The July 4th holiday weekend kicks off the summer travel season in the United States. This Perfect Picture Book will help get us in the mood to travel – wherever we go and however we do it.
Title: On The Move: Things in Motion on Earth and Beyond
Written & Illustrated By: Romana Romanyshyn and Andriy Lesiv
Translated By: Oksana Lushchevska
Publisher/Date: Enchanted Lion Books/2025 (originally published in Ukraine/2020)
Suitable for Ages: 4-8, and older
Themes/Topics: motion, movement, travel, non-fiction, history, concept book, progress
Opening:
Every journey begins with a single step
Brief Synopsis: A unique deep dive into how people and creatures move.
Links to Resources:
· Explore some travel facts;
· Take a walk or a ride, explore a new area or a long-favored spot, and describe what you see in words or pictures.
Why I Like this Book:
A combination of straight-forward text that describes walking, riding, flying, and reflections on travel, plus deep dives into topics related to movement, plus colorful graphic art, On the Move: Things in Motion on Earth and Beyond is a unique history and celebration of motion. Beginning with walking and the history of shoes, the author-illustrators explore so many facets of motion and travel, including such topics as famous travelers, flight, travel diaries, boundaries and borders, and maps. They even reference time travel!
The colorful artwork propels the text, and the reader, forward in this horizontal book. For younger children, caregivers can focus on the main text and explore the multifaceted illustrations. In classrooms and for older children, the additional text provides deep dives into particular topics, definitions, and more.
Whether read at home or in a school setting, On the Move: Things in Motion on Earth and Beyond is a book to return to again and again.
A Note about Craft:
Sparse text that can be read on its own plus additional definitions and discussions about particular topics related to motion combined with amazing graphic art is a winning combination for this concept book.
This Perfect Picture Book entry is being added to Susanna Hill’s Perfect Picture Book list. Check out the other great picture books featured there!
Wander, Ponder, Write 