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Picture Book Biography
A Picture Book of Christopher Columbus
In 1492, Columbus sailed the ocean blue...
Born in Genoa, Italy, in 1451, Christopher Columbus dreamed of going to sea. He knew the earth was round, and planned a voyage west into the unknown waters of the Atlantic to reach the Indies. But it wasn't until he was 41 years old that Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand of Spain gave him the funds, the three ships, and the men to make a voyage. Even though Columbus never reached the Indies, he made a more important discovery. On October 12, 1492, he landed on an island southeast of Florida. Since he thought he had reached the Indies, he called the natives Indians. Columbus made three more voyages and is credited with discovering the New World.
For almost thirty years, David Adler's Picture Book Biography series has profiled famous people who changed the world. Colorful, kid-friendly illustrations combine with Adler's "expert mixtures of facts and personality" (Booklist) to introduce young readers to history through compelling biographies of presidents, heroes, inventors, explorers, and adventurers. These books are ideal for first and second graders interested in history or who need reliable sources for school book reports.
Born in Genoa, Italy, in 1451, Christopher Columbus dreamed of going to sea. He knew the earth was round, and planned a voyage west into the unknown waters of the Atlantic to reach the Indies. But it wasn't until he was 41 years old that Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand of Spain gave him the funds, the three ships, and the men to make a voyage. Even though Columbus never reached the Indies, he made a more important discovery. On October 12, 1492, he landed on an island southeast of Florida. Since he thought he had reached the Indies, he called the natives Indians. Columbus made three more voyages and is credited with discovering the New World.
For almost thirty years, David Adler's Picture Book Biography series has profiled famous people who changed the world. Colorful, kid-friendly illustrations combine with Adler's "expert mixtures of facts and personality" (Booklist) to introduce young readers to history through compelling biographies of presidents, heroes, inventors, explorers, and adventurers. These books are ideal for first and second graders interested in history or who need reliable sources for school book reports.
32 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 1991
About the author
David A. Adler
407 books206 followersDavid Abraham Adler is an American children's author. He was born in New York City, New York in 1947. He graduated from Queens College in 1968 with a bachelor's degree in economics and education. For the next nine years, he worked as a mathematics teacher for the New York City Board of Education, while taking classes towards a master's degree in marketing, a degree he was awarded by New York University in 1971. In that same year, a question from his then-three-year-old nephew inspired Adler to write his first story, A Little at a Time, subsequently published by Random House in 1976. Adler's next project, a series of math books, drew on his experience as a math teacher. In 1977, he created his most famous character, Cam Jansen, originally featured in Cam Jansen and the Mystery of the Stolen Diamonds, which was published that year.
Adler married psychologist Renee Hamada in 1973, and their first child, Michael, was born in 1977. By that time Adler had taken a break from teaching and, while his wife continued her work, he stayed home, took care of Michael, and began a full-time writing career.
Adler's son, Michael S. Adler, is now the co-author of several books with his father, including A Picture Book of Sam Adams, A Picture Book of John Hancock, and A Picture Book of James and Dolly Madison. Another son, Edward, was the inspiration for Adler's Andy Russell series, with the events described in the series loosely based on adventures the Adler family had with Edward's enthusiasm and his pets.
As of November 2008, Adler has three sons and two grandsons. He lives in Woodmere, New York.
(source: Wikipedia)
Adler married psychologist Renee Hamada in 1973, and their first child, Michael, was born in 1977. By that time Adler had taken a break from teaching and, while his wife continued her work, he stayed home, took care of Michael, and began a full-time writing career.
Adler's son, Michael S. Adler, is now the co-author of several books with his father, including A Picture Book of Sam Adams, A Picture Book of John Hancock, and A Picture Book of James and Dolly Madison. Another son, Edward, was the inspiration for Adler's Andy Russell series, with the events described in the series loosely based on adventures the Adler family had with Edward's enthusiasm and his pets.
As of November 2008, Adler has three sons and two grandsons. He lives in Woodmere, New York.
