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Looking for Marco Polo
Newbery Honor–winning author Alan Armstrong’s latest book!
Eleven-year-old Mark's anthropologist father has disappeared in the Gobi desert while tracing Marco Polo’s ancient route from Venice to China. His mother decides they must go to Venice to petition the agency that sent Mark’s father to send out a search party. Anxious about his father and upset about spending Christmas away from home, Mark gets a bad asthma attack in the middle of the night. That’s when Doc Hornaday, an old friend of Mark’s father, makes a house call, along with a massive black Tibetan mastiff called Boss. To distract Mark from his wheezing and to pass the long Venetian night, the Doc starts to spin for Mark the tale of Marco Polo. Doc describes Marco’s travels and the boy finds himself falling under the spell of the story that has transfixed the world for centuries. Marco’s journey bolsters Mark’s courage and whets his appetite for risk and adventure, and for exposure to life in all its immense and fascinating variety.
Eleven-year-old Mark's anthropologist father has disappeared in the Gobi desert while tracing Marco Polo’s ancient route from Venice to China. His mother decides they must go to Venice to petition the agency that sent Mark’s father to send out a search party. Anxious about his father and upset about spending Christmas away from home, Mark gets a bad asthma attack in the middle of the night. That’s when Doc Hornaday, an old friend of Mark’s father, makes a house call, along with a massive black Tibetan mastiff called Boss. To distract Mark from his wheezing and to pass the long Venetian night, the Doc starts to spin for Mark the tale of Marco Polo. Doc describes Marco’s travels and the boy finds himself falling under the spell of the story that has transfixed the world for centuries. Marco’s journey bolsters Mark’s courage and whets his appetite for risk and adventure, and for exposure to life in all its immense and fascinating variety.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2009
About the author
Alan Armstrong
56 books24 followersAlan Armstrong started volunteering in a friend's bookshop when he was eight. At 14, he was selling books at Brentano's. As an adult, every so often, he takes to the road in a VW bus named Zora to peddle used books. He is the editor of Forget Not Mee & My Garden, a collection of the letters of Peter Collinson, the 18th-century mercer and amateur botanist. He lives with his wife, Martha, a painter, in Massachusetts.
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
June 6, 2017
It was interesting reading, brought history to life.
October 25, 2010
I wanted to like this book, but it just went on and on. Mark's father is a scholar hoping to follow the path that Marco Polo traveled on the Silk Road. If Mark had tagged along, this might have been a good book. Instead, Mark's dad is lost and he travels to Venice with his Mom during Christmas week to see if they can pick up his dad's trail. In the meantime, a doctor (with a talking dog!--this was completely forced) show up to treat Mark's asthma. The doctor turns out to know Mark's dad and spends day after day telling incredibly detailed stories about Marco Polo--sort of like someone reading a social studies text book to you. I think the idea for this book held some promise, and anyone REALLY interested in Marco Polo may find it interesting, but it seemed like a missed opportunity to me.
October 17, 2009
I have mixed feelings about this book. I like the concept well enough, but the execution is a bit dry. It was interesting to learn all of the history surrounding Marco Polo and Venice of that time period, but there wasn’t much of a plot to move the story along. I need a little more than a story about a boy, Mark, who doesn’t want to be in Venice during Christmas and misses his dad, reluctantly roaming the city to find out more history on Marco Polo. It was certainly a nice history lesson, but as a story overall, it’s hard to get through.
-Lindsey Miller, www.lindseyslibrary.com
-Lindsey Miller, www.lindseyslibrary.com
January 19, 2010
Boring! Fell into the typical problem that lots of historical fiction novels for kids do: boring, dry rhetoric about historical figures.
July 18, 2010
For me this read like a history lesson masquerading as a children's book. Lots of historical detail that bogged the pacing down. Also the fantasy elements did not work for me--seemed really forced.
December 7, 2021
A very good book.
Good characters and good story. Two stories, actually, interwoven.
This book is written for kids - maybe middle school age or even a little younger.
The book is set in Venice, and gives us a great feeling of what it is like to be in Venice.
Also, the "second" story is about Marco Polo, and that story is amazing.
I enjoyed this book.
Good characters and good story. Two stories, actually, interwoven.
This book is written for kids - maybe middle school age or even a little younger.
The book is set in Venice, and gives us a great feeling of what it is like to be in Venice.
Also, the "second" story is about Marco Polo, and that story is amazing.
I enjoyed this book.
December 12, 2023
Historical fiction and customs mixed with contemporary mores. Several stories within stories. Got confusing at times.
A boy is looking for his father who went to follow Marco Polo's route. There is a talking dog (who had an ancestor who was with Marco Polo) who assists in the telling of Marco's story.
A boy is looking for his father who went to follow Marco Polo's route. There is a talking dog (who had an ancestor who was with Marco Polo) who assists in the telling of Marco's story.
June 23, 2020
Currently reading for our family summer reading program. Mom's pick...krb 6/22/20
Jacob said it was ok but not a keeper or read again book...krb 6/22/20
Jacob said it was ok but not a keeper or read again book...krb 6/22/20
September 21, 2018
Mark Hearn’s father is a teacher of anthropology and about to embark on a trip to the Gobi Desert. Like Marco Polo, he wishes to meet and live with the desert people. Before leaving, he gives Mark a worn copy of The Travels of Marco Polo and says that he will be following the same route as the famous explorer. Mark receives frequent letters from his father, but when correspondence suddenly stops, he boards a plane to Venice with his mother in search of answers. Mark’s old paperback suddenly becomes a map, holding clues to his father’s possible whereabouts.
After Mark and his mother arrive in Venice, you can divide this book into two sections. The first we can call “Sightseeing in Venice” as the reader is provided several famous Venetian landmarks, as well as a few notable Polo sites (his former residence and the church he visited on feast days). The second half focuses on Polo’s time in China and could be called “My Many Conversations with Kublai Khan”. Here, the story drags a bit as Polo describes to Khan his multi-year journey. It also chronicles Polo’s travels throughout the Mongol Empire.
Armstrong describes his book as a work of fiction stating, “The spine of travel is somewhat as Marco described it, as are the ribs of the larger adventures. The rest is imagined, but possible…”. Although many parts of the book are indeed overly dramatized and romanticized, the main points are factual: Polo did travel through much of Asia with his father and uncle where they met Kublai Khan; Polo was imprisoned and dictated his story to a cellmate named Rustichello de Pisa; and Polo’s book did serve as inspiration to many later explorers, including Christopher Columbus.
If you mention Marco Polo to your child and the first thing that comes to mind is a pool game, then Armstrong's book would be a good introduction to the man. Perhaps it might even inspire your young reader to find out more about this famous merchant, trader, and explorer. In the meantime…Marco! Polo!
After Mark and his mother arrive in Venice, you can divide this book into two sections. The first we can call “Sightseeing in Venice” as the reader is provided several famous Venetian landmarks, as well as a few notable Polo sites (his former residence and the church he visited on feast days). The second half focuses on Polo’s time in China and could be called “My Many Conversations with Kublai Khan”. Here, the story drags a bit as Polo describes to Khan his multi-year journey. It also chronicles Polo’s travels throughout the Mongol Empire.
Armstrong describes his book as a work of fiction stating, “The spine of travel is somewhat as Marco described it, as are the ribs of the larger adventures. The rest is imagined, but possible…”. Although many parts of the book are indeed overly dramatized and romanticized, the main points are factual: Polo did travel through much of Asia with his father and uncle where they met Kublai Khan; Polo was imprisoned and dictated his story to a cellmate named Rustichello de Pisa; and Polo’s book did serve as inspiration to many later explorers, including Christopher Columbus.
If you mention Marco Polo to your child and the first thing that comes to mind is a pool game, then Armstrong's book would be a good introduction to the man. Perhaps it might even inspire your young reader to find out more about this famous merchant, trader, and explorer. In the meantime…Marco! Polo!
November 13, 2015
Looking for Marco Polo is a misture of two stories into one book. The first story is about Mark and his mother and their stay in Venice while the agency that send Mark's father out into the Gobi Desert looks for him. The second story is one told be Doctor Hornaday about that twenty-four year journey from Venice to China and back that Marco Polo took in the years 1271 to 1295.
I quite enjoyed the story about Mark and his mother in Venice, Italy. It must be tough for an eleven year old boy to not know if his father is still alive and well out somewhere in the Gobi Desert, with no way to contact them. I found it interesting looking a Venice though the eyes of a young boy who really doesn't want to be there.
As for the second story, the one about Marco Polo, I also was entertained by this story. From looking at the Author's Note and the large Bibliography in the back of the book, I can tell that Alan Armstrong really did a lot of research to bring the story of Marco Polo to life for young readers. The story of Marco Polo is told in a way that will keep kids interested, although I would have preferred more dialog as opposed to all of the descriptive story-telling in this part of the story.
I knew nothing about Marco Polo before I read this book, except for the game we used to play in the pool when the person was it and had to close their eyes and call out "Marco" while everyone else returned "Polo" and tried to avoid getting tagged. Now, knowing more about Marco Polo, I find it amazing that schools don't teach children about this great man and his adventures in China. I am glad that I read this book and now know more about this important historical figure.
The one problem I had with the story is when Mark was still lying sick in bed and Boss comes into his room and lays on Mark's bed. The dog starts talking to Mark about how he is descended from the dog that Marco Polo had during his journey to the Far East. A group of five rats, lead by a rat names Count Leonardo, also talk to Mark and sit down to listen to Boss' story. These few chapters with a talking dog and talking rats really threw me for a loop. I'm not sure if Mark dreamed this because of being sick and on medicine that Doctor Hornaday gave him or if the animals could actually talk and think like humans do. This kind of ruined the story for me as it seems to be out of context with the rest of the book. In my mind, all of the adventures of Marco Polo should have been told to Mark by Doctor Hornaday, who was obviously an expert on the famous man.
Overall, Looking for Marco Polo is a good story that could have been great if the author had decided not to let animals talk. Doing this turned the book from a Realistic / Historical Fiction book into a Fantasy book for those few chapters, which was inconsistent with the rest of the tale. Still, even with those few chapters, I think young readers will enjoy the story and learn something at the same time.
I rated this book a 7½ out of 10.
I quite enjoyed the story about Mark and his mother in Venice, Italy. It must be tough for an eleven year old boy to not know if his father is still alive and well out somewhere in the Gobi Desert, with no way to contact them. I found it interesting looking a Venice though the eyes of a young boy who really doesn't want to be there.
As for the second story, the one about Marco Polo, I also was entertained by this story. From looking at the Author's Note and the large Bibliography in the back of the book, I can tell that Alan Armstrong really did a lot of research to bring the story of Marco Polo to life for young readers. The story of Marco Polo is told in a way that will keep kids interested, although I would have preferred more dialog as opposed to all of the descriptive story-telling in this part of the story.
I knew nothing about Marco Polo before I read this book, except for the game we used to play in the pool when the person was it and had to close their eyes and call out "Marco" while everyone else returned "Polo" and tried to avoid getting tagged. Now, knowing more about Marco Polo, I find it amazing that schools don't teach children about this great man and his adventures in China. I am glad that I read this book and now know more about this important historical figure.
The one problem I had with the story is when Mark was still lying sick in bed and Boss comes into his room and lays on Mark's bed. The dog starts talking to Mark about how he is descended from the dog that Marco Polo had during his journey to the Far East. A group of five rats, lead by a rat names Count Leonardo, also talk to Mark and sit down to listen to Boss' story. These few chapters with a talking dog and talking rats really threw me for a loop. I'm not sure if Mark dreamed this because of being sick and on medicine that Doctor Hornaday gave him or if the animals could actually talk and think like humans do. This kind of ruined the story for me as it seems to be out of context with the rest of the book. In my mind, all of the adventures of Marco Polo should have been told to Mark by Doctor Hornaday, who was obviously an expert on the famous man.
Overall, Looking for Marco Polo is a good story that could have been great if the author had decided not to let animals talk. Doing this turned the book from a Realistic / Historical Fiction book into a Fantasy book for those few chapters, which was inconsistent with the rest of the tale. Still, even with those few chapters, I think young readers will enjoy the story and learn something at the same time.
I rated this book a 7½ out of 10.
March 16, 2011
My 7-year-old son really enjoyed this book. He loves stories of adventure and action and this had enough to ignite his imagination and growing passion for history. The action, however, doesn't occur with the characters who physically appear in the book.
Mark and his mother travel from the United States to Venice, Italy to search for clues of their father who's gone missing somewhere along the Silk Road. Mark's father's work took him to some of the same locations that Marco Polo traveled and so while Mark and his mother seek for clues, we are taken on a parallel journey of Mark's father and Marco Polo.
Marco's story is told through eyes of a couple of characters Mark meets during his time in Venice. The first is a doctor and former friend of his father's. The other is the doctor's pet...a big black shaggy dog, just like the Marco had during parts of his travels. Through the stories of these two characters, Mark and the reader are tugged along the broad and widespread tales of Marco Polo - from his beginnings in Venice, though his travels along the Silk Road, and during his time with Kublai Khan in what is now China.
The exposure of Marco Polo and Venice through this story is terrific. My son enjoyed the description of the city and every part of Marco Polo's travels including his return home and his departure. While "Looking for Marco Polo" has some nice illustrations, they certainly don't do the scope and scale of the story justice and I've supplemented the readings with pictures of my own from a recent trip to Italy.
Mark's friends' descriptions of Marco's adventures combine the "facts" around Marco's book, but also includes numerous embellishments and fiction in which the friends 'imagine' what have happened that fill the gaps between stories. As an adult I've found this a little awkward and find myself clarifying to my son what's real and what's not.
For myself, I think of this book as 3 stars. Because my son has enjoyed it so much, I have to bump up the rating considering he's more of the target demographic.
Mark and his mother travel from the United States to Venice, Italy to search for clues of their father who's gone missing somewhere along the Silk Road. Mark's father's work took him to some of the same locations that Marco Polo traveled and so while Mark and his mother seek for clues, we are taken on a parallel journey of Mark's father and Marco Polo.
Marco's story is told through eyes of a couple of characters Mark meets during his time in Venice. The first is a doctor and former friend of his father's. The other is the doctor's pet...a big black shaggy dog, just like the Marco had during parts of his travels. Through the stories of these two characters, Mark and the reader are tugged along the broad and widespread tales of Marco Polo - from his beginnings in Venice, though his travels along the Silk Road, and during his time with Kublai Khan in what is now China.
The exposure of Marco Polo and Venice through this story is terrific. My son enjoyed the description of the city and every part of Marco Polo's travels including his return home and his departure. While "Looking for Marco Polo" has some nice illustrations, they certainly don't do the scope and scale of the story justice and I've supplemented the readings with pictures of my own from a recent trip to Italy.
Mark's friends' descriptions of Marco's adventures combine the "facts" around Marco's book, but also includes numerous embellishments and fiction in which the friends 'imagine' what have happened that fill the gaps between stories. As an adult I've found this a little awkward and find myself clarifying to my son what's real and what's not.
For myself, I think of this book as 3 stars. Because my son has enjoyed it so much, I have to bump up the rating considering he's more of the target demographic.
April 5, 2016
Mark's father is going to the Gobi desert to follow the route of Marco Polo. when he disappears, his mom & Mark go to Venice to try to get the authorities to search for him. Mark makes friends with a doctor and his dog who tell stories about Marco Polo. (Similar to a Newbery honor the author wrote earlier - Whittington this books is historical fiction) I found this to be much better than Whittington, maybe because I was interested more in Marco Polo (or his dog) or in Venice too. It made me want to look into both those subjects and there is an extensive bibliography to help me do that. I liked this better than his other 2 books - that's for sure!
February 22, 2013
"If you put your neck down like one of his common subjects, the Oriental Prince will step on it! Better you hold your head up. At worst he cuts it off; at best he takes you for what you are: fearless. Every day risk all. Hold nothing back and you may survive.
Go now. Stand tall and think well of yourself. It will show. Act proud and even the Emperor of the East will think the better of you. What he wants most to know is how the princes of Europe maintain their dignity. You will show him."
~ Mustafa to a young Marco Polo
December 29, 2009
I read this to my 6-year-old but it wasn't our favorite book. I must admit that I chose it because of the cover with the big dog on the front, thinking that there would be more about the dog in the story for my son who loves dogs, but there wasn't. The dog ends up being a talking dog but that only happens in one chapter and isn't developed very well. The bulk of the book is a retelling of the travels and adventures of Marco Polo which are interesting but not captivating.
February 10, 2014
I went into this thinking it must be a time travel book, but it is not. Mark and his mother travel to Venice looking for information on Mark's father who has disappeared on an anthropology expedition to the Gobi desert. Mark spends his time visiting Marco Polo sites and listening to tales of Polo's travels. I learn quite a bit about Polo, although I wouldn't recommend this for reports, it could spark interest in nonfiction on Polo.
January 25, 2010
Eleven-year old American, Mark, spends time in Venice waiting for word of his missing father. He visits the sights, especially Marco Polo places. He is told about Marco's adventures by a good story teller. Well researched but kind of old-fashioned and talky. Bizarre little episode of dog and rats talking to him. Very interesting to someone who has been or is going to Venice.
February 5, 2010
A light answer to historical fiction. The story of Marco Polo is told through various (both human and non-human) narrators to a modern boy who's father is missing on a treck to follow in the great explorer's footsteps. The adventure is thus once-removed, and a bit safer for the more sensitive reader.
August 4, 2010
Time travel would have been more exciting, but Mark does learn a lot about Marco Polo, via a storytelling Doctor, on his visit to Venice in this semi-historical novel about Marco Polo's travels. An extensive author's note plus a bibliography would be a boon to kids doing research or who are curious enough to read them. 4* for effort and historical imagination, 2* for actual kid appeal = 3*.
January 6, 2017
I wanted to like this book, it had so much information about Marco Polo and his travels, something I know little about. The history part I really liked, the story of Mark and his quest to find his father was the part that dragged on was not well enough developed.
The length of time it took me to finally finish this book should be a testament to the struggles I had like it.
The length of time it took me to finally finish this book should be a testament to the struggles I had like it.
January 7, 2010
There's a didactic streak here--get excited about learning about Marco Polo through a frame story! But it is nicely told, Mark is a sympathetic character and a few fantasy twists make this a fun read.
March 16, 2010
Not bad, but not amazing either. I found the historical information interesting because I love history, but I didn't really feel like there was much to keep me interested in the plot.
June 16, 2010
I had a difficult time getting into this book. I thought it was dragged a bit and I finished reading it only because I had to.
December 2, 2010
I guess I am not a fan of historical books, was worth a try...
March 21, 2012
Intriguing introduction to Marco Polo's travels. Very thorough author's note and selected bibliography.
July 1, 2013
its about a boy that has a father that studies marco polo. so then the father goes out on an adventure to find marco polo then his father goes missing and the boy is on a a quest to find his father
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April 1, 2016830L
December 14, 2016
really boring.
December 6, 2009
I really wanted to like this book. The cover drew me in. But the story was too slow for me.
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews