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Pocahontas : Princess of the New World
She was the favored daughter of the Chief of the Powhatan Indians, and a girl in motion; always laughing, teasing, and dancing. But from the moment John Smith and the colonists of Jamestown set foot into her world in 1607, her life would change forever. She soon became an ambassador and peace keeper between the Powhatan and the colonists. Because of her curiosity and courage, Pocahontas became the bridge between the two worlds.
Four hundred years after this world-changing clash of cultures, the true story about America's original "Founding Mother" is finally revealed. Reunited for the first time since Wilma Unlimited, Kathleen Krull and David Diaz deliver a visually stunning, fascinating birth-to-death account of this true American Princess.
Four hundred years after this world-changing clash of cultures, the true story about America's original "Founding Mother" is finally revealed. Reunited for the first time since Wilma Unlimited, Kathleen Krull and David Diaz deliver a visually stunning, fascinating birth-to-death account of this true American Princess.
40 pages, Library Binding
First published March 20, 2007
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
February 7, 2023
Look, I really don't think a picture book for children is where we need references to heads being put on poles 🙄 Goodnight no wonder kids are so weird today
April 25, 2011
A "Storyteller's Note" discusses the paucity of known facts about Pocahontas and what happened to her after the alleged incident with John Smith. A Powhatan Renape Nation website, www.powhatan.org, gives their version of the story.
David Diaz, illustrator of the Caldecott Award-winning _Smoky Night_, is known for his innovative illustrations, and the pictures in this book are not exceptions. The illustrations were created by "cutting shapes with an X-acto knife onto Rubylith. The shapes were then scanned, arranged, and colored using Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop." However, to me the colorful pictures look more South American than Native American.
Source notes include both books and a website for young readers as well as adult sources, print and online. The sources include: Hoose, Phillip. _We Were There Too!: Young People in U.S. History. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2001. Fritz, Jean. _The Double Life of Pocahontas. Putnam, 1983. Price, David A. _Love and Hate in Jamestown: John Smith, Pocahontas, and the Heart of a New Nation._ Knopf, 2003. Other books on the subject include: Brimmner, Larry Dane. _Pocahontas: Bridging Two Worlds._ Marshall Cavendish, 2009. King, David C. _The Powhatan_. Marshall Cavendish, 2008. Lange, Karen E. _1607: A New Look at Jamestown_. National Geographic, 2007.
David Diaz, illustrator of the Caldecott Award-winning _Smoky Night_, is known for his innovative illustrations, and the pictures in this book are not exceptions. The illustrations were created by "cutting shapes with an X-acto knife onto Rubylith. The shapes were then scanned, arranged, and colored using Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop." However, to me the colorful pictures look more South American than Native American.
Source notes include both books and a website for young readers as well as adult sources, print and online. The sources include: Hoose, Phillip. _We Were There Too!: Young People in U.S. History. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2001. Fritz, Jean. _The Double Life of Pocahontas. Putnam, 1983. Price, David A. _Love and Hate in Jamestown: John Smith, Pocahontas, and the Heart of a New Nation._ Knopf, 2003. Other books on the subject include: Brimmner, Larry Dane. _Pocahontas: Bridging Two Worlds._ Marshall Cavendish, 2009. King, David C. _The Powhatan_. Marshall Cavendish, 2008. Lange, Karen E. _1607: A New Look at Jamestown_. National Geographic, 2007.
November 23, 2019
Pocahontas: Princess of the New World is a children's picture book written by Kathleen Krull and illustrated by David Díaz. It is a semi-biographical picture book of Pocahontas and her detrimental encounter with the Europeans.
November, at least in my part of the world is Native American Heritage Month, which I plan to read one children's book, preferably a biography, which pertains to the subject everyday this month. Therefore, I thought that this book would be apropos for today.
Pocahontas was a Native American woman notable for her association with the colonial settlement at Jamestown, Virginia. She was the daughter of Powhatan, the paramount chief of a network of tributary tribes in the Tsenacommacah, encompassing the Tidewater region of Virginia.
Krull's text is rather simplistic, straightforward, and informative. With speculations based on her research, Krull personalizes the girl who found herself at the crossroads of two cultures. A cursory biography and epilogue could be found in the backmatter. Diaz's computer-colorized lithographs glow with vibrant yellow, green and purple hues. Each brown and tan character cut-out emanates a shimmering yellow aura, and faces are always in profile.
