A (mostly) Kids' Guide to Sanibel & Captiva Islands and the Fort Myers Coast

From purple blobs and desert islands to the laboratory of the greatest American inventor, this outrageously colorful 80-page family guidebook crashes through all boundaries and redefines what a guidebook that's truly designed for families with school-age children can be. While it features both indoor attractions and outdoor adventures for all members of the family, including cool excuses to get muddy and super-fun reasons to dress up, there's nothing typically guidebook-ish about it. It spans the generations, making it an enchanting read for parents, grandparents, educators, armchair travelers and even adults without children.

Beginning with the first chapter: "Everything You Need to Know: Some of it is Quite Weird," to the last chapter featuring a selection of annual festivals, parades and unique happenings, every page is a visual feast, combining practical ideas and inside tips on free things to do with freaky factoids, fascinating legends and hilarious quizzes. Several spokes-creatures, including Marigold the loggerhead turtle, Freckles the hermit crab and a roseate spoonbill named Rosie, get into the conversation along with a couple of dastardly pirates who provide helpful (and sometimes impertinent) commentary.

In this guidebook one must expect the unexpected, such as where to encounter a tiny real-life sea creature with the head of a donkey, the tail of a monkey and the pouch of a kangaroo (hint: it's a seahorse) or a restaurant at the end of a yellow brick road where waiters wear chickens on their heads. It also includes the websites and phone numbers for 150-plus attractions, outfitters and resources.

A (mostly) Kids' Guide to Sanibel & Captiva Islands and the Fort Myers Coast is the second in the Mostly Kids' Guides imprint, following A (mostly) Kids' Guide to Naples, Marco Island & The Everglades, national winner of the Silver IBPA Benjamin Franklin Award for travel.