A Great Souvenir

Author – Autumn (Janette)

I am not a souvenir kind of girl.  After all of these years of traveling, I figured out that the little treasures I see in foreign countries probably won’t look as enchanting when I get them home.  But, thanks to a friend, I now know about the perfect little travel keepsake.  It’s an alphabet book.

That’s right.  Now when I travel, I hunt down an alphabet book that is written in the language of the country I am in.  The books are great because they are light, won’t break, don’t take up a lot of suitcase space, are inexpensive, and something you can share with your children or grandchildren on your return.  Plus, I guarantee that your friends will enjoy them, too.

I keep them on a shelf in the guest room beside my childhood Russian text book.

Let’s start out with the sweet, little French alphabet book.  It is very simple with just a letter, a word, and an illustration.

Dog and turkey, which are chien and dindon.

This Dutch book is my favorite, but then it is from my favorite country.

Little ones can learn about the country’s culture through these books, even if they can’t read the words.  This shows children in traditional Dutch clothing, a wind mill, and a young lad with a Dutch haircut from days gone by.

Here is another French book.

It tells a simple story and includes a different letter in each scenario.  I have even used this book to brush up on my basic French.

The Cambodian language is a real challenge.

And what other alphabet book includes a monk?

The Romanian book even includes a……..

castle.  Could it be Dracula’s?

The nice thing is that you can buy the books in U.S. cities, too, like this one I bought in New York City.  It teaches the alphabet while highlighting things that are associated with the Big Apple.  I have seen several A,B,C books in this country that highlight the area’s own attractions and characteristics.

For instance, I think NYC has the best bagels in the world, and the book uses bagels to teach the letter “B”.

I hope you got a great souvenir idea here today.  Happy traveling.