As the nights draw in and we seek to dream up adventures new, cosy by the  fire with a mug of hot chocolate, here are some awesome books that will nourish, inspire and motivate you to go and take that life changing family travel adventure. It’s possible, and these books bear testament to it!

* See footnote re affiliate links

Spark Your Dream: A True Life Story Where Dreams Are Fulfilled and We Are Inspired to Conquer Ours
by Candelaria and Herman Zapp

COME ON, GET IN. Yes, since you’re reading, sit here with us. Pack light. No, don’t sit there, get yourself at the driver seat. Something good is going to happen in our lives so let’s go and seize the moment. It will be a tour in the exterior world, which only reflects a fraction of the journey in your interior. What will be waiting for us? What will happen when we cross that border? How will we be received? Uncertainty…but if we don’t try, we’ll never know.

Herman and Candelaria Zapp got into a 1928 Graham-Paige car with a dream of getting to Alaska in six months. But the innumerable surprises of the road changed their plans a little.

Spark your Dream is a true story of personal inspiration that explores the inconveniences and the solutions that are presented at the beginning of a dream. Through this incredible journey the reader will live the risk, the sensation of freedom, the passion, the pain of a death, the birth of a son, frustration, life and success. And surely, upon getting to the destination you won’t like to stop, but you will have to do like Herman and Cande did upon arrival in Alaska. And you’ll get there moved to tears and jump with them celebrating, knowing that dreams are possible if one day you begin.

Where the Magic Happens: How a Young Family Changed Their Lives and Sailed Around the World
by Caspar Craven

In June 2009, Caspar and Nichola created a plan to sail around the world with their young children. Most people thought they were crazy. But over seven years they embraced every moment of this momentous chapter of their lives. Five years of planning – the vision, the values, the practicalities, the realities, the excitement, the highs, the lows and the seemingly adventure-stopping obstacles – led to two wonderful years of living their dream – the magical and the scary; enjoying life and learning as a family.

This is Caspar’s story. It’s a story of a fabulous sailing adventure but it’s also so much more than that – it’s an inspirational tale for all those wishing they could do the same; it’s a practical guide to show you just how you can make it happen; it’s a motivational story of leadership and teamwork within a family; and it’s a funny, heart-warming tale of slightly unconventional family life. The fascinating narrative of Caspar’s story is accompanied by useful text features such as tip boxes, sidebars and chapter summaries, so that the reader can easily extrapolate the necessary nuggets about how they can make the dream a reality.

On The Road With Kids
by John Ahern

It’s a life-changing trip. Take it! John Ahern had a high-flying job, big house, loving wife and two great kids. But if this was success, why did he sense he was failing as a husband and father? So John did something insane. He quit the corporate world and bought a busted-up camper-van online to chase an improbable dream: a year travelling together as a family…on the road with kids.

From the North Pole to Africa’s highest peaks, John and his family get mugged by monkeys, charmed by snake handlers, and challenged by life without phone and email. Along the way John creates a life less ordinary and evolves into a connected partner and Dad. On the Road with Kids is a funny, messy and inspiring adventure all families will love.

A Family Gap Year: Europe: How to quit the rat race and see the world with your children
by Jodi Hammond

You’ve seen the Instagram feeds and the lifestyle blogs. You know there are parents out there travelling the world with their children. But these people must all be wildly rich, right? Or, they must all have sponsorship deals which help them to travel for free? Or, they must have well-paid jobs which allow them to travel? We used to think that too. We used to assume that quitting the rat race was only possible for the wildly privileged few. That was, until one day we decided to stop making excuses about why we couldn’t do it and we just did it. We sold our sensible house, left our middle-income jobs, took our three kids out of school and bought a camper van. We left behind the stresses and strains of the daily grind and toured Europe for a year.

This book explains what happens to a family who let go of their over-timetabled, stupidly busy, suburban lives and drive 20,000 miles around Europe in search of adventures. Read about how we pressed the reset button on our lives for a little while and what we learned in the process. If you’re planning your own big adventure or if you’re just dreaming of escape, this deeply honest book will lead you through the ups and downs of family life on the road. Part travelogue, part how-to guide, there are tips and ideas for anyone who would like to show their kids a bit more of the world. It centres around the most commonly asked questions about our trip: What did you do about school? How did you afford to do it? Where did you go? How did you manage not to kill each other? How much did it cost? What did you eat? It also contains some of our Top Tens; the best family-friendly beaches, cities, cultural spots and campsites to visit around Europe for mini-adventures with the kids that anyone can manage!

World Schooling: How to Revolutionize Your Child’s Education Through Family Travel
by Brenda and Gawin Brave

Have you ever wondered if it’s possible to combine the adventure of traveling the world with the responsibilities of raising a family? Are you worried about the traditional education system and want a better alternative for your children? Are you lost as to how you can finance world travel with your family by your side? THIS BOOK IS FOR YOU! “World Schooling: How to Revolutionize Your Child’s Education Through Travel” dives into the growing movement of families leaving the 9-to-5 routine to live a life of greater freedom and adventure.

More importantly, it explains exactly how YOU can do it too. The book breaks down the barriers to education through family travel into three sections. The first section takes a deeper look at the purpose of education and what children need to know to thrive in the 21st century, liberating you and your family from the traditional education system and guiding you into the incredible alternative education movement that is world schooling. The second section gives a detailed explanation of the four main approaches to world schooling, including inspiring stories from from families who are already enjoying the world schooling lifestyle.

These four approaches break down a new, but rather ambiguous educational method and put it within the reach of anyone who has ever dreamed of travelling the world with their children. The final section is chock full of resources that will help you go out and make world schooling a reality for you and your family. By the time you finish this book you’ll have a powerful arsenal of educational resources and ideas to educate your children as you travel the world, an empowering vision of how you can earn money regardless of your location, and a game plan ready for execution. “World Schooling” is the ultimate guide for families looking to transform their lives and their child’s education through the power of travel, digital nomads looking to raise a family on the road, and worldschoolers who are already out there living the dream.

Ready to get started? Check out our Family Travel Planning Guide Part 1 and Part 2! And tell us about your favourite family travel resources in the comments below!

More good reads in our 5 Books to Inspire Adventure and bring out your inner Bear Grylls and 5 Books To Inspire Travel and Give You Itchy Feet.

* This article contains affiliate links, because I think these are great reads and if you’re feeling inspired and want to buy them its right there at your fingertips. And if you buy through me, it helps me out. I’ll probably spend the small commission on the blog (or possibly wine) but I only link with products I think are awesome!

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