(source: Wikipedia)
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
October 12, 2020
Part of David A. Adler's Picture Book Biographies series, telling the stories of famous people throughout history for younger children, this title explores the life and achievements of Christopher Columbus, the Italian explorer who, on October 12, 1492, made land on the island of San Salvador, ushering in a new era of contact between Europe and the Americas. The narrative here is quite simple, and covers the basic outline of Columbus' life, from his birth in Genoa in 1451 to his life as a sailor and his efforts to interest the monarchs of Europe in funding his westward voyages. His historic voyage in 1492, in which he 'discovered' (or rediscovered, if one prefers) the Americas, as well as his subsequent voyages, are covered. A brief timeline is included at the rear...
Today, as I write this review of A Picture Book of Christopher Columbus, it is Columbus Day, marking the 528th year since modern contact was made between the peoples of Europe and those of the Americas. It is a holiday that has become controversial of late, dividing opinion between those who feel we should not celebrate the day, given the disastrous consequences that first contact had for the native peoples of this hemisphere, and those who believe that, however flawed the man, he did achieve something unprecedented in human history, and laid the groundwork for the modern world we know today. Some cities have replaced Columbus Day with an 'Indigenous Peoples' Day,' while other communities continue to honor the great explorer. Complicating the matter is the fact that Columbus Day has become intertwined with Italian-American identity in many quarters, and is one of the few moments in the national calendar when this community is honored and remembered. For my part, I have little sympathy with the cultural and historical vandalism currently consuming the (so-called) left, but also have no interest in whitewashing history. I tend to believe that historical achievements should be remembered and honored, even when those who achieved them were far from perfect, recalling that old phrase that "we see further than our ancestors because we stand on their shoulders." With that in mind, and given my all-consuming interest in children's literature, I decided to read and review a number of different picture-book biographies of Christopher Columbus, as a means of marking the day. The titles I chose include David A. Adler's A Picture Book of Christopher Columbus (1991), Peter Sís' Follow the Dream: The Story of Christopher Columbus (1991) and Demi's Columbus (2012).
I began with this title from Adler because I think it is the youngest of the three, in terms of intended audience. I am familiar with Adler largely through his Cam Jansen Mysteries series for beginning chapter-book readers, and was curious to see what he would do with the story of Columbus. It is worth noting that this is also the first of his Picture Book Biographies series that I have read. For the most part, I found it a serviceable book, one which could be used to introduce the topic of Columbus and his voyages of discovery to younger audiences, six years old and under, I would say. The basic outline of the story is there, and is told in an engaging enough way, accompanied by fairly sweet illustrations from John and Alexandra Wallner, who have also worked on other titles in Adler's series. There is very little here about the consequences of Columbus' voyage for the native peoples of the Caribbean, something other reviewers have noted. The sole mention of this reality is the statement that "Christopher found that the men who stayed behind after the first voyage had been cruel to the Indians. The Indians had killed them all." On the whole, I think this approach is suitable for very young children, acknowledging that bad things happened, but not describing them or dwelling upon them in a way that would be inappropriate and traumatic, given their age. That said, I also feel that this approach would be inadequate for older children, who are better able to handle the fuller picture. In sum: recommended to readers looking for picture-book biographies for the younger range of children, ages four to six.
Today, as I write this review of A Picture Book of Christopher Columbus, it is Columbus Day, marking the 528th year since modern contact was made between the peoples of Europe and those of the Americas. It is a holiday that has become controversial of late, dividing opinion between those who feel we should not celebrate the day, given the disastrous consequences that first contact had for the native peoples of this hemisphere, and those who believe that, however flawed the man, he did achieve something unprecedented in human history, and laid the groundwork for the modern world we know today. Some cities have replaced Columbus Day with an 'Indigenous Peoples' Day,' while other communities continue to honor the great explorer. Complicating the matter is the fact that Columbus Day has become intertwined with Italian-American identity in many quarters, and is one of the few moments in the national calendar when this community is honored and remembered. For my part, I have little sympathy with the cultural and historical vandalism currently consuming the (so-called) left, but also have no interest in whitewashing history. I tend to believe that historical achievements should be remembered and honored, even when those who achieved them were far from perfect, recalling that old phrase that "we see further than our ancestors because we stand on their shoulders." With that in mind, and given my all-consuming interest in children's literature, I decided to read and review a number of different picture-book biographies of Christopher Columbus, as a means of marking the day. The titles I chose include David A. Adler's A Picture Book of Christopher Columbus (1991), Peter Sís' Follow the Dream: The Story of Christopher Columbus (1991) and Demi's Columbus (2012).
