Karen T. Bartlett Releases New Kids Guide to Naples and More

Naples, FL

"Welcome to the land where trees have knees and giant pink birds are born with spoons at the end of their beaks. Why? To scoop up their shrimp soup, of course! What's a swamp buggy? Where did the pirates bury their treasure? Is there really such a creature as a Skunk Ape? These secrets, and more," says the book cover, "are revealed inside."

These are the words of award-winning journalist Karen T. Bartlett, known for her evocative sense-of-place travel features and photography, humorous magazine essays and sophisticated destination coffee table books. With the release of her latest book in February, Bartlett has again stepped outside the box; this time with a refreshing take on family travel guidebooks.

Fascinating Factoids
A (mostly) Kids' Guide to Naples, Marco Island & The Everglades breaks the guidebook mold in design, text and format. The 80-page softcover book, which is packed with adventures and activities for children aged toddler to teen, is drenched in sprinkles and splashes of color, laugh-out-loud text, fascinating factoids, crazy quizzes, local history and lore, has managed to capture the attention of grandparents, parents, teachers and tourism professionals, as well as visitors and locals with and without children.

Every turn of the page reveals an unexpected surprise. "I want kids have so much fun experiencing the book that they don't realize they're learning things," Bartlett said. "Why are the Seminoles called the Unconquered People? [They're the only Indians that never surrendered to the U.S. government]. What body part does a butterfly use to taste its food? [Oops - guess again!]. Ever seen a fish with feet, ruby-red lips and a lure on top of its head? It's at Rookery Bay Environmental Learning Center. And what's this about ghosts in the swamp? [It's not what one would think!] The book also includes maps, a calendar of kid-friendly festivals and events, and more than 200 full color photos and illustrations," shared Bartlett.

Exudes "Experience"
"Florida has some of the best-written guidebooks in the country," Bartlett said, "and I've been privileged to contribute to several of them. But sometimes there's so much emphasis on the hours, prices and directions that there's too little space left for the actual experience. I wanted A (mostly) Kids' Guide to Naples, Marco Island & The Everglades to exude 'experience.' Whether the person holding the book is eight years old or 80, I wanted to put them right there in that place, to feel the excitement, inspire the imagination, and learn something fascinating. I also know that details change from month to month. In this age of instant access to current information via multiple devices, I chose to provide a comprehensive, alphabetical listing of more than 125 phone numbers and websites so my readers always have access to the most up-to-date information, and can take advantage of ever-changing discounts, coupons and special offers," she went on to say.

Jack Wert, executive director of the Naples, Marco Island, Everglades Convention and Visitors Bureau, said, "We're so enchanted with this book, which exemplifies our region's perfect blend of cultural and natural family adventure, that we're taking it with us to travel marketplaces around the world."

The book retails for $18.95 and is available at barnesandnoble.com, amazon.com, and mostlykidsguides.com.

About the Author:
Before beginning a second career as a travel journalist, Karen T. Bartlett was CEO of an Atlanta-based boutique public relations firm that served worldwide travel and hospitality clients. When her two (now grown) children were small, the family moved to Naples, Florida on Southwest Florida's Gulf Coast. For more than a decade she was travel editor and a columnist for the Naples-based magazine, Gulfshore Life, and contributed travel features and photography to scores of publications throughout North America and the Caribbean. According to her bio in the book, Bartlett loves to dance, get muddy in the swamp and eat chocolate ice cream. "Sometimes," she adds, "all at once".