The premise of the book is rather straightforward. Extrapolating from the English sources that are the only documentary accounts of Pocahontas's life, Krull imagines her subject as a spirited, willful child, very conscious of her status as daughter of Chief Powhatan, and curious enough to engage with the new arrivals at Jamestown. The narrative economically continues the intertwined stories of Pocahontas's maturation and the travails of the white settlers, depicting a woman forced by circumstance into the role she played but nevertheless accepting it with grace and intelligence.
All in all, Pocahontas: Princess of the New World is a cursory biography, albeit speculative of a historical figure in Pocahontas.
November, at least in my part of the world is Native American Heritage Month, which I plan to read one children's book, preferably a biography, which pertains to the subject everyday this month. Therefore, I thought that this book would be apropos for today.
Pocahontas was a Native American woman notable for her association with the colonial settlement at Jamestown, Virginia. She was the daughter of Powhatan, the paramount chief of a network of tributary tribes in the Tsenacommacah, encompassing the Tidewater region of Virginia.
Krull's text is rather simplistic, straightforward, and informative. With speculations based on her research, Krull personalizes the girl who found herself at the crossroads of two cultures. A cursory biography and epilogue could be found in the backmatter. Diaz's computer-colorized lithographs glow with vibrant yellow, green and purple hues. Each brown and tan character cut-out emanates a shimmering yellow aura, and faces are always in profile.
The premise of the book is rather straightforward. Extrapolating from the English sources that are the only documentary accounts of Pocahontas's life, Krull imagines her subject as a spirited, willful child, very conscious of her status as daughter of Chief Powhatan, and curious enough to engage with the new arrivals at Jamestown. The narrative economically continues the intertwined stories of Pocahontas's maturation and the travails of the white settlers, depicting a woman forced by circumstance into the role she played but nevertheless accepting it with grace and intelligence.
All in all, Pocahontas: Princess of the New World is a cursory biography, albeit speculative of a historical figure in Pocahontas.
November 26, 2021
Krull is careful in the telling of Pocahontas’s life, noting all we know of her is from English sources. Love the illustrations, so full of life and color. When I was young I read all I could about Pocahontas.
January 24, 2018
A beautiful and picturesque account of Pocahontas' life story.
March 14, 2018
Pretty pictures. Kind of really ignorant and problematic.
August 20, 2023
Great book! I learned some new things. Once again the David Diaz illustrations are amazing.
June 25, 2026
Great story love Pocahontas
November 3, 2020
Average historical picture book. This is not my style of illustration (the people have no ears!), but it was what my library had and it was a fairly quick read. Next time I would read Jean Fritz and the D'Aulaires instead.
October 1, 2013
Stephanie Rice- READ 6252
Informational Picture Book
Book Title: Pocahontas: Princess Of The New World
Author: Kathleen Krull
Short Description of the Book: Pocahontas: Princess Of The New World explores the life and struggles of Pocahontas, the daughter of the fiercest Indian warriors in eastern Virginia. The book discusses the daily life of Pocahontas and how her and the rest of the Powhatan tribe handled issues such as women’s rights, food distribution and traditions. One sunny May afternoon three European ships made landfall and changed the life of the Powhatan tribe forever. The men on the ships were in search of gold, god and glory; they sailed for King James I and were intent on finding a lucrative and speedy route to China. Pocahontas falls in love with an English man named John Rolfe and she begins to assist the English in their quest for survival in the “new world”. Pocahontas served as a bridge between the European world and the complex customs and traditions of the Native population. Pocahontas traveled to England with John Rolfe and was impressed by the immense buildings and cities that Europe had to offer. After a short time in Europe, however, Pocahontas died of a fatal lung infection.
Historical Focus: The story focuses on the life of Pocahontas, one of the most well known Indian princesses. English settlers recorded Pocahontas’s story and many sources believe that the facts of her assimilation into English culture may have been vastly skewed. The book is a great example of both the negative and positive consequences of the age of exploration.
Focus:
1.) Narrative Stricture: The story begins when Pocahontas is an eleven year old child enjoying the splendors of living a carefree life in the lush Chesapeake Bay area. The structure of the book and the descriptive phrases that the author uses to describe events and people throughout the story highlight the fact that life for Native Americans was not bettered by the arrival of the English settlers. For example when describing life prior to the English arrival Krull says, “Perhaps she helped to make pottery, stitch beadwork, or weave baskets. Or perhaps she just cartwheeled and joked her way out of chores”. After the arrival of the English colonists, however, Pocahontas’s life changed dramatically, “The English coaxed her into wearing tight dresses and shoes. They showed her how to stop sprinting and take smaller more feminine steps”.
