Review: Nicely done kid-centric travel guide
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 02 25, 2012
As the mother of two children who also happens to be an avid traveler, I'm trying to instill a love of traveling in my two children, ages eight and two.  My eight-year-old daughter has proven to be a very good traveler indeed, and since we took a family trip in 2011 to Chicago where there is so much for children to do, I was eager to see if this guidebook matched up to my experiences, and also to find if there were some gems that we missed and will have to see the second time around.  The book succeeds on both scores.The format of the book is very simple.  It starts by giving some background information about Chicago, covering the local flavor and providing a nice summary of the contributing factors to Chicago's culture.  There are hyperlinks throughout, so a simple click on the Kindle will take you to relevant websites, if your wireless is on.  I like this multi-media aspect of the book.  It gives a nice, nutshell version of various topics and then provides sites for further exploration, if your young reader is interested.The book then moves into a listing of places to go, such as Shedd Aquarium, along with their addresses.  Each point of interest includes several bullet points about why it's a cool place to visit, along with some fun facts.  We visited a lot of the places listed, and I think the guide does a great job of highlighting why they're fun places to go.  I also realized that we missed a few gems in the Field Museum and the Art Institute, so though the guide gives a pretty succinct overview, it has a great deal of depth.  I very much agreed with the choice of points of interest, though I would also have added the Legoland Discovery Center in Schaumburg.  All in all, I think the author has a good feel for what appeals to kids as my daughter enjoyed visiting Shedd Aquarium, the Art Institute, the Field Museum, and the Museum of Science and Industry.  I try to hit major museums whenever I travel and I honestly think those in Chicago are some of the finest in the world, particularly when it comes to the amount of thought they've given to their younger visitors.Next up is a listing of some fun restaurants with addresses and brief descriptions.  The list encompasses such favorites as pizza and Ed Debevics (a place my daughter very much enjoyed).  My only critique here would be that the list is perhaps a little slim and could use a little more variety.  My husband and I were amazed at Chicago's culinary depths, so there are plenty of other places that will appeal to adventurous young palates.The guide also includes a listing of addresses of some shops of interest to children.  I was dismayed that we missed the bookstores and some of the other spots highlighted.  Next time, we'll have to pay them a visit.  A brief description of what's available at the shops would have enhanced the list, and I think it's lacking in some of the mind-boggling popcorn shops, but it's a well done list nonetheless.The last part of the guide challenges children to find several pieces of public art spread out throughout Chicago's parks, has a short quiz based on information given in earlier portions of the guide, and has a handy list of links to visit before heading out for a trip.  I liked this touch because planning the trip is a big part of the enjoyment of travel.  We did this with our daughter, but we didn't find all of the links listed in the guide, so I thought it was a nice, fairly comprehensive list.It's worth noting that I'm a devoted fan of guidebooks.  Before taking our trip to Chicago, I checked a name brand guide out at the library, and we used that quite extensively while planning.  A really good guidebook will help you find those little gems that are often overlooked by the tourist who's only intent on hitting the well-known hot spots.  I think the Planet Explorers fit this bill nicely.  I think guidebooks for children are a great idea, one that major publishers have overlooked for too long.  I look forward to future books in this series.