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READING GUIDE

Around the World in Eighty Days

by Jules Verne · The Extraordinary Journey of Phileas Fogg

About the book

In Around the World in Eighty Days, the precise and unflappable Phileas Fogg makes a bold wager at London's Reform Club: he claims he can circle the globe in just eighty days. Accompanied by his loyal and resourceful French valet, Passepartout, Fogg sets off on a thrilling race against time, using steamships, trains, and even an elephant to cross continents and oceans. Their journey is filled with unexpected delays, cultural encounters, and a relentless detective named Fix who suspects Fogg of a crime.

Why kids love it

This classic adventure story captivates young readers with its fast-paced plot, exotic locales, and the timeless theme of determination versus fate. It encourages curiosity about the world's diversity and the importance of keeping one's word, while also showing how quick thinking and loyalty can overcome obstacles. Children will delight in the ingenious solutions Fogg and Passepartout devise as they race to beat the clock.

Step into the world of Around the World in Eighty Days

The Club Cloakroom

Coats and umbrellas stand in perfect order by the door of the Reform Club, and a French valet moves among them with astonishing speed. Everything here is packed, ready, and precisely in its place.

The Reading Room

Leather armchairs and ticking clocks, and a great map of the world on the wall with a red line drawn clean around it. A gentleman in an armchair is checking his watch against the club clock.

Pall Mall

The broad street of clubs and newspapers, where the lamplighters are prompt and the newsboys run with the evening editions. A detective is reading yesterday's paper very carefully indeed.

Sample questions

Here is the kind of thinking Around the World in Eighty Days asks for — drawn from the actual quiz:

  1. Phileas Fogg is a wealthy English gentleman who lives by a strict routine.

    His days at the Reform Club follow an exact schedule until the wager changes everything.

  2. What is Phileas Fogg's French valet called?

    Passepartout joins Fogg expecting a quiet job and finds himself racing around the world.

  3. Detective Fix suspects Fogg of robbing which bank?

    Fix believes Fogg matches the description of the thief who robbed the Bank of England.

Words to know

wager
An agreement to risk money on the outcome of an event or race.
valet
A personal servant who takes care of a man's clothes and other daily needs.
itinerary
A planned route or journey, including the places you will visit.
punctual
Being on time; not late.
detective
A person, especially a police officer, whose job is to solve crimes.
steamer
A ship powered by steam engines.
consulate
The office of a government official who lives in a foreign city to help citizens of their own country.
bet
To risk money or something valuable on the result of a game or event.

Talk about it

  1. Why do you think Phileas Fogg accepts the wager to travel around the world in eighty days? What does this tell you about his character?

  2. How does Passepartout's personality differ from Fogg's, and how do these differences help them on their journey?

  3. Detective Fix believes Fogg is a criminal. Do you think Fix's actions are fair? Why or why not?

  4. What are some of the biggest challenges Fogg and Passepartout face, and how do they overcome them?

  5. If you could travel around the world in eighty days, which places from the book would you most want to visit and why?

  6. What does the story teach us about the importance of time and punctuality? Do you think being too punctual can ever be a bad thing?

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