2.) Historical Significance: Due to the production of the Walt Disney version of Pocahontas, the story of the young Powhatan princess is extremely well known throughout the world. The story told in the movie, however is extremely optimistic and makes viewers think that the age of exploration has an overall positive impact on the lives of both Native Americans as well as the European colonists. When teaching about the impact of exploration I would show the movie Pocahontas, have students read the biography by Krull and than have them research primary source accounts of what impact the age of exploration had on the lives of Native Americans. Students will be asked to read accounts about the practices of men like Christopher Columbus, Cortes and Pizzaro.
TEACH: CCSS Connection- ELA- Literacy. RH.9-1- Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources, attending to such features as the date and origin of the information.
Informational Picture Book
Book Title: Pocahontas: Princess Of The New World
Author: Kathleen Krull
Short Description of the Book: Pocahontas: Princess Of The New World explores the life and struggles of Pocahontas, the daughter of the fiercest Indian warriors in eastern Virginia. The book discusses the daily life of Pocahontas and how her and the rest of the Powhatan tribe handled issues such as women’s rights, food distribution and traditions. One sunny May afternoon three European ships made landfall and changed the life of the Powhatan tribe forever. The men on the ships were in search of gold, god and glory; they sailed for King James I and were intent on finding a lucrative and speedy route to China. Pocahontas falls in love with an English man named John Rolfe and she begins to assist the English in their quest for survival in the “new world”. Pocahontas served as a bridge between the European world and the complex customs and traditions of the Native population. Pocahontas traveled to England with John Rolfe and was impressed by the immense buildings and cities that Europe had to offer. After a short time in Europe, however, Pocahontas died of a fatal lung infection.
Historical Focus: The story focuses on the life of Pocahontas, one of the most well known Indian princesses. English settlers recorded Pocahontas’s story and many sources believe that the facts of her assimilation into English culture may have been vastly skewed. The book is a great example of both the negative and positive consequences of the age of exploration.
Focus:
1.) Narrative Stricture: The story begins when Pocahontas is an eleven year old child enjoying the splendors of living a carefree life in the lush Chesapeake Bay area. The structure of the book and the descriptive phrases that the author uses to describe events and people throughout the story highlight the fact that life for Native Americans was not bettered by the arrival of the English settlers. For example when describing life prior to the English arrival Krull says, “Perhaps she helped to make pottery, stitch beadwork, or weave baskets. Or perhaps she just cartwheeled and joked her way out of chores”. After the arrival of the English colonists, however, Pocahontas’s life changed dramatically, “The English coaxed her into wearing tight dresses and shoes. They showed her how to stop sprinting and take smaller more feminine steps”.
2.) Historical Significance: Due to the production of the Walt Disney version of Pocahontas, the story of the young Powhatan princess is extremely well known throughout the world. The story told in the movie, however is extremely optimistic and makes viewers think that the age of exploration has an overall positive impact on the lives of both Native Americans as well as the European colonists. When teaching about the impact of exploration I would show the movie Pocahontas, have students read the biography by Krull and than have them research primary source accounts of what impact the age of exploration had on the lives of Native Americans. Students will be asked to read accounts about the practices of men like Christopher Columbus, Cortes and Pizzaro.
TEACH: CCSS Connection- ELA- Literacy. RH.9-1- Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources, attending to such features as the date and origin of the information.
April 11, 2016
Pocahontas was no ordinary princess in the native american region: she was not only strong, but she also went against her father's will in killing a man. The story of Pocahontas is not like the way Disney portrays them; the story of Pocahontas is about a native american girl who was curious about a different world, in this case the world of the English. A the chief's daughter, she had to uphold certain standards, but as a woman, she also had to uphold other standards. She had to hunt for food, make clothing for the winter and other things that woman in today's time don't do with too much intensity. This story is a biography of Pocahontas that teaches kids about a woman in the native american culture.
I loved to see the colors and the drawings that fill an entire page because the bright, but not too bright that it overpowered the readers focus on just the illustrations, illustrations and content put in a neutral background were balanced together very well. Due to the long content, I would say that this novel is good for 2nd graders up to 6th graders because of what they'll learn, but also because it could also help kids advance in their literacy.
