Children’s Books About Europe: Bringing Europe to Life
This post makes my heart so happy! As a former early childhood educator and lifelong children’s book lover, I truly believe in the power of stories to inspire and educate. My shelves are overflowing, yet I’m always tempted to add more. Children’s books are a beautiful way to build background knowledge, spark curiosity, and make learning fun. If you're planning a trip to Europe or simply want to explore from home, these children's books about Europe, ranging from engaging travel guides to biographies, are perfect for kids of all ages and interests. Children's books about Europe help young travelers connect more deeply with the places they visit. Long after the plane ride home, these books will keep the memories alive and keep learning going.
Why Should You Read Kids Books About Europe?
There are a multitude of reasons to read children’s books about Europe with your children. Here are just a few that stick out in my mind:
Build up excitement before a trip.
Give background knowledge before a trip.
Have something to read on the plane, or during roadtrips.
Learn new facts about your destination.
Help kids get involved with the planning process.
Create buy-in for older tweens and teens.
Relive their travels after they get home.
Extend their learning and curiosity about things they saw on their travels.
Broaden their scope of reading interests.
Develop an interest in the world outside their own.
Create open-mindedness, curiosity, and cultural awareness.
This post contains affiliate links that do not change your price at all but will credit me a small commission if you choose to use them. I appreciate you supporting my efforts and using the links when possible. I tried to leave a few options where I could so you can choose what retailer you’d prefer. If you haven’t heard of Bookshop.org, it is an organization which supports independent book sellers in the United States. It donates the proceeds to these independent book shops and helps them compete online with the big booksellers. You can read more about them here.
Mission Books: A Scavenger Hunt Adventure
Age range: 7-11
Spy-themed scavenger hunts to take you around the city while solving puzzles and finding clues in famous landmarks. Kids will learn stories behind notable places, learn some local words, and stay engaged while wandering the city.
The series also includes books on:
Mission Florence [Bookshop.org] [Target] [Amazon]
Mission London [Bookshop.org] [Target] [Amazon]
Mission Barcelona [Bookshop.org] [Amazon]
Mission Amsterdam [Bookshop.org] [Amazon]
Mission Rome [Bookshop.org] [Amazon]
Mission Lisbon & Sintra [Bookshop.org] [Target] [Amazon]
I bought the Mission London book for my daughter before our one-on-one trip to London.
This is…
Ages: 7+
Go on a journey around these famous European cities in this picture book series that will entertain kids and adults. The vintage style illustrations make this a classic and chic picture book series to add to any library. It is not only a beautiful book, but one that has a lot of information as well.
Series includes:
This is Munich [Bookshop.org] [Amazon]
This is Britain [Bookshop.org] [Amazon]
This is Edinburgh [Bookshop.org] [Amazon]
This is Greece [Bookshop.org] [Amazon]
This is Ireland [Bookshop.org] [Target] [Amazon]
This is London [Bookshop.org] [Target] [Amazon]
This is Paris [Bookshop.org] [Tuckernuck] [Amazon]
This is Rome [Bookshop.org] [Amazon]
This is Venice [Bookshop.org] [Amazon]
Going to Munich with Kids? Then you need to read this Ultimate Guide to Munich with Kids!
Hello World
Ages: 0-3
This collection of Board Books not only explores different cities but also different early concepts like shapes, opposites, and days of the week. Start inspiring wanderlust from the very start!
Series Includes:
Germany: A Book of Opposites [Bookshop.org] [Amazon]
Rome: A Book of Days [Bookshop.org] [Amazon]
Paris: A Book of Shapes [Bookshop.org] [Amazon]
London: A Book of Opposites [Bookshop.org] [Amazon]
Lonely Planet City Trails
Ages: 8+
Discover these cities in depth in a kid-friendly way by uncovering hidden gems, unique facts, stories about the city, the history, about the food, and things that even locals might not know. The information is provided in a fun and engaging way alongside colorful illustrations and photos from around the city.
Series includes:
London [Bookshop.org] [Target] [Amazon]
Paris [Bookshop.org] [Amazon]
Rome [Bookshop.org] [Amazon]
Barcelona [Bookshop.org] [Amazon]
Good Night Board Books
Ages: 0-3
Go on a tour of the city or country with these classic Good Night books. You’ll see all the famous landmarks and landscapes of each place with cheerful illustrations and rhythmic language.
