Synopsis
Examines the history Columbus Day and describes some of the ways that this holiday is celebrated.
Marilyn Courtot - Children's Literature
In 24 pages with plenty of illustrations, readers learn a little about the man, Christopher Columbus, who discovered the Americas for the king and queen of Spain. Columbus studied and worked hard to earn the right to make this trip and as the facts on the next to last page note, he was governor of a colony in the New World. The real focus of the book is the variety of celebrations across the United States and the Italian flavor given to the holiday in his honor. Even though Columbus sailed under the Spanish flag, he was an Italian by birth. Italians have contributed funds to build a statue of him to be located in Walla Walla Washington. Big celebrations are held in San Francisco, Chicago and New York; the most interesting one may be the annual regatta in Miami's Biscayne Bay. The book includes a couple of holiday craft ideas, but without adequate step-by-step instructions or illustrations, and a recipe that is extremely simplistic. The Web sites referenced are kid-friendly and informative. The books referenced are not the most current so that is a drawback. There is a quiz at the back to see if kids absorbed what the text offered and the final page contains "words to know" (a glossary) and an index. 2004, Weigl Publishers, Ages 5 to 8.