I began with this title from Adler because I think it is the youngest of the three, in terms of intended audience. I am familiar with Adler largely through his Cam Jansen Mysteries series for beginning chapter-book readers, and was curious to see what he would do with the story of Columbus. It is worth noting that this is also the first of his Picture Book Biographies series that I have read. For the most part, I found it a serviceable book, one which could be used to introduce the topic of Columbus and his voyages of discovery to younger audiences, six years old and under, I would say. The basic outline of the story is there, and is told in an engaging enough way, accompanied by fairly sweet illustrations from John and Alexandra Wallner, who have also worked on other titles in Adler's series. There is very little here about the consequences of Columbus' voyage for the native peoples of the Caribbean, something other reviewers have noted. The sole mention of this reality is the statement that "Christopher found that the men who stayed behind after the first voyage had been cruel to the Indians. The Indians had killed them all." On the whole, I think this approach is suitable for very young children, acknowledging that bad things happened, but not describing them or dwelling upon them in a way that would be inappropriate and traumatic, given their age. That said, I also feel that this approach would be inadequate for older children, who are better able to handle the fuller picture. In sum: recommended to readers looking for picture-book biographies for the younger range of children, ages four to six.
May 28, 2018
I learned a lot of Christopher Columbus younger years and his family history. Also, his wife was mentioned. The story however is painted as him being a hero and I think that wasn't the case. It can be controversial when teaching history, but then again I feel it's the school's choice of how they want to handle that. The picture illustrated show a peaceful and caring person, and blame the death of the indians on the men that stayed behind. This book is geared towards probably 1-3 grade.
November 3, 2010
It doesn't show both perspectives in this book. It is very skewed it makes Columbus out to be a hero showing pictures of pictures of how he traded with the native people and built homes for them.
Activity:
Have your students write down the other side of the story, the students could do research and tell the Native peoples story of Christopher Columbus's arrival.
Activity:
Have your students write down the other side of the story, the students could do research and tell the Native peoples story of Christopher Columbus's arrival.
September 28, 2021
Definitely a Columbus book I'd recommend. I've been pleased with Adler's biographies and their fair and accurate portrayals.
November 29, 2011
1. { Genre }: Junior: Historical Fiction
2. { Summary }: Christopher Columbus was born in 1451 in Genoa, Italy. He grew up to be a sailor and discovered what we call today, America.
3a. { Area for comment }: Illustration, Organization
3b. { Critique }: This title wouldn’t be called a picture book without reason. The illustrations help drive this title. The organization of the book is unique in the sense that it takes on more of a story format rather than historical textbook.
3c. { Critique Example }:
The initial strength of this title lies within its illustrations. They are bold, yet use minimal colors to maintain the focus of the reading. The second strength of this title is in it’s organization. I appreciate the fact that it takes on a story-telling effect in which it begins with Christopher Columbus birth and ends with his death. The book is a quick read which may explain its rough transitions. However, it seems to complete its objective which I would assume was to include the major happenings of Christopher Columbus’ life. For young readers, this is a simple and effective way to educate through biographical text.
4. { Curriculum Connection }:
I would definitely see this in a history class. Though, I’m not sure which grade Christopher Columbus would be introduced, I would assume it would be before the 6th grade. This would be a great way to either introduce or summarize a lesson on Christopher Columbus. Sometimes, we may find information in literature that we wouldn’t find in a historical textbook. Also, as I mentioned before, the rough transitions could be looked upon as a negative characteristic to the title, but I see it as an opportunity for students to ask questions. Thus, it would spark further interest and engage research whether it be through the Internet or library shelves. I think these rough transitions provide opportunities to “fill-in-the-blank”.
