Around the World in Eighty Days

I decided I needed to reread Around the World in Eighty Days by Jules Verne after Masterpiece Theatre on PBS aired a mini-series based on the book.

Well – loosely based on the book.

The mini-series was fun to watch, but Phileas Fogg is nothing like the character in the book. In the book, Fogg is methodical and shows no emotion. His valet, Passepartout, shows much more emotion than Fogg does.

Around the World in Eighty Days is a fun read, though it can feel rather methodical at times. Events get interesting when the company arrives in India, and Hong Kong, and especially Japan.

Fogg and his friends also have several adventures in the United States as they traverse this wide country.

This book is great for teaching geography, as you follow Fogg around the world in his various modes of transport. And discover, with him, that though he thought he lost the bet, he could still because he gained a day crossing over the international date line in the Pacific.

Recommended as a read-aloud for grade 4 and up; reader for middle school and up.