Embark on a journey with these must-have books for kids about maps. These books are perfect for stirring curiosity and nurturing a love for geography. Let’s start exploring!
Picture Books About Maps for Kids
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What a Map Can Do by Gabrielle Balkan teaches us all about different kinds of maps from weather maps to bus route maps. It’s all done in an engaging way with the help of our raccoon teacher.
From Here to There A First Book of Maps by Vivian French we are introduced to maps when one child sends a map to another to get to their house.
Where We Live: Mapping Neighborhoods of Kids Around the Globe by Margriet Ruurs takes us around the world with a map and legend on each page spread. Travel and learn about different cities around the world from Addis Ahaba, Ethiopia to Chong Khneas, Cambodia.
Eggs From Red Hen Farm: Farm to Table with Mazes and Maps by Monica Wellington invites readers right into the book. Many of the page spreads have a map/maze the students can use their fingers to maneuver around based on the text. Help Ned and Ruby get the eggs from the farm into the hands of people who can use them.
The Boy Who Loved Maps by Kari Allen is the story of a mapmaker on a quest to make a map of the perfect place. Backmatter includes map activities, directions for making a map of the neighborhood, and map words.
The endpapers are a map and there is also a route map inside Hare and Tortoise by Alison Murray. This is a take on the traditional tale of the race between a hare and a tortoise.
Follow That Map! by Scot Ritchie is a book for beginning map readers. This interactive book allows children to use their mapping skills to find a cat and a dog. At the end of the book are directions for making your own map.
Is it possible to map all the places a cat goes in an evening? In Mapping Sam by Joyce Hesselberth, we journey alongside a cat who goes off adventuring in the evening. Learn about different maps and map terms too.
Magnolia wants to show off her map but it’s not finished. It’s missing a spot even though she has been working on it for so long. Will it be done in time for the get-together? Find out in Magnolia’s Magnificent Map by Lauren Bradshaw.
The Shape of Things by Dean Robbins takes us back in time to the beginnings of mapmaking all the way to current practices and tools. Lots of vocabulary to unpack in this one.
Atlases for Kids
Big Picture Atlas by Usborne is filled with 15 picture maps filled with food, culture, and capitals on big pages.
Children’s Picture Atlas by Usborne is one we have referenced in our home. There is so much to explore and discover in this packed atlas.
Middle-Grade Books About Maps
I recently have read two middle-grade books where maps played a big role so I wanted to make sure to mention both of those here too.
Ginny Off the Map by Caroline Hickey is the story of a military family who recently moves and deals with a deployment at the exact same time. Of course, this provides a hardship and challenge for every family but Ginny is really struggling. Her geography camp is canceled and she was waitlisted for the special school she wants to attend. Ginny decides to run her own geography camp, but can she get anyone interested enough to stay to hear all her amazing geography facts? Turns out, Ginny has a lot to learn to herself.
The Last Mapmaker by Christina Soontornvat is the story of a young girl trying to chart her own course. But, there is danger, deceit, and a lot developing on this sea adventure. A very suspenseful read!
Printable Book List of Map Books for Children
Grab a printable book list of the books shared above. Just click the purple printer button below to download.
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