An example of the rough transitions can be found on pg. 14 in which introduces Christopher Columbus’ wife’s death and leads straight into the making of his son, Ferdinand, with a Spanish peasants daughter. The previous page states the kings of France and England rejecting Columbus to sail west. Again, the title’s length excuses this, but the example is to only provide evidence for the observation. It is also important to note that the title is a whopping 29 pages.
November 18, 2013
David A. Adler's "A Picture Book of Christopher Columbus" was an okay picture book. I think this would be a great introduction into Christopher Columbus for young readers. It is more of a progressive story that provides the reader with facts along the way. According to the book, Columbus was the son of a weaver who dreamed to be a sailor. He becomes a sailor and accidentally discovers what we now call America. Adler does a great job in keeping the text simple. His portrayal of facts would be understandable to most elementary aged readers. John and Alexandra Wallner's illustrations are basic and colorful. They correlate well with what is happening in the text. There is detail but only in the areas in which the "action" is happening. I think this is purposely done by both the author and the illustrators. The backgrounds provide beauty and contrast to the main focuses of each illustration. Although I feel that this is an okay picture book for elementary readers, I would not use it in my classroom. I think the story of Christopher Columbus should be told from both the European and the Native American perspective. There are a lot of myths about who Christopher Columbus actually was and what he did. I rate this book a three out of five because I liked the way the story was told, and I liked the illustrations.
January 9, 2019
This attractively illustrated book gives an adequate introduction to the life, career and explorations of Christopher Columbus for children in Kindergarten to 1st grade. It does not delve into the controversies surrounding Columbus's treatment of native peoples, though it does mention that "the men who stayed behind after his first voyage had been cruel to the Indians" and that "The Indians had killed them all." It touches on his failures as well as his successes and indicates that Columbus believed throughout his life that he had found the Indies. In the discussion of Columbus's early life, the text states that Christopher and his brother "ran a shop where they sold maps for sailors and books." Does the author really mean that they sold maps to be put into books or did he mean to say that they sold books and maps for sailors? It just brushes the surface of Columbus's personal life, but mentions that he had a son with Beatriz Enriquez de Harana after his wife died.
Adults using this book with children need to be prepared to answer some difficult questions which could easily be raised, but not answered, by the text.
Adults using this book with children need to be prepared to answer some difficult questions which could easily be raised, but not answered, by the text.
September 18, 2012
The Spanish version of "A Picture Book of Christopher Columbus" by David Adler, part of the Holiday House picture biography series, is a fairly informative and well-written account of Columbus' life and voyages to the New World from a clearly Western (i.e., Eurocentric) perspective. It mentions in a single sentence that Columbus discovered the European men he had left behind after his 1st voyage were cruel to the natives and were subsequently killed in reprisal. Aside from this sentence, one would believe based on this account that the arrival of Columbus in the Americas was an altogether peaceful affair. With this in mind, however, the book is more informative than most when it comes to actual information about dates and individuals involved in planning and funding the voyage and the subsequent return trips across the Atlantic. The illustrations by John & Alexandra Wallner seem fairly appropriate and kid-friendly, and the translation by Teresa Mlawer was free from errors, as far as I could tell.
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December 10, 2015This is a biography on Christopher Columbus with a little bit of humor. I really enjoy picture books that are biographies because they are created for elementary education students in mind and I believe there is still a great need for more. Even though, the facts here and there were twisted in order for it to appropriate for the age group it still is a great book for introducing historical events or leaders. It's great for the fifth graders or sixth graders that are learning about American and how it came to be discovered. It also brings gives us a glimpse on what was life like a long time ago and how it has drastically change. It's a great book for kids to see as an example for a biography project.
