Family Travel: The Farther You Go the Closer You Get
I love this title because it is so true  and this series, although I was a little disappointed in this book because it was more about stories when I was looking for specific, practical information. Still, the stories are great as usual and can be inspiring as you plan your own travel.

A Family Year Abroad
There are not that many books about family extended travel ( and there were even less when we prepared in 2005 and took off in 2006), so I used every resource that I could find for been there, done that information. This book was not my favorite as it applied primarily to a family spending a year in the Czech Republic  and attending American school and we were more interested in Spain and local schools to immerse in the culture. Still, I did gather some good information from it and I bought it. Every source has a little different take on things so many sources help in forming a plan.

WorldTrek: A Family Odyssey
This is the story of a family from Texas with two teens  that took a year off for a trip around the world. We think that is much too fast to see the world, but if that is all you have then it is better than most get. I would probably do less in this time as traveling fast can cost a lot more and take away from the experience, but there is benefit in reading many books on this topic. It is exciting as you prepare and helps one form ideas for your own trip.

Discovering Spain An Uncommon Guide
This is one of my favorite books about Spain that has lots of great details about food, maps, history and more. We love it and definitely have it with us for our travels around Spain.

Six Months Off
Yet another book to help you plan your escape and despite the title, it is applicable for longer periods as well. I think it is worth reading lots of books in this area to start shift your thinking and open to possibilities by learning from others experiences. Or
at least that is how I tend to do it. Then I make it my own. This has lots of practical information to get you and your family on the road to extended travel which is really easier and less expensive than most people imagine.

Educational Travel on a Shoestring
We think that one of the primary reasons to travel with children is for educational reasons, so of course we liked this book's premise. It is not about extended travel
but combines too of our favorite topics frugal family travel and using travel as an educational opportunity before, during and after a family journey. Lots of practical tips here on how to get the most out of it for little cost.

Bring Your Own Children
This book was written by a renown psychologist who took a sabbatical with her family in South America. She gives lots of emphasis of the importance of traveling with children and lots of practical details about how to do that, especially extensive travel  in South America. Their 8 year old son writes in every chapter about his experience and what he liked and did not like.

The Family Sabbatical Handbook
This book like Escape 101, is about a family that spent an extended vacation in Mexico with a small child  and gained a lot of first hand information about how to do that. I think it is valuable to read many books on this topic to gain something unique from each as one plans their own escape. Lots of good information here that can help you with planning.

Escape 101
This was written by a cyber-friend that I know from Bootsnall travel forum. He does a good job of pointing out how a family can take a year off as he recently did with his family with a young child. He gives good and specific information on how families can take more long sabbaticals even if the company does not pay a cent. We prefer early retirement, but long sabbaticals are the next best things for families that can not do that.

The 4-Hour Workweek
If you want to find some great ways to work less and enjoy life more, then this is the book for you! We prefer early retirement to his mini-retirements, but find lots of his advice very helpful for extended travel and finding a greater balance between work life and family life. His philosophy and helpful outside-of-the-box ideas will resonate with most and spark a new way of thinking about work and play. His subtitle says it all: "Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and join the New Rich"!