I loved to see the colors and the drawings that fill an entire page because the bright, but not too bright that it overpowered the readers focus on just the illustrations, illustrations and content put in a neutral background were balanced together very well. Due to the long content, I would say that this novel is good for 2nd graders up to 6th graders because of what they'll learn, but also because it could also help kids advance in their literacy.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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February 13, 2017AR
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 11, 2016
This story is a autobiogrpahy about Pocahontas. It begins from her youth as carefree Native American princess to her adulthood, changing her name to Rebecca after baptism, having a family, and up to her death.
The illustrator used vibrant colors to show the Native Americans and settlers. The colors filled the entire page. The text was in paragraph forms, and were placed either on top or on the bottom of the page to give the artwork the main focus.
I liked that this book did not vilify Native Americans like in many history books that I have read in the past and tried to do them justice by explaining why the felt skeptical of the new settlers. Overall, this is a great informational book about the life of Pocahontas. This explains her life in simpler words to readers. But, I felt that it had too much text which is why I took off 1 star. Overall, I think this a great book for children around 4-5th grade to read because it gives the story of Pocahontas truth.
The illustrator used vibrant colors to show the Native Americans and settlers. The colors filled the entire page. The text was in paragraph forms, and were placed either on top or on the bottom of the page to give the artwork the main focus.
I liked that this book did not vilify Native Americans like in many history books that I have read in the past and tried to do them justice by explaining why the felt skeptical of the new settlers. Overall, this is a great informational book about the life of Pocahontas. This explains her life in simpler words to readers. But, I felt that it had too much text which is why I took off 1 star. Overall, I think this a great book for children around 4-5th grade to read because it gives the story of Pocahontas truth.
April 11, 2016
This is a story about the story of Pocahontas. She is the beloved daughter of Chief of the Powhatan Indians. Pocahontas is a very happy and joyful person. However her world is turned upside down when John Smith and the colonists of Jamestown step into her world. Later she became the peace makers between her own people and the colonists. This would be thanks to John Rolf and John Smith.
This book is appropriate for second to fourth graders. It can help tell the true story about Pocahontas to young reader rather than the Disney version. The wording though out the story does not get in the way of any illustrations. The words are on one page while the illustration is on the other. The colors within the book are very broad. The pictures look like they were painted. This book is non-fiction since it does tell a true story as to what happened to Pocahontas. The character is a dynamic character since the was a child in the beginning and was forced to grow up through out the story.
This book is appropriate for second to fourth graders. It can help tell the true story about Pocahontas to young reader rather than the Disney version. The wording though out the story does not get in the way of any illustrations. The words are on one page while the illustration is on the other. The colors within the book are very broad. The pictures look like they were painted. This book is non-fiction since it does tell a true story as to what happened to Pocahontas. The character is a dynamic character since the was a child in the beginning and was forced to grow up through out the story.
March 22, 2011
The appendix included in this book describes that the limited factual information was provided by very few sources and therefore, details about the motivations of the native tribesmen are written as imagined. The story describes Pocohantas' place in her tribe as the carefree daughter of a powerful chief. It tells how she was curious about and befriended the English settlers who landed in the place they named Jamestown. Her close friendship with one of the settlers commanders, John Smith, became necessary to the settlers' survival. The book follows her life as she is kidnapped by the settlers, falls in love and marries one of her captors, moves to England where she is treated like a celebrity, and eventually dies from illness at a young age. The illustrations are bright and colorful and depicted with a native American print feel.
October 26, 2011
This is the story of Pocahontas, the Powhatan Indian who brought peace for a short time) between the English and Powhatan Indians in the 1600’s.
The book presents the true story of Pocahontas, and is careful to point out that the story that is presented in the Disney movie is not quite accurate. The book provides a clear depiction of the hardships that the early English settlers faced, including mentioning that they were forced to eat each other during a particularly hard winter when they were starving. The book has a complete list of references in the back, for further non-fiction reading on this topic. The book has unique illustrations.
The book presents the true story of Pocahontas, and is careful to point out that the story that is presented in the Disney movie is not quite accurate. The book provides a clear depiction of the hardships that the early English settlers faced, including mentioning that they were forced to eat each other during a particularly hard winter when they were starving. The book has a complete list of references in the back, for further non-fiction reading on this topic. The book has unique illustrations.
May 1, 2014
In her “Storyteller’s Note,” Krull explains that history has left us with no first hand accounts of Pocahontas’s life. All we have is what has been told about her. Trying to bring the ancient princess to life, Krull takes a novel approach, imbuing Pocahontas with a modern-day, light-hearted, Fancy Nancy, slightly spoiled picture book interpretation of princess: “Pocahontas was quite the royal princess” (3). While this angle brings a historical figure to light in a way that many young girls will find relatable and entertaining, the perspective as such doesn’t seem to do justice to Pocahontas as she truly was – brave, adventurous, daring.
