3 . You won’t need a passport for this trip around the globe, but you will need your favorite bookstore or library card. Reading stories from or set in other parts of the world is fun and helps kids appreciate other cultures. Go on a virtual vacation with these global reads. If you don’t know where to start, I’ve made a list of some of my favorites.

Sand Swimmers

by Narelle Oliver

Young wildlife enthusiasts know that Australia is full of fascinating creatures, especially in the strange and harsh desert region called the Dead Heart. In Sand Swimmers, Narelle Oliver combines science, natural history, and firsthand observations to uncover the unbelievably hardy species that live and thrive in this mysterious piece of Australian wilderness.

The Secret Kingdom

by Barb Rosenstock

The Secret Kingdom is a visually impressive biography of Nek Chand Saini, a village farmer who relocated to the city of Chandigarh after the 1947 partition of India. There, he gathered castoffs and small treasures to create a secret rock garden in the jungle — now a 40-acre sculpture garden open to the public. Rich watercolor illustrations capture the region’s natural beauty.

When Life Gives You Mangos

by Kereen Getten

A moving new middle grade novel, When Life Gives You Mangos centers the perspective of a young girl named Clara who lives on an island in Jamaica, a favorite place for tourists who throw around words like “exotic” about Clara’s home. Since last summer’s hurricane, though, the tourists are thinning out, and the biggest talk is about a new girl who’s moving to the island, whom Clara can’t wait to meet. A moving story about family, friendship, and resilience, it will also spark important conversations about traveling to others’ homes.

The Island of Horses

by Eilís Dillon

This classic adventure story, reissued in 2018, takes place off the western coast of Ireland on an island called Inishrone. Life on the remote island is anything but easy, but it’s all that friends Pat Conroy and Danny MacDonagh have ever known. Lured by the call of ghost stories, Pat and Danny set sail for the Island of Horses, a decision that launches them into a dangerous mystery. Come for the suspense, stay for the atmosphere: you’ll be able to taste the saltwater whipping through the air.

5 . Learn more about where your food comes from the next time you dine out… Well, thanks to these food apps, you can find the right food with minimal effort.

Seafood Watch was born out of the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Its primary goal is to help people eat seafood with less impact on the environment. It functions by helping you understand which types of fish are considered sustainable. For example, blue point oysters from Florida are considered a “best choice”, whereas Pacific bigeye tuna is rated “avoid”.

HappyCow is one of the most convenient apps I’ve come across. You can be anywhere and with a click of a button, find a restaurant near you that offers vegetarian food for people who don’t eat fish or meat. I’ve used this while traveling in big cities like Toronto or remote areas like St. Moritz. It also has a great recipe section if you’re in the mood for cooking.

GoodGuide is a tool that rates food and other products on safety, health and moral principles. They take a look at the product’s ingredients(成分), its environmental impact and the company’s attention to labor rights and helping its community. Products are then scored from a low of 0 to a high of 10. The higher the rating, the better the product from a health perspective.

EWG’s Food Scores is a database created to let consumers make healthier, greener food choices. It was launched in 2014 and has ratings for more than 80,000 products. Their database rates foods on a scale of 1.0 to 10.0, with 1.0 being the best product, based on nutrition, ingredients and how it is processed. Since 2014, there have been over 32 million searches on the site.

8 . Nothing beats live music, but the venue makes a difference. When you're able to score tickets to an incredible concert in an incredible place, you won't forget the experience. Here are some of the coolest music venues from around the world. If you haven't been to any of these, you've got some traveling to do.

Red Rocks might be the most beautiful and famous venue in the United States. At 6,450 feet above sea level, Red Rocks is a geologically formed natural stage. Its massive sandstone provides a perfect stage for jam bands. If you're into the blues and jazz, you'll have no trouble finding something in line with your interests.

Smallest venues on this list, Meet Factory is an art gallery, theater, and music venue. The venue only accommodates 1,000 people, so you won't see any huge names come through. Still, it's a great place to see up-and-coming local acts, and if you've got an eye for contemporary art, you'll love your time here.

Originally built around A. D. 70, the Arena of Nimes presents concertgoers with an interesting question: Should they enjoy the music, or marvel at the architecture? The Arena is, after all, one of the world's best-preserved Roman theaters. Many major touring acts plan stops at the Arena of Nimes, especially during the venue's annual festival.

The Sydney Opera House is one of the world's most famous performing venues. I's also one of the most distinctive buildings in Sydney, thanks to the breathtaking design by Danish architect Utzon. It hosts about 40 events per week, so whether you're into jazz, rock, classical music, or opera, you'll find something to watch.

9 . Nobody says school is easy. Studying is difficult, as is memorizing information for a test. Fortunately, there are books that can help you to make dealing with school easier.

Unlimited Memory by Kevin Horsley

This book is a bestseller in memory improvement. It has strategies to help learn faster and become more productive. Of course, having a good memory comes in handy outside of the classroom as well. Really, this is a great book for life in general.

On Course by Skip Downing

It is another book worth reading. In its eighth edition, the book provides self-assessment tools to help identify what is needed to change for academic success. It contains guided journal entries to help readers with responsibility, self-management, self-awareness, learning and self-esteem.

Student’s Guide to Writing College Papers by Kate L. Turabian

Many students reach college and find that essay writing in college is very different from that in high school. Whether this is the case or not, Student’s Guide to Writing College Papers is a perfect choice for those who want to improve writing skills. It’s available on Kindle or in hardback or paperback forms. Right now, this one is its fourth edition. The book covers writing actual paper, citing sources, and style.

How to Become a Straight-A Student by Cal Newport

The book came out in 2006. It enjoys great popularity among learners all over the world. The book deals with different approaches and strategies to help achieve good academic performance but spend less time on studying, with a focus on studying smarter, not harder. It’s available on Kindle and in audio book and paperback forms.

10 . Several years ago, Cindy and her kids noticed that two robins (知更鸟) had built a nest in one of their trees. As they paid attention to the robins’ _________ they realized there were eggs in the nest.

Soon four baby birds hatched. Cindy and her kids took _________ of the baby birds. They loved to watch them and would check on their condition _________.

Then one day as Cindy was _________ clothes in one of the kids’ rooms—she saw something she’d never seen before or since. More than a dozen birds were flying around the tree with the robins’ nest. Cindy _________ out to see what the trouble was and saw all different types of birds were _________ the tree. Instinctively, Cindy ran to _________ the baby birds and what she found was _________.

The birds were dive-bombing (俯冲攻击) the tree because a snake had _________ itself around the tree and was trying to get to the baby robins. The birds were doing everything they could to __________ the baby birds.

Cindy thought quickly and took a __________ and used it to pull the snake off the tree. It slid away and when Cindy eventually __________, all of the birds were sitting on the branches of the tree looking at her as if to say thank you. Then they flew away.

There is something remarkable that happens when we have a __________ cause. When we have a common __________, just like the birds, we forget our __________. We begin to work together and focus on common objectives and we fight for our cause.