About

Hi, I’m Claire Annette Noland, a reader, writer, teacher, and traveler. I live in a world where there are always books to read, places to explore, and terrific traveling companions that share the journey.

I know that possibilities for adventure begin right out the front door.
I know that children’s books make the best travel guides.
I know that life is always better when you give yourself a permission slip to escape the ordinary.

I have always loved to explore new places. My favorite days at school were those that we boarded a big yellow bus with our classmates and headed down the road to see something new. Unfortunately, those days were few. Fortunately, my parents always seemed to have an outing planned. They’d pile us five siblings (and often other neighborhood kids or cousins) and head off to the beach, mountains, or various spots in between. We visited farms and fairs and even saw our new station wagon roll off of the assembly line.

Reading was highly valued in our home. Our shelves were packed with books and each Saturday we walked to the library for story hour and returned with a tote bag loaded with a fresh crop of books to read. We were even allowed to skip chores if we had our noses in a book.

So, it is no wonder that I grew up to love traveling and books. I became a geographer by degree and then went on to become a children’s librarian and later a teacher so that I could share my love of reading and exploring with children.

I moved from Southern California a bit north to Central California with my wonderful husband. Together, with our four children, we’ve have grand adventures and read piles of books. Most of our explorations begin right outside our doors. We live on the Kings River just outside of the little Swedish town of Kingsburg but also spend lots of time at our place in Cayucos on the central coast. When we need a change of altitude, we head up into the nearby Sierras.

Here at A Field Trip Life, I will share possibilities for adventures large and small and the children’s books that inspire them. Grab your library card. Sign your permission slip. Let’s go!