You guys always have such awesome suggestions so I thought i would ask.....DS8 has been a map freak for as long as I can remember - we have baskets and baskets of maps. he will sit and look through maps and be completely happy. Right now he is watching a video on the Chicago Metro and has gone online to look for a map of another system. Two of the best books we ever got for him are called Transit Maps of the World and his all time favorite book in the world....national geographic Concise Atlas of the world - the poor book is tattered it has been poured through SO much

Would love to know if there are others out there with map fanatics and if you have any book recommendations?

Hey! It's nice to hear of another map fan.

My son is four and has enjoyed looking at our metro map since he was three. He especially loves the Key and finding all the points of interest.

And...he is into compasses, so looks for the N/S/E/W on every map.

(A jump-off of maps was the DMV driver's test booklet. It has lots of road signs.)

As for books on maps, our son has enjoyed, "Me on the Map" by Joan Sweeney (although probably too young for your eight year old).

I have a lovely book called "Maps of the Silk Road". It was pretty expensive and I wouldn't give it to children, but it made me think maybe historical maps might be interesting to him? I don't have a specific suggestion though, sorry!

My DS5 gets his map/location obsession from his grandpa. My dad is map-obsessed and I remember going with him to various places to get topographical maps that were very detailed. He would have the exact longitude and latitude that he wanted. So, maybe a topo map of a local area, explain how the lines work?

Also, my dad has a series of DeLorme atlases for the states. There is one book per state, I believe they say Atlas and Gazetteer on the cover. Those are fun because they are more detailed than the state highway maps, so you can find pretty cool information.

Have you let him play on Google maps? We love looking at places and viewing the maps at different details, doing the satellite overlay, checking out the street view. Especially fun for places you're going to visit, or have been, checking out Grandma's house, etc.

This is too young for an 8 year old but, Dr. Suess Learning library of Maps has a wonderful book about maps.

I have always been fasinated with the tourist maps that have illustrated building and trees. I think that would be fun to try and draw.

Another direction to try for Map sources might be looking into Graphic Design section of a good bookstore.

You might also try looking into Geocaching. We went to a information class and it could be very fun.

(I can bearly use a road map. It's funny I'm giving ideas here.)

Our giant hardcover atlas has literally fallen out of its binding; it's seen extraordinary (and sometimes daily) use by DS8. Thanks for all the other resources!

DeeDee

My second grader has decided to "win" the national geographic geography bee in 2 years (I am not sure about that! But I follow his interests). Every night we look over atlases and maps.
You can look at the National Geo Society website for nice, cheap books. We have 10 so far! I have alot of foreign patients (I'm a doctor), so every time I have one, I tell him what country they were from and look it up.

Sounds like a perfect candidate for National Geographic Bee which is a national competition for middle and elementary school students. If his school does not offer the competition, try to work with school to set one up. You just need 6 (?) classmates/friends to have a school round.

This book "Afghanistan to Zimbabwe" is a must have for all serious bee contestants.

http://shop.nationalgeographic.com/...study-shop/books/afghanistan-to-zimbabwe

I think we have that book too! At this point, our knowledge of geography is too far below a book like that. We are working our way through the states!
Last week, I had in my clinic patients from- Chile, Pakistan, India, Mexico, and Nepal. And one of the PTA moms said she was in the peace corp in Bostwana. So we looked all of those up!
It's amazing, if you look around, how geography touches our lives. You wouldn't think it does. I am setting up our grade school to do the Bee next year.

Thanks guys SO much - you are all so awesome with suggestions! cricket3 - I laughed when I read your response...are you sure you don't live in our house? My son LOVES Google earth and will just sit and mess with it just to look....we do have the book Me on the Map and I will look up the other recommendations :-) We have several globes that have been well worn out...and geocaching- he is a geocache freak - and he really, really loves orienteering - very similar to geocaching but you are moving through a planned out course with using a compass and topographical map. Thanks SO much for all the great ideas!

I had a more usable suggestion than my last What about getting family and friends to give you any free tourist maps they have? There are some really good ones around.

Hi, Belle--

Harpo has loved The Times History of the World atlas for years; another good resource he likes a lot is Simon Ross's map skills book from Nelson Thornes (most of the UK educational publishers seem to have some map skills books on their lists). He also likes facsimile atlases--we have a couple of those published by Taschen.

Hope that helps!

peace
minnie