Take Your Classroom to Europe
Felipe & Macio’s Adventures is a 4-book illustrated chapter series that turns a real family trip across Europe into an engaging classroom resource for grades 1–6. Geography, culture, language, food, transportation, and reading comprehension — all wrapped in one boy and his stuffed elephant’s adventure.
Why Educators Love Felipe & Macio’s Adventures
📚 Aligned to Reading Levels
Written for ages 6–12, the series spans early independent reading through middle-grade chapter books. The matching coloring & activity editions extend access to younger or developing readers in the same classroom.
🌍 Built-In Geography & Culture
Each book travels a real route: Phoenix → Amsterdam → Holland → Paris → London → home. Students encounter four cities, three languages, two currencies, and dozens of real landmarks across the series.
✈️ Cross-Curricular Hooks
Natural tie-ins to social studies, world geography, language arts, science (flight, transportation, the Channel Tunnel), and art (architecture, museums, illustration analysis).
🎨 Screen-Free Travel-Ready
The coloring & activity editions are perfect for indoor recess, sub plans, end-of-unit work, classroom rewards, or sending home for vacation reading packets.
🗣️ Pronunciation Guides Built In
Every book includes a Pronunciation Guide for words from each city’s language — Dutch, French, and proper place names — turning unfamiliar words into vocabulary moments.
👨👩👧👦 Real-Family Authenticity
Based on a real Spring Break trip, the series teaches kids that the world is reachable — not imaginary. Particularly meaningful for kids who’ve never traveled internationally and for English Language Learners with family roots abroad.
📦 Bulk & Classroom Orders
Buying for a classroom, library, school district, summer camp, or homeschool co-op? We offer:
- Volume pricing on orders of 10+ paperback copies (across the series)
- Mixed-series bundles — storybooks + matching coloring editions at discount
- Free shipping for orders over $250 to schools and libraries in the continental US
- Author Q&A sessions available for school visits (virtual or in person, depending on location)
- Library MARC records on request — we can supply structured catalog data
- Purchase orders accepted from accredited schools and library systems
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Request Bulk Pricing →Lesson Plan Tie-Ins by Book
Book 1: Fly to Amsterdam
Best for: Grades 1–4 · Themes: air travel, world geography, time zones, first experiences
Discussion questions
- Trace Felipe’s route from Phoenix to Amsterdam on a globe. How many time zones did he cross?
- What does an airport feel like to someone who’s never been to one? Compare and contrast.
- Why does Felipe bring Macio with him? What is your “Macio” — the thing you’d bring on a big trip?
- How is Phoenix different from Amsterdam? Make a Venn diagram.
Cross-curricular extensions
- Science: How do airplanes fly? Build a paper airplane unit.
- Geography: Identify the Atlantic Ocean and the countries Felipe flies over.
- Math: Calculate the time difference between Phoenix and Amsterdam (8 hours).
Book 2: Explore Holland
Best for: Grades 2–5 · Themes: Dutch culture, canals & windmills, world food, transportation
Discussion questions
- Why are there so many canals in Amsterdam? How did the Dutch build a country partly below sea level?
- Compare a stroopwafel to your favorite American dessert. What ingredients are the same? Different?
- What does a windmill do? Are there modern versions of windmills today?
- Felipe takes a high-speed train to Paris. Why might Europe use more trains than America?
Cross-curricular extensions
- Social Studies: Study Dutch history — tulips, trade routes, polders.
- Language Arts: Learn 10 Dutch words from the pronunciation guide.
- Art: Paint a windmill watercolor inspired by Zaanse Schans.
Book 3: Discover Paris
Best for: Grades 2–6 · Themes: French language & food, world-famous landmarks, the Channel Tunnel
Discussion questions
- Why is the Eiffel Tower so famous? What does it symbolize about Paris?
- The Louvre has 35,000+ artworks. If you could choose one to study, which would it be and why?
- What is a crêpe? How is it like a pancake and how is it different?
- The high-speed train travels UNDER the English Channel. How is that possible?
Cross-curricular extensions
- French Language: Learn the Pronunciation Guide words and basic greetings.
- Art History: Pick three paintings from the Louvre and write about them.
- Engineering: Study how the Channel Tunnel was built.
Book 4: Discover London
Best for: Grades 3–6 · Themes: British history & royalty, world-famous monuments, returning home
Discussion questions
- What is the Tower of London and why do the Crown Jewels live there?
- Compare London’s red double-decker buses to school buses. How are public transit systems different across countries?
- Felipe’s trip ends back home in Phoenix. How might Felipe be different after seeing four cities?
- If you went on your own family adventure, what city would you want to visit first? Why?
Cross-curricular extensions
- History: Study the British monarchy and the Tower of London’s 1,000-year history.
- Writing: Have students write their own travel journal entry inspired by Felipe’s notebook in Book 4.
- Geography: Map every city Felipe visited and identify the body of water between each.
Reading-Level Recommendations
| Grade | Use |
|---|---|
| K–1 | Read-aloud + Coloring & Activity editions |
| 2–3 | Independent reading of storybooks (Books 1–2) |
| 4–5 | Full series chapter books; discussion-based lessons |
| 6 | Research extensions, travel writing units, “create your own adventure” projects |
Free Classroom Resources
Visit our Free Activities page for printable coloring pages, activity packs, and downloadable resources you can use immediately in your classroom. Join our educators list below to be notified when new lesson plans drop.