Are We There Yet?

by Rand McNally & Company, Karen Richards

These colorful, fun-filled books are perfect for capturing kids' interest and keeping them busy the whole trip. Four different versions ensure there's plenty of entertainment on the way there and back. And our My First Backseat Books "RM" series means that the younger ones aren't left out either.Features of the series include:
-- Kids' Road Atlas --

A great first atlas to introduce young ones to the ways of the road. Each state features a simplified road map, state facts, and a fun state-related activity. Answers for all games and puzzles are in the back of the book with the index, so parents won't be distracted figuring out answers while they're driving.
-- Are We There Yet? --

Travel games, songs, de-coding puzzles, dot-to-dots, mazes, and word scrambles are only a few of the cool activities in this book.
-- Coast-to-Coast Games --

A variety of cities, national parks, and attractions in the six main regions of the U.S. are featured in this book. Each city or place includes a brief description and a different activity to pass the time.
-- Best Travel Activity Book Ever! --

The largest book in the series contains more than 200 pages of a wide assortment of games and puzzles.

Genres: Travel

64 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 1996

Reviews

[Chanin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought these for each of my children & we only got them out on our annual family vacation.

[Theresa F.]

It was plainly obvious after reading this book that it was intended for a specific audience, young children and their families. Also, that it was written for a very specific situation, a family road trip long enough that the children would be susceptible to boredom and in need of diversions. The book contains many of the standard puzzles and activities that one would expect to see in a collection of this type, such as coloring pages, dot to dot, word search, and crossword puzzle. In this case, the crossword puzzle uses picture clues rather than written clues, presumably for the sake of any children too young to read.
The page that's intended to teach kids how to read a road map may seem dated in this modern age of GPS. However, in my own opinion, map reading is still a useful skill to have. I did find it slightly unsettling that the instructions for the "License Plate Poker" car game clearly assumed that children reading the book already knew how to score a hand in poker.
There was a seemingly endless variety of "Family Games" and "Travel Games" and "Motel Games", etc. near the end of the book. This wide range of activities may be useful to parents who have bored children to entertain. But outside of that context, the book was less engaging to read through.
Did I like it? No, but then I was not in circumstances where I would've benefited from the book.
Would I reread it? No.
Would I recommend it? I think even frequent road trippers might find this book a bit dated.