

Mission: In Search of the Time and Space Machine (Spy Force series) by Deborah Abela, illustrations by George O’Connor
Eleven-year-old Max Remy fears she’ll be bored to tears spending summer vacation at her aunt and uncle’s farm until she learns her uncle is a brilliant scientist who invented a Matter Transporter. When Max takes the transporter for a spin she draws the attention of an evil spy who covets it. Age 8-12

Alice in Sunderland: An Entertainment by Bryan Talbot
Fascinated by the story behind Alice in Wonderland and author Lewis Carroll, Bryan Talbot connects the dots in this compelling graphic novel. The book’s starting point is Sunderland, Talbot’s hometown in Northeast England and the site of frequent visits by Carroll. Age 16 and up