The 2012 Summer Olympic Games are less than a month away! So many families spend time together watching the events and learning about the Olympics and the host country. This year, the Olympics will be hosted in London – I wonder what type of opening ceremony & events we will see?
We thought it would be great to learn a little more about London and the wonderful landmarks & culture of the country. So we pulled together a fun list of books that will introduce kids to London. I’ve also included affiliate links so that you can read more about each book to find out which you’d like to read with the kids.
Exploring London Through Kids Books
A Walk in London
My daughter loved this book – it’s so colorful and takes you on a visual walk through the city. There is a narrative story about a girl and her mother who tour London, and each page also includes details about the various landmarks and parts of the city. We learned quite a bit in the book — and there’s a beautiful fold out page at the end that kids will love!
Katie in London
Katie is a little girl (in a series of books) who travels through various pieces of artwork to have adventures. In this adventure, Katie and her cousin visit London and are treated to a tour of the city on the back of one of the lion statues found in Trafalgar Square. Their imaginary tour of the city introduces children to the wonderful places and people that are London. If this is your first of the Katie books, I would also recommend “Katie Meets the Impressionists”.
Madeline in London
One of the best ways to introduce kids to a new place is by reading a story abuot a familiar and much loved character. Follow Madeline and her friends as they visit London for Pepito’s birthday. Although not a detailed introduction to London, the beautiful illustrations highlight some of the cities most famous places.
Dodsworth In London
An Easy Reader for kids learning to read (or adults who’d like a quick read-aloud) features Dodsworth and Duck’s visit to London. I love some of the English culture that the author highlights in the story, such as the names of streets and the weather. Dodsworth and Duck arrive in the fog, get split up on a double-decker bus and meet the Queen — what more could you want on a trip to London!
Through Time: London
Older kids will enjoy this historical look at the city of London. From Neolithic times to Sharkespeare’s London, through wartime, fashion and current day, kids will enjoy learning some of the interesting facts and history about this great city.
Stage Fright on a Summer Night 
Another wonderful way to explore Londons’ history is by traveling with Jack & Annie back to Elizabethean London. In this story, they are helping William Shakespeare to solve a few problems with his current stage production. Will the curtain go up? I love the Magic Tree House books because they intertwine fact with fiction in very entertaining ways.
Mary Poppins
And I would be remiss to not include the most favorite of magical nannies, Mary Poppins in our list! Join her and the Banks’ family on their adventures at 17 Cherry Tree Lane, London.