Review: ‘Young World Travelers and the Magical Crystal Globe’
by Demetra Lecourezos
By: Markos Papadatos, Contributing Editor
“Young World Travelers and the Magical Crystal Globe” is an educational children’s book written by a Florida gift shop owner and Greek-American author Demetra Travaris-Lecourezos. It was co-created by Constantinos “Gus” Lecourezos.
It tells the story of a group of children from Tarpon Springs, Florida, as they embark on a geographic adventure in New York with the help of store owner, “Mrs. Eva,” whose crystal globe is quite powerful. Not only does it translate words from English to other languages and it converts U.S. dollars to foreign currencies, but with a simple touch, it transports people to different realms thanks to one’s imagination.
This book is rich in New York history since it gives the reader an overview of Queens, New York, and how it is a melting pot of so many different cultures. The children take an imaginary voyage to the Queens County Farm (which consists of some neat animals and a steel windmill), Fort Totten in Bayside, as well as Flushing Meadows Park, the latter of which is home of the “Unisphere.”
I love how the author ties in how the Flushing Meadows park is relevant to Tarpon Springs, Florida, especially since a part of the altar of the St. Nicholas Cathedral came from a marble wall that was displayed in the 1939 World Fair which took place in this very park. Quite fascinating.
The creative illustrations in this book, by award-winning artist Rick Sanders, help bring its informative text to life.
The Verdict
Overall, this book is a heart-warming book that is well-written and carefully researched. Being a huge fan of “The Magic School Bus” series, Demetra Tsavaris-Lecourezos emerges as the “Ms. Frizzle” equivalent of New York history. She makes the borough of Queens relevant again and she explores it from a child’s perspective. I was very impressed with the book’s syntax and her use of sophisticated language. I look forward to many more books in this series. It garners an A+ rating and I highly recommend it to readers of all ages.
