Virtual (and non) travels of a 7-year-old blogger

This is a guest post by Lillie from Wandering Educators. She is seven years old and I was so impressed by her book reviews that I asked her for an interview.

This photo shows Lillie in her kayak.

AT: Please introduce yourself: your name, age, and the state in which you liveI am Lillie. I am 7. I live in Michigan.

AT: What is your website? Is it your own website or do you contribute to it along with others?

Our site is Wandering Educators. I contribute to the site, with others. I am working on my own website, it is in development. It will be focused on fashion. For the Wandering Educators site, I write articles on books, author and illustrator interviews, about our trips, things we see, and more. I wrote about Mary Poppins in Chicago, our trip to the Michigan Renaissance Fair last summer, etc.

Lillie in Chicago

AT: And what is your “job” for that website? Do you write about something in particular? How often do you write?

I am the special children’s reporter. I write about things kids would be interested in, like books. It is mostly books. We get lots of books to review. I write at least once a month.

AT: What do you want to be when you grow up?

I will be myself. I want to DO many things – most likely a dolphin researcher, but I am also interested in archaeology (ancient Egypt), fashion design, writing and illustrating books, dancing, and creating art.

AT: Do you like to travel? What is the coolest place you have been? What did you like about it?

TOTALLY! Without travel, I would faint for ten hundred weeks.

I love travel because of the great food, and the theater. I especially love the wonderful view if you’re in a hotel that is up so high – just don’t get jittery! I can’t wait to go to Paris. I love the Eiffel Tower. Mom says it is so cool and tall. I haven’t been outside of the US yet. We are planning a trip for next year, though.

Here is lillie white water rafting. You can't see her: she is covered by the water.

My favorite place is Seattle. I love the great food, and the water there, and my uncle Ben lives there. I also love visiting art museums – we go to any art museums when we travel. I also love waterparks – we are going to one next week!

When I was 3 I went whitewater rafting, I LOVED it. So I would like to go whitewater rafting many more times. We kayak a lot at our lake.

AT: I come from North America like you do, but now I live in Italy. Do you know anything about Italy? Just go for it – name the first things that come to mind. They can be people, places, foods, words, anything.

What comes to mind about Italy is: Ciao Marco! The wonderful view. The FOOD! Spaghetti, pizza, gelato, olive oil, yummy bread. Ides of March – et tu, Brute. Rome. Venice and boats. Espresso. Julius Caesar, Marc Antony and Cleopatra, Romulus and Remus. Fashion! Leaning tower of Pisa. Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou, Romeo. Pompeii. Part of Europe. Parmesan cheese. Italy is shaped like a boot, kicking a ball (Sicily).

AT: Where do you long to travel?

At the science museum in MN

I can’t wait to go to France (and Switzerland – cheese and chocolate). I want to go to France to see awesome sights,

Eiffel Tower, great art, great cheese and bread, fashion.

I want to go to Italy.

And I REALLY want to go to Egypt. Abu Simbel. Luxor. Valley of the Kings. Pyramids. Great food. Felucca on the Nile, alligators.

I want to go to Greece to visit my aunt. And see the Parthenon – I love drawing the Parthenon. Awesome swimming, great food – I love Greek Salad. Meteora and ride up the cliffs in a basket!

I want to go to everywhere, in the whole wide world, actually. We read a book, Africa Trek, that made me want to walk around Africa. We read books about the world all the time.

I know that I will be a constant traveler, because I like to learn about new things and places. I love food from around the world. I like to meet kids and people from all over – it is so interesting.

Thank you for talking with me. Kids should travel! Lillie is out. Peace!

Arttrav wishes to thank this wonderful, cheese-loving young lady for her enthusiasm, and her mom both for acting as intermediary for this interview and for teaching so much to her daughter about the big world out there.

If you’re a kid who wants to travel, or a parent who wants to travel with children, check out the review of the Kids Europe Italy discovery journal, and the many books on kid stuff in the arttrav amazon bookstore.