I’ve finally had a chance to take a look at Google Lit Trips.  It’s an amazing way to use technology to teach/understand reading and literature and to visualize the connection between what you read and where it takes place. Designed by English teacher Jerome Burg, Lit Trips uses Google Earth as well as contributions from educators and students to map the movements of characters over a plot’s timeline while providing excerpts, pictures, and links at each location.

It’s necessary to download Google Earth and do a little experimentation, but for example, you can follow the path of the Joad Family in the Grapes of Wrath, get a real-time view of those locales right, see photos from the era, study questions and much more.  Though
it was intended for students, it’s great for anyone taking kids on a trip or for people who are just interested in having a greater connection to the literature. Look at the Downloads, etc. page to find the list of books that you can take a trip with–no passport required.