Edward Moldenhauer
Do you remember when you were about six or seven? Going on a trip to a distant country or even just heading to bed each night could sometimes a little scary. Do you remember when someone would read you a story; visualizing the characters, scenes and actions? Flipping through the pages of a fun story with colorful pictures, cuddling close and listening intently to where the story would lead...
Spin the Globe:
The Incredible Adventures of Frederick von Wigglebottom
is a travel, adventure book series based on bedtime stories once told to my daughter and son.
Each night they would ask me to tell them a story. After exhausting every variation of bunny, frog, cowboy and princess story I could come up with, one evening I noticed the globe that sat atop their dresser. I asked them to help me with a story topic and had them...
"spin the globe"
Spin the Globe
The Incredible Adventures of
Frederick von Wigglebottom
The wait is over, Frederick von Wigglebottom is finally here! Enjoyable reading and entertaining. The next great children's series.
My wife
Spin the Globe stories are the best. We really love Frederick!
My kids
Frederick finally get to meet his Australian friends!
(December 2019)
Frederick spotted visiting Neuschwanstein Castle doing
some on-site research for his next adventure.
(July 2019)
Winner - 2019 Book Excellence Awards - Travel Category
Turtles of the Reef is selected as the First Prize Winner in the Travel category.
(July 2019)
The kids had a wonderful time, they were all still talking about your visit , and about all the animals they learned about.
Wilmington West End Neighborhood Center reading (April 2018)
RECOMMENDED by US Review of Books
In mind of young armchair travelers, Edward Moldenhauer's Spin the Globe books focus on taking readers on exciting adventures around the world. This story (Mysteries of Marrakech) charms readers with sites of the open-air souk and when night falls, the renowned Djemaa el Fna square comes alive.
(April 2015)
First Prize Winner 2015 Red City Review Book Awards
Turtles of the Reef is selected as the First Prize Winner in the Young Adult Children's category.
(December 2015)
RECOMMENDED by US Review of Books
This story (Turtles of the Reef) is a jewel in Moldenhauer's clever series. The author manages to cram the picture book full of fascinating facts without allowing them to slow down the pace of Frederick's adventures. The story transitions nicely from historical information to cultural awareness to environmental appreciation. It's very difficult to sum up everything a country has to offer within the span of a children's book, but the author pulls it off admirably.
(April 2015)
Red City Review
5-Stars. This is a great book series to teach kids about geography, history, and culture of different countries around the world. Moldenhauer has created an engaging and entertaining character with Frederick von Wigglebottom who children will be eager to follow as he explores the world. The book is well organized and packed with facts for kids to latch on to. The colorful illustrations are great and help add to the text. The glossary at the back of the book is also helpful to further clarify new unfamiliar terms. We love this book series and we think you will too!
(April 5, 2015)
Dr. Janelle Alex, Ph.D., Co-founder of AuthorsTalkAboutIt.com
Ed crafted colorful & exciting tales focused on faraway lands. FvWb is a world traveler & explorer in these tales. Four of these interesting stories are available to share with your kiddos. With a copy of any of the series in hand we, as parents, can travel the world with our children while snuggled up in bed. Ideas are sparked and we can almost hear the computer begging us to research more about the culture, ancient history, fascinating animals, ceremonies & more that FvWb learns from his new & diverse group of friends.
(March 2, 2015)
Bea's Book Nook blog review
These books are a lot of fun. They teach kids about the world in a cute way. I love them. They are a definite must for any child’s bookshelf.
Steph (January 24, 2015)
(5 Compasses)
Colorfully illustrated and written at the level of the fourth grader, this is a book that can be used in multicultural programs for children. The author packs a lot of valuable information into the book, so much that even adults will likely learn something about Peru when they read it. It is an excellent introduction to the nation of Peru.
C.A. - Amazon review (January 22, 2015)
Conde Nast Traveler
Around the World in 25 Children's Books (July 14, 2014) Imagine taking your kids on a world tour without ever leaving the house. That’s the idea behind Spin the Globe: The Incredible Adventures of Frederick von Wigglebottom, a new travel-themed children’s book series. Learn the story behind author Edward Moldenhauer’s novel idea, plus get our picks for other great books that help kids explore the world.
(July 14, 2014)
RECOMMENDED by US Review of Books
Moldenhauer's book (Dreamtime in Alice Springs) is an exciting exploration for youngsters. The author's creativity is surpassed only by his impressive knowledge of indigenous cultures, local legends, and historical gems.The book introduces youngsters to new lingo, such as tucker, which means food, and walkabout, which refers to a journey. They'll also be excited to read about some new animals such as wallabies and kookaburras. These nuggets of information are woven seamlessly into the storyline; children won't even realize they're learning. The new words may necessitate several re-readings of the book and the writing may be more age-appropriate for kindergartners and older children, rather than toddlers. However, the author thoughtfully includes a glossary at the end to help young learners (and their parents) master the new vocabulary.
(May 2014)
(5 Compasses)
This book is so nicely written and the artwork is very colorful and eye-catching for children of all ages. I also like how the author has a Glossary in the back for all the readers to use. What a great idea is that!! I am looking forward to the next book in the series. I would recommend this book to anyone, it was fun. I love it!!
P.V. - Amazon review
(5 Compasses)
This book can be a great alternative or complement to your collection of books in your "Magic...." Series' journeys. High quality non-fiction for kids is hard to come by...I know! I've been in the education field for twenty-six years!! Teachers and parents should find this interactive book engaging and interesting. Teachers will find that it weaves reading, writing, science, and social studies all in a nice neat package. What's best is it was written borne of a dad's love for his kids. Can't go wrong there!!
S.W. - Amazon review
(5 Compasses)
Our family loves Spin the Globe! It was fun to read and our little girls loved hearing about the adventures of Frederick von Wigglebottom. We thought the book was really informational and fun and presented in a way that held our attention and kept us reading. We also loved the colorful illustrations. We are looking forward to seeing what Frederick's next adventure brings! Thanks so much.
D. H. - Amazon review
(5 Compasses)
Fjords, Vikings and Reindeer takes the reader on a journey of discovery of many of the features of Norway, some of the history, major cities, the climate and the primary fauna of the country. This is an excellent educational introduction to Norway.
C. A. - Amazon review
(5 Compasses)
This book is a wonderful experience to learn about new places and thanks to the help of Frederick who is an adventurer and explorer that is exactly what your child will do.
S. I. - Amazon review
Discover and explore the countries Frederick visits in Spin the Globe
(go to The Series and simply click on the flag button icon)