February 3, 2011
This is another book telling the story of Pocahontas, but it is for younger readers. It tells the basic story of Pocahontas along with very nice illustrations.
I think this is good book to get kids interested in Pocahontas. It doesn't give all the details known of her life, but it's a nice book for kids to get them interested in her.
A great book about Pocahontas for a bit older readers is The Double Life of Pocahontas by Jean Fritz. That book is wonderful and I recommend that book to anyone interested in the life of Pocahontas. I recommend this one, too. It was a nice read.
I think this is good book to get kids interested in Pocahontas. It doesn't give all the details known of her life, but it's a nice book for kids to get them interested in her.
A great book about Pocahontas for a bit older readers is The Double Life of Pocahontas by Jean Fritz. That book is wonderful and I recommend that book to anyone interested in the life of Pocahontas. I recommend this one, too. It was a nice read.
November 1, 2009
I read this book to my class this week. We are in our Jamestown Settlement phase of Virginia Studies. And there are some great pictures books out there to teach this subject matter. Who needs a poorly written and confusing textbook when you have all of these riches?!?!?! This book is so beautifully illustrated. I love that it tales the Jamestown story from a non-white English male perspective. The book gives a nice snapshot of the story of Pocahontas. My kids have really enjoyed it.
August 4, 2014
This book tells the true, non Disney version of Pocahontas. It is lengthy and provides great depth into the relationship between Pocahontas and the English who land near her home. Though this book is more truthful than Disney, it still makes the story appropriate for kids. The illustrations are beautifully created and the text is surrounded by unique boarders. This book would be useful as an informational text in older grades.
December 2, 2018
This story told the truth about Pocahontas's life. I think it would be so much fun to do a comparison with the Disney movie! I was fascinated by the true story of Pocahontas and I could not believe that she had a son who also got sick. I can't imagine being as brave as her to go to a whole new land. That would be a very scary adventure.
Genre: Biography
Grades: 1-5
Genre: Biography
Grades: 1-5
February 3, 2011
I appreciate the work of Kathleen Krull and the illustrations of David Diaz. Krull attempts to tell the story of Pocahontas despite only really having information from the perspective of the British.
January 15, 2011
Very well written but we're not especially fond of the illustrations. Definitely the best book about Pocahontas we've tried yet.
November 16, 2011
incredible art!
February 21, 2016
A story about a Native American princess who becomes friends with her tribes enemy.
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March 3, 2016THE best Pocahontas book we've read! I especially appreciated how the book explains the historical sources! Quite unique. My girls loved it!
August 12, 2016
Illustrations are great, story, while interesting, not my favorite.
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November 17, 2011Compare to Disney version and discuss why Disney may have changed the story.
July 22, 2017
This narrative non-fiction tells the story of the beloved Pocahontas from her young teenage years until her death at 22 years old. While the book centers around Pocahontas, her adventures, and sacrifices the reader is also introduced to some historical figures such as Chief Powahtan, John Rolfe, John Smith as well as lesser known figures like Captain Argall who kidnapped Pocahontas at 17. The beautiful colorful illustrations in the story bring to life the well-lived life of an American Pricess.
August 20, 2017
Pocahontas: Princess of the New World by Kathleen Krull is a children's biography about the life of Pocahontas. I feel like this book's best Audience would be around 2nd-6th graders.
This book is very interesting because it is about the real life of Pocahontas, as opposed to the disney movie we all know and love. This story is a more historical account of her life from the time the colonist came to their land all the way through her being kidnapped by the english. Pocahontas is a hero and helped us make peace with the Powhatan tribe. Without her the english colonist may have never survived. I think this book had very interesting illustrations. They were very artistic and true to the nature of the native American culture. This book would be a good history lesson for students and I would use it as a teacher. I think it helps us learn the true story, I learned a lot of new facts just reading it myself!
This book is very interesting because it is about the real life of Pocahontas, as opposed to the disney movie we all know and love. This story is a more historical account of her life from the time the colonist came to their land all the way through her being kidnapped by the english. Pocahontas is a hero and helped us make peace with the Powhatan tribe. Without her the english colonist may have never survived. I think this book had very interesting illustrations. They were very artistic and true to the nature of the native American culture. This book would be a good history lesson for students and I would use it as a teacher. I think it helps us learn the true story, I learned a lot of new facts just reading it myself!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews