Jules Verne

 

Welcome to my very first Poppins Book Nook post! I’m really excited to be a part of this virtual book club for kids. My boys, especially Munchkin, really love participating in book club at the public library, so when I heard about the Poppins Book Nook, I knew it was something I wanted to participate in this year.

The theme for this month is, as my post title suggests, Where in the World…? When I heard the theme, the only book I wanted to explore for it was Around the World in 80 Days by Jules Verne. I’d never read it, I know my kids had never read/heard it, and it fit the theme to a T.

The story, in case you’re not familiar, is that of Mr. Phileas Fogg, and his crazy wager that he can travel around the world in only 80 days. Keep in mind, this is before the days of cars and airplanes. He has virtually no control over whether he can make the journey or not, and he almost ends up with fatal delays on numerous occasions. The supporting cast of characters include Mr. Fogg’s servant, Jean Passepartout, a Frenchman who enters Mr. Fogg’s employ the very day that Fogg makes the wager. This is funny because Passepartout “applied” to Mr. Fogg because of his reputation as a very regimented, anti-risk-taking man. So imagine Passepartout’s surprise when his master arrives home after his very first day on the job and announces that they’ll be leaving in less than an hour for a trip literally around the world!

Then you have Detective Fix, who is convinced Fogg is a bank robber, and spends the entire book chasing him from country to country, continent to continent, just waiting for his arrest warrant to arrive from London. The supporting cast is rounded out by Princess Aouda, the Indian Princess that Fogg and company save from becoming a human sacrifice in a religious ceremony.

We haven’t technically finished the book yet (I’m reading it aloud to the boys), but it’s on my agenda for this week. Once we do, I’m planning to rent the movie from Amazon instant video for us to watch (the old one with David Nivens, not the new Jackie Chan version – I showed the previews of both to the kids, and they want to see the old one), and then after that we’ll get on Google Earth and look at the different places our heroes traveled. We’re also going to look at a map and route their journey. Should be great fun!

The Poppins Book Nook can be found on Enchanted Homeschooling Mom’s blog, and it has its own Facebook and Pinterest pages. Check them out!

Also, lots of other Homeschooling Mamas are doing the Poppins Book Nook this year. Check out what everyone else did with this theme!

Enchanted Homeschooling Mom ~ 3 Dinosaurs ~ To the Moon and Back ~ Planet Smarty Pants ~ Farm Fresh Adventures ~ Growing in God’s Grace ~ Chestnut Grove Academy ~ Faith and Good Works ~ Learning and Growing the Piwi Way ~ The Usual Mayhem~ Preschool Powol Packets ~ Monsters Ed Homeschool Academy ~ Adventures in Mommydom ~ Teach Beside Me ~ Life with Moore Babies ~ Kathy’s Cluttered Mind ~ Are We There Yet? ~ Our Crafts N Things ~ Hopkins Homeschool ~ ABC Creative Learning ~ Joy Focused Learning ~ P is for Preschooler ~ Laugh and Learn ~ A Mommy’s Adventures ~ Inspiring 2 New Hampshire Children ~ World for Learning ~ The Kennedy Adventures ~ Ever After in the Woods ~ Golden Grasses ~ Our Simple Kinda Life ~ A glimpse of our life ~ Journey to Excellence ~ Happy Little Homemaker ~ Little Homeschool Blessings ~ Simplicity Breeds Happiness ~ Raventhreads ~ Water on the Floor ~ Learning Fundamentals ~ Tots and Me ~ As We Walk Along The Road ~ Stir the Wonder ~ For This Season ~ Where Imagination Grows ~ Lextin Academy ~ The Canadian Homeschooler ~ School Time Snippets ~ Peakle Pie ~ Mom’s Heart ~ A Moment in our World ~ Every Bed of Roses ~ Finchnwren ~ At Home Where Life Happens ~ Suncoast Momma ~ The Library Adventure ~ Embracing Destiny ~ Day by Day in our World ~ Our Homeschool Studio ~ A “Peace” of Mind ~ Thou Shall Not Whine ~ SAHM I am ~ eLeMeNo-P Kids ~ Simple Living Mama

And in case you’re interested, here’s the schedule for the rest of the year:

Any ideas for books with April’s theme of “Planes, Trains, and Automobiles” would be happily received! I’m looking for books that would probably be considered “classics” by most people’s standards, but it’s not a requirement. Thanks in advance for your suggestions!

Blessings,

Wendy

P.S. The Simplicity post will be on Thursday this week. Thanks for understanding!