“Geography is sooooo boring” thinks Marissa as she sits in
her third grade class. So boring, in fact, that she promptly drifts off to
sleep. Luckily, with a little help from some new friends, she soon discovers
that geography is about more than just maps and globes; it’s about a wide world
of diverse animals, environments, and cultures. Geography is out there–and it’s
fun!

Spin the Globe Adventures—Australia
by Marissa Giamo is the first in a series of children’s books that chronicle the
journeys of a young girl and her spherical friend “Spin” (Spin the Globe, get it? ) as they travel the world in search of
the true meaning of geography. I found Australia to be a charming story, perfect for younger audiences in the 8-10 age range. Accompanied
by colorful illustrations, a list of Aussie vocabulary, and a quiz about
Australian animals, it is both entertaining and educational. I was tickled to
reflect fondly on my own semester abroad in Australia, and I couldn’t help but grin
at the fact main character looked a little bit like me with her curly red hair :-).

What I love best about Spin,
though, is its laudable mission, “Kids Becoming Global Citizens.” It is, of
course, directly aligned with My Wonderful World’s own mission to “give kids
the power of global knowledge.” On her website, spinadventures.com (notice who’s featured on the links page), Giamo explains the
importance of learning geography:
“Our kids’ world will be one in which their lives will be influenced by what
happens around the world. You can give your child a real head start by teaching
them about these places today….and perhaps, even help [them] to make different
choices for now and our very globalized future.”
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So check out spinadventures.com
to learn more about the book and Spin the
Globe Adventures, and get your World Passport to make reading along even
more fun! There are resources for Parents and Teachers, including information
on ways to get involved with I-EARN,
one of our own Coalition partners
that works to connect teachers and students with their peers around the world.
As Spin main character Marissa
concludes: [Geography] is an adventure! It’s a cool ride, and I can’t wait for
the next trip.” Thanks Marissa Giamo for
inspiring kids to buckle up and join in the fun!

Sarah for My Wonderful World