April 9, 2015
My little reader is actually reading this Literature read aloud to me with my reading the international city and country names as well as people names. She's doing quite well. We did a bit if partner reading and in delighted that she picked up wherever I stopped and read on, she was truly reading along with me.
We will come back again and read this again with the Enrichment Guide for Memoria Press First Grade and discuss more. I also have pulled aside a Kingfisher Boats Ships Submarines where we will read about floating and sinking for science.
I bought this book used from ThriftBooks.com.
We will come back again and read this again with the Enrichment Guide for Memoria Press First Grade and discuss more. I also have pulled aside a Kingfisher Boats Ships Submarines where we will read about floating and sinking for science.
I bought this book used from ThriftBooks.com.
Want to Read
December 6, 2014If you child really loves to question and explore his surroundings then this is the book for them! Christopher Columbus always wondered if the sea ended. He began is life as sailor, but it was put on hold because of an injury when his ship was attacked by pirates. He took on sailing the sea to see if it ever ended. This is how he cam across America! To find out what happened when he arrived you’ll have to dive deeper into the story!
October 29, 2015
2.5 stars rounded to 3. The author gave the bare minimum of information on Christopher Columbus. It was the basic information that is so well known it probably wouldn't even have to be cited in a paper. There was so much more that could have been included and still been appropriate for children. If one of my students had written this as a report, I would have given it straight back to them with a note to add more details.
February 27, 2012
This is a great picture book to discuss Christopher Columbus. Especially around the holiday you can read this book and do activities that go along with it. It is easy to follow and tells the story of his life. At the end of the book it provides important dates in chronological order of his life, so you can use this to teach the kids about him. The pictures are very nice and help tell the story
January 25, 2019
This book was a great book for children who are just learning about Christopher Columbus. It is an informational book, with just the basics about Christopher Columbus and his actions. Students would love this book as an early historical book.
October 10, 2008
Probably the best book about Christopher Columbus for young kids
July 11, 2014
Another nice mini-biography for elementary age students by David Adler. This series is a good introduction for students on numerous notable people throughout history.
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November 18, 2010This is a great book for teaching about the life of Columbus. The pictures are lovely and the writing is very easy to read. However, the names of countries might be a bit hard to pronounce!
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November 27, 2013AR Quiz No. 19960 EN Nonfiction
Accelerated Reader Quiz Information IL: LG - BL: 3.9 - AR Pts: 0.5
Accelerated Reader Quiz Type Information AR Quiz Types: RP, VP
Accelerated Reader Quiz Information IL: LG - BL: 3.9 - AR Pts: 0.5
Accelerated Reader Quiz Type Information AR Quiz Types: RP, VP
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September 22, 2015All by herself!
October 11, 2018
Not a bad book for young children.
Recommended for kindergarten or first grade.
Illustrations are dated. I'd love to see an updated version more appropriate for younger children.
Recommended for kindergarten or first grade.
Illustrations are dated. I'd love to see an updated version more appropriate for younger children.
January 2, 2019
I liked this book about Christopher Columbus. It was simple and left out most of the details, but it was good enough for little kids.
August 23, 2025
David A. Adler, an American author of children’s fiction and nonfiction, has apparently produced 265 books. More than 30 of them were for a biography series, “A Picture Book of . . .”, written over a period of 17 years from 1989 to 2006. They focus mainly on historically significant Americans: presidents, civil rights icons, and inventors. A few, including this book, provide short biographies of notable Europeans.
Many years ago, when there were few very short picture book biographies to choose from, I used this book at school as an introduction to Columbus. It’s almost certain it wouldn’t be a first choice today, although it would be interesting for kids to encounter the biography alongside other less sanitized works presenting the explorer’s story. Students could consider what has changed in the way Columbus is depicted and why.
Adler does present basic facts about his subject: his place of birth, his family, an early adventure at sea when he was a young man and the ship he served on was sunk by French pirates off the coast of Portugal (he made it to shore by clinging to pieces of wood), his marriage, two sons, his repeated efforts to be funded by Portuguese and Spanish royalty, and a few white-washed details about his experiences over four voyages on various Caribbean islands.