Series includes:
Good Night Paris [Bookshop.org] [Amazon]
Good Night London [Bookshop.org] [Amazon]
Good Night England [Bookshop.org] [Amazon]
Good Night Scotland [Bookshop.org] [Amazon]
Good Night Dublin [Bookshop.org] [Amazon]
Good Night Ireland [Bookshop.org] [Target] [Amazon]
Exploring Countries
Ages: 8-12
These nonfiction readers are great for highlighting facts and interesting information about each country. They cover a wide range of countries which is nice because finding books to go along with some of the lesser visited spots can be tricky!
Series Includes:
A Day in…
Ages: 4-10
In these books you’ll find interesting photographs, information on architecture, transportation, and cuisine. Go on walking tours in various cities across Europe and learn about the landmarks and culture along the way.
Series Includes:
Here’s a 4-Day Guide to visiting Istanbul for the first time!
Kids’ Travel Guides
Ages: 6-12
Learn about geography, flags, symbols, history and culture in these travel guides for kids. There’s also some puzzles and quizzes mixed in to make these books part guide books and part activity books.
Series Includes:
Who Was Books
Ages: 7-10
Read biographies about notable people in history that are from Europe. There are so many to choose from and they are written in an entertaining way that will have curious kids entertained and turning pages. These also come in audiobook format on Amazon which would be a great way to pass the time on a long car drive or train ride!
Series Includes:
Who Was Albert Einstein? [Bookshop.org] [Target] [Amazon]
Who Was Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart? [Bookshop.org] [Target] [Amazon]
Who Was Ferdinand Magellan? [Bookshop.org] [Amazon]
Who Was Leonardo da Vinci? [Bookshop.org] [Target] [Amazon]
Who Were the Beatles? [Bookshop.org] [Target] [Amazon]
Who Was Anne Frank? [Bookshop.org] [Target] [Amazon]
Who Was William Shakespeare? [Bookshop.org] [Target] [Amazon]
Who Was Marco Polo? [Bookshop.org] [Amazon]
Who Was Queen Elizabeth? [Bookshop.org] [Target] [Amazon]
What Was Books
Ages: 8-12
Similar to the previously mentioned Who Was Books, these books take on historic events and time periods. They cover tough topics in a way that makes it digestible for kids.
What Was Pompeii? [Bookshop.org] [Target] [Amazon]
What Was D-Day? [Bookshop.org] [Amazon]
What Was the Holocaust? [Bookshop.org] [Target] [Amazon]
What Was the Berlin Wall? [Bookshop.org] [Target] [Amazon]
What Was the Age of Exploration? [Bookshop.org] [Target] [Amazon]
What Was the Plague? [Bookshop.org] [Target] [Amazon]
What Are Castles & Knights? [Bookshop.org] [Target] [Amazon]
What Was World War I? [Bookshop.org] [Amazon]
What Was the Renaissance? [Bookshop.org] [Target] [Amazon]
Where is Books
Ages: 8-12
The third family of books, Where is books highlight different landmarks, the history and cultural significance behind them.
Series includes:
Where is the Vatican? [Bookshop.org] [Amazon]
Where is the Tower of London? [Bookshop.org][Amazon]
Where is the Eiffel Tower? [Bookshop.org] [Target] [Amazon]
Where is the Colosseum? [Bookshop.org][Target] [Amazon]
Where is Stonehenge? [Bookshop.org] [Target] [Amazon]
Where is the Parthenon? [Bookshop.org] [Target] [Amazon]
Europe Coloring Books and Europe Activity Books
These books are interactive to keep kids busy during long travel, down time at the hotel, car rides, at the restaurant while waiting for dinner, or just for fun at home!
Europe Geography & Activity Book [Amazon]
The Continent of Europe [Amazon]
Europe Coloring Book for Kids [Bookshop.org]
Coloring Books for Kids: My First Travel Europe [Bookshop.org]
Cities of Europe Word Searches [Bookshop.org]
Europe Activity Book [Amazon]
This is just the start! There are so many books out there and it’s too many to add all in one post. I’m in the process of organizing and curating destination specific book lists. If this is something you’re interested in please let me know so I know if it’s worth the time and effort to put together! For now you can check out this book list for London & Beyond. And you can see the full list of Children’s books about Europe I’ve collected on Amazon here.
If you have a favorite kids’ book about Europe, please share in the comments! I would love to know about it!
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