novels that take place where we're taking our 6 year old?

[Adasmommy]

I posted in homeschooling and someone pointed me here.  We're about to go on a road trip up the East Coast for the next few months and I wondered if anyone has book recommendations for stories that take place in locations along our route?  I remember loving Misty of Chincoteague when I was a kid, but we're not really going near there.  But that's the sort of thing I'm thinking of.

My daughter is six.  We're reading Harry Potter book 2 now which is not relevant except for an example of the level of reading we're doing.  I'd love to get some really good stories that I can enjoy as much as she!

We're starting in Florida, hitting Athens GA, Asheville area of NC, Beckley WV, Cincinnati and Columbus OH, several New York spots, and we think we're going all the way to Maine but the rest of the route is kind of foggy.  We'll be stopping lots of places in between, but that gives a general idea.

So, suggestions?

[AAK]

Do you care about genre?

Superfudge takes place in New York and in Princeton - - but if you do Santa at your house, you will need to edit a couple pages of a chapter.

The Kingdom Keepers takes place in Disney World.  It is spooky and fantasy/sci fi type.  I usually wouldn't read to a 6 year old.  

"Nuts" by Cook takes place in Ohio.  So does "M.C. Higgins the Great" by Virginia Hamilton. 

If you search the catalog record at the library, most books have a subject term that relates to geographic location if relevant.  For example, in the record for M.C. Higgins the Great, one of the subject headings says Families--Ohio--juvenile fiction.  Do a keyword search in the subject for Ohio juvenile fiction.  Or New York, or Georgia. .  .   I am finding a bunch, but I won't mention tons of books that I haven't read.  

Amy

[Daffodil]

If you go through Vermont, you could try Understood Betsy, Miracles on Maple Hill, or The Champlain Monster.  There might be a Lois Lenski books about some other area you're going through.  Here is a page with descriptions of her books: http://www.mlb.ilstu.edu/ressubj/speccol/lenski/bib.html

[Daffodil]

Oh, and My Side of the Mountain takes place in the Catskills.  Parts of it might be boring for a 6 year old, though.

[rainbringer]

The Kit books from the American Girl series are set in Cinncinnati (I think) and the Rebecca books in New York City.

Abby Against the Storm is about a girl helping keep a lighthouse in Maine.  It's a picture book, but a good story.

[34me]

From the mixed up files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler takes place at the metropolitan Museum of NY, I loved that book as a kid.

[lookatreestar]

Originally Posted by 34me 

From the mixed up files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler takes place at the metropolitan Museum of NY, I loved that book as a kid.

i loved that one too!

[ollyoxenfree]

NYC: 

Stuart Little 

A Cricket in Times Square 

Does Cynthia Rylant identify the location of the lighthouse in the Lighthouse Family series? I can't recall. 

Other novels that come to mind cover some tough issues and may not be suitable for a 6 y.o., but if she likes Harry Potter, then maybe they'll work: 

My One Hundred Adventures by Polly Horvath (a beach in Massachusetts) 

Jacob Have I Loved by Katherine Paterson (I'm pretty sure it's set in the Carolinas - oops, nope Chesapeake Bay - maybe it's too off the path for you too?) 

The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare (Connecticut/New England) 

The Wanderer by Sharon Creech (Atlantic) 

[Owen'nZoe]

What a fun project! I know you asked for novels specifically, but what about some picture books?

LaRue Accross America covers territory that you won't, but it about a road trip and covers some of the East Coast. It is very funny, has fun illustrations, and might spark a fun letter-writing project for you. http://www.amazon.com/LaRue-Across-America-Postcards-Vacation/dp/0439915023

Who's Been Here is a great series of nature books for kids. The books don't mention a particular place, but if you look at theflora and fauna in the illustrations, it is clear they are set in the Northeast. http://www.amazon.com/Snow-Whos-Been-Here/dp/0688170560/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1309465884&sr=1-4 The author also has a book, Around the World, about a teacher who takes a 9-month round the world trip that also might be interesting for another roadtrip perspective.

The President and Mom's Apple Pie would be a great tie-in for Washington DC or even Ohio (I've always pictured it taking place in Ohio, even though the town is never named). It covers a fictional whistle-stop visit from President Taft to a small town. The story is cute, and is followed up with a bit of biographical info about President Taft. http://www.amazon.com/President-Moms-Apple-Pie/dp/B000H2MGSK/ref=cm_cr-mr-title#_

[mamayogibear]

Wow! What a great way to study literature. I would love to have an experience like this with my children when they get older. Sorry I have no advice but I love the idea!

[hildare]

howdy from (near the) ATH!  check this out:  The tree that owns itself by Gail Karwoski.  You can read the story and visit the tree!  (there are other stories in the book too, but the tree is really cool for kids that age, and the book's right on that level.)  in athens.  super fun.

Hoot by Carl Hiassin takes place in Florida, and is a pretty cool read and talks about local fauna. 

have a great trip.. i'll try to think of other stuff for you if my brain will work.

[Caneel]

"I remember loving Misty of Chincoteague"

Me too!  I was obsessed, absolutely obsessed with that book. 

One of my friend's actually got one of those horses but sadly, it was quite feral and wouldn't let us get close.  (Her grandparents bought it for her and as I remember, just showed up at the house one day and said "surprise!"  They did not live on the farm.  The dad built a shed out back and fenced in part of the woods for the horse.  Very depressing memory, it ruined the book for me. 

We were in Beckley several years ago.

Not a book but the Chicken in the Roads blog is just great.  She is an author who moved back to her family's West Virginia farm with her three kids.  She writes a lot about rural living, life on the farm, her farm animals, etc.  If you allow screen time, your daughter might really enjoy the farm animal section of the site.  Her stories about the her first house (quite rustic) are interesting too. 

[Owen'nZoe]

OP, you haven't been back in awhile, but DH and I were talking with friends over the weekend about books we loved as kids, and I thought of a few more that belong on your list:

- From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler (a favorite of both DH and me - we fantacised about getting accidentally locked into the local natural history museum when we were kids :))

- Anything by Ezra Jack Keats

- The Trixie Belden mysteries

- Stuart Little

- shiloh

- Some of the Boxcar Children mysteries take place on the East Coast.