Adler is fairly good on a few things. He makes clear that the educated of Columbus’s day were well aware of the Earth’s spherical shape. He also suggests that people had some trouble appreciating the planet’s size. (In fact, some other kids’ books state that Columbus’s petitions to kings were rejected because his mileage calculations were so badly off. Recall: he was proposing to find a new, faster western route to the East Indies, the area around the Indian subcontinent and the Indochinese peninsula. Advisors to the monarchs informed them that his figures were implausible.) Adler also indicates that upon Columbus’s return from his successful first voyage, King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella initially believed he’d discovered Asian islands. He’d brought back “Indians” to prove it. While their view apparently changed, his never did. He never renounced the idea that he’d made it to the Indies.
Adler is not so good on a lot—and much of what he does not include would have been available to him in source material during the early 1990s when this book was first published. For one thing, the ten indigenous people he “brought back” to Spain had been captured. Most of them subsequently became ill or died, having no immunity to European infectious diseases. Adler does mention that on that first voyage, Columbus left men behind on Hispaniola (now Haiti and the Dominican Republic) to begin work on a settlement and that they had been “cruel” to the Indians, who subsequently killed them. Adler also admits that in time Columbus was no longer seen as a hero, but the author fails to mention the explorer’s enslavement of indigenous people or the fact that he was arrested in 1500 and returned to Spain due to his brutality and mismanagement.
Most of us understand that a children’s picture book is not the place to detail human greed and violence. However, the withholding of some basic unsavoury facts about Columbus—his actual motivations for exploration (to acquire wealth and convert savages) and his mistreatment of humans different from himself—is not respectful of children’s intelligence.
Having said all of this, I think this picture book—which, by the way, is attractively illustrated and accessible—shouldn’t be banned or tossed by the wayside. It’s a worthwhile educational exercise to look at it as a product of its times, just as an explorer is, and consider why humans’ views of the past change over time.
Many years ago, when there were few very short picture book biographies to choose from, I used this book at school as an introduction to Columbus. It’s almost certain it wouldn’t be a first choice today, although it would be interesting for kids to encounter the biography alongside other less sanitized works presenting the explorer’s story. Students could consider what has changed in the way Columbus is depicted and why.
Adler does present basic facts about his subject: his place of birth, his family, an early adventure at sea when he was a young man and the ship he served on was sunk by French pirates off the coast of Portugal (he made it to shore by clinging to pieces of wood), his marriage, two sons, his repeated efforts to be funded by Portuguese and Spanish royalty, and a few white-washed details about his experiences over four voyages on various Caribbean islands.
Adler is fairly good on a few things. He makes clear that the educated of Columbus’s day were well aware of the Earth’s spherical shape. He also suggests that people had some trouble appreciating the planet’s size. (In fact, some other kids’ books state that Columbus’s petitions to kings were rejected because his mileage calculations were so badly off. Recall: he was proposing to find a new, faster western route to the East Indies, the area around the Indian subcontinent and the Indochinese peninsula. Advisors to the monarchs informed them that his figures were implausible.) Adler also indicates that upon Columbus’s return from his successful first voyage, King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella initially believed he’d discovered Asian islands. He’d brought back “Indians” to prove it. While their view apparently changed, his never did. He never renounced the idea that he’d made it to the Indies.
Adler is not so good on a lot—and much of what he does not include would have been available to him in source material during the early 1990s when this book was first published. For one thing, the ten indigenous people he “brought back” to Spain had been captured. Most of them subsequently became ill or died, having no immunity to European infectious diseases. Adler does mention that on that first voyage, Columbus left men behind on Hispaniola (now Haiti and the Dominican Republic) to begin work on a settlement and that they had been “cruel” to the Indians, who subsequently killed them. Adler also admits that in time Columbus was no longer seen as a hero, but the author fails to mention the explorer’s enslavement of indigenous people or the fact that he was arrested in 1500 and returned to Spain due to his brutality and mismanagement.
