Graphic by Jessica Pace
The mystery
The Lost Apothecary
Sarah Penner
Contemporary Fiction
Recommended by Jessica Pace
When Caroline discovers her husband’s infidelity on the eve of their anniversary trip to London, she decides to take the trip alone, following a long-time dream of exploring the city’s historic sites without him. During a mudlarking trip, she finds a small treasure that leads her to clues about an apothecary in 1700’s London and a rash of murders that were never quite solved. We spend time with both Nella and Caroline, as well as the young and curious Eliza, a maid made party to her Mistress’s plot for vengeance on her husband. The multiple points of view weave together a story of pain, forgiveness, and sisterhood that will keep you guessing until the end.
The classics
The Swiss Family Robinson + Treasure Island
Johann David Wyss + Robert Louis Stevenson
Classic Adventure Fiction
Recommended by Jessica Pace
These two classic adventure stories have swashbuckling pirates, life-threatening sea voyages, mysterious and tropical islands, and plenty of thrills. If you want to get your toes in the water and feel that tropical sun on your face, follow along with Long John Silver, Fritz and Ernest, and all the monkeys and parrots you could ever hope for.
The Odyssey
Homer
Epic Poetry
Recommended by Emily Landau
The first travelogue? The first road trip? The first high seas adventure? However you want to shake it out, The Odyssey is and remains one of the most important works of literature in world history. The Robert Fagles translation preserves the verse of the original Greek poem, while remaining a highly readable and entertaining work of epic fiction, appealing to readers of all ages.
The ones “for kids”
Bloomability + Walk Two Moons
Sharon Creech
Contemporary Middle Grade Fiction
Recommended by Jessica Pace
In a throwback to my own middle grade years, two trusty old companions I’ve returned to again and again (even as a grown-up):
Walk Two Moons tells the story of Salamanca Tree Hiddle as she roadtrips with her grandparents from Bybanks, Kentucky to the Pacific Northwest in search of her mother. Along the way, Sal tells her grandparents the story of her friend Phoebe Winterbottom and the mystery of Phoebe’s own missing mother. If you missed this one when you were 13, it’s never too late to get to know Gram and Gramps, Ben and Phoebe, Margaret Cadaver, and of course, Sal and her blackberry-loving mother. Huzza, Huzza!
Bloomability follows Domenica Santolina Doone on her journey to Switzerland to stay with her aunt and uncle who run an international school there. She learns Italian, befriends an exuberant boy named Guthrie, and skis the Alps, all while unpacking her own upbringing and recording her dreams, part coming of age story, part love letter to Switzerland, Dinnie’s year in the Alps will open your eyes to your own “bloomabilities” while you cheer her on in hers. Viva! Viva! Viva!
The philosophy
The Art of Travel
Alain De Botton
Travel Memoir/Essay
Recommended by Jessica Pace
In nine essays, Alain De Botton explores how and why humans should travel, comparing his own travel experiences to those of other writers from past centuries. This little book packs a big punch in its musings on beauty, mindset, worldview, expectations, and experiences that change us.
