If you're planning a trip to Ireland with the kids, an invaluable resource is the newly revised and updated "Ireland for Kids" by Derek Mackenzie-Hook.

The book is a fine travel guide even for adults, but is one of the few such books to offer a special focus on activities, restaurants, sites and tours which will especially please the little ones, whatever their ages.

Well organized and accessible, the book is broken down by county, and offers phone numbers for, and directions to, places to visit, eat and stay.

There are also brief but informative introductions on each county, which provide a snapshot not only of tourist information, but history, geography and more.

"Westmeath nestles in the heart of Ireland and offers a wide range of rural pursuits for the outdoor enthusiast," we are told, and later learn, "Every Westmeath lake has a myth or legend associated with it, guaranteed to capture children's imagination."

Maybe it would be nice if the author actually could back up that guarantee, since adults who have traveled with kids know that difficulties will arise.

Still, having this book in the backpack before you head off to Ireland is a good way to ensure that the Rocky Road to Dublin - or Tyrone, or Donegal - is as smooth as possible.

($16.95 / 372 pages

/ Mainstream Publishing

)