Most of us understand that a children’s picture book is not the place to detail human greed and violence. However, the withholding of some basic unsavoury facts about Columbus—his actual motivations for exploration (to acquire wealth and convert savages) and his mistreatment of humans different from himself—is not respectful of children’s intelligence.
Having said all of this, I think this picture book—which, by the way, is attractively illustrated and accessible—shouldn’t be banned or tossed by the wayside. It’s a worthwhile educational exercise to look at it as a product of its times, just as an explorer is, and consider why humans’ views of the past change over time.
October 30, 2021
A Picture Book of Christopher Columbus by David A. Alder Illustrators John Wallner & Alexandra Wallner- Children’s Illustrated Colour Picture Book- In of Europe of 1400-1500, young men could dream but financial support was available from Kings only. Christopher Columbus was Born in Genoa, Italy, in 1451. His brother had a shop of sea voyage equipments and Books. Thus on the basis of knowledge from books Christopher Columbus dreamed of going to sea. From the books, he knew the earth was round. First he worked on a ship for some years. India in the West Indies was the dream location for all sea travelers. He married the daughter of a rich man from and contacted the Kind of Spain, then King of England to sponsor his journey but these Kings were not interested. After the death of his first wife, he married again. Now, he planned a voyage west into the unknown waters of the Atlantic to reach the Indies. When Christopher was 41- years old that Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand of Spain gave him the funds, the three ships & the experienced men to make a voyage. Even though Columbus never reached the Indies, he made a more important discovery. On October 12, 1492, he landed on an island southeast of Florida. Since he thought he had reached the Indies, he called the natives Indians. Columbus made three more voyages and is credited with discovering the New World. I praise this Illustrated Colour picture book by David Adler because in easy way children eagerly learn about major events in history of the world. I have read this book in Hindi language. Coloured illustrations help the reader to relate to the story.
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December 5, 2019A picture book about Christopher Columbus and his journeys as an explorer. This book is complete with a timeline from birth to death.
This is a great book for children to read to learn more about a famous explorer in history. Although there is more to his story, this book is great to compliment a lesson or for older children to read on their own. I love how the pictures are detailed and the text is simple, yet includes a lot of information.
This text can be connected to other picture book biographies such as A Picture Book of Martin Luther King, Jr. and A Picture Book of Abraham Lincoln, or can be paired with other book about Christopher Columbus and other explorers.
This can be used as a mentor text to writing biographies. The inclusion of the text feature timeline is important and can be used as an example and guide for students to write their own.
This is a great book for children to read to learn more about a famous explorer in history. Although there is more to his story, this book is great to compliment a lesson or for older children to read on their own. I love how the pictures are detailed and the text is simple, yet includes a lot of information.
This text can be connected to other picture book biographies such as A Picture Book of Martin Luther King, Jr. and A Picture Book of Abraham Lincoln, or can be paired with other book about Christopher Columbus and other explorers.
This can be used as a mentor text to writing biographies. The inclusion of the text feature timeline is important and can be used as an example and guide for students to write their own.
April 2, 2022
This book is a useful introduction to young readers about the life of Christopher Columbus. His harrowing toss into the sea following a pirate attack and his bravery leading men across an unknown ocean are captivating anecdotes. Several other areas may necessitate more in-depth discussion with a parent or teacher (i.e., the cruelty of his sailors towards the native people and Christopher and his partner having a child out of wedlock). Overall, it is a quick, easy read with whimsical illustrations. An introductory glimpse into the man and his adventures.
January 18, 2022
Good for younger readers about grade 3. Has some information about him I never knew.
October 14, 2022
This was a decent book for my 1st Grade class- mostly because it fit our time restraint- but I've definitely read some more interesting books about Christopher Columbus.
August 17, 2022
This is a concise biography of Christopher Columbus, with cartoonish illustrations and no mention of the controversy surrounding him. It's a decent introduction to the explorer, especially for young children.
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews