Book Release Party-Why Parents Must Give Their Kids the World

Please join Dale and Kellie McIntyre for a book signing celebrating the release of The Passport Project. This event is hosted by ARC Realty and Heights Title, LLC.

Millions of American families spend their weekends and breaks playing travel sports. But for one Vestavia family, the sport is travel. Debut author and veteran traveler Kellie McIntyre and her family set a goal to explore six continents before the kids finished high school. In 2013, McIntyre, her husband, Dale (a founding partner at ARC Realty), and their two daughters packed one suitcase each and embarked on a journey around the world.

“What started out as a family goal turned into a first-class education from economy seats,” McIntyre says. That education has turned into The Passport Project.

During the “Dumpster-fire” summer of 2020, McIntyre felt compelled to create something that would unify people, rather than divide. Believing that travel is the greatest teacher of all, she knew she had an important story to tell. Celebrating diversity and freedom, McIntyre takes readers from Alabama to 13 countries across four continents — with an unexpected twist.

Uniquely written from her (then) 14- and 12-year-old daughters’ perspectives, The Passport Project is a true, coming-of-age adventure for ages 8 to 88.

“You can take the kids out of middle school, but you can’t take the middle school out of kids. They were dealing with all the typical issues of adolescence, while constantly navigating new customs and cultures,” McIntyre explains.

"McIntyre brilliantly captures the awkward hilarity of teen/family travel while highlighting the gift of a global worldview," writes NYT best-selling author, Rachel Macy Stafford.

After spending the past two years at home, Americans are eager to pack their bags and go. And now that adults and children have mastered working and studying remotely, more families may choose to plan a world-schooling adventure. What does McIntyre hope readers will gain from her story?

“Life is so much richer when we embrace the world beyond our bubbles.”

Fun fact: The Passport Project begins and ends in Vestavia and LPMS.

The Passport Project: Two Sisters Ditch Middle School for a Life-Changing Journey Around the World is available at most major online booksellers.