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Synopsis
Discusses the life and exploration of the Spanish nobleman, Francisco Vasquez de Coronado.
Beth Karpas - VOYA
Each book in this series, "Latinos in American History", introduces a person of Spanish or Latin American heritage who made a significant contribution to North American history. The books reviewed are highly readable, but the illustrations are mediocre, reminiscent of an old textbook. Francisco Vásquez de Coronado is the biography of a Spanish officer who explored the Southwest in the mid-sixteenth century. He claimed several Native American settlements in the Southwest for Spain before returning to Mexico. In Coronado, a notable omission is the lack of a detailed modern map of his travels. Another concern is the first chapter's glorious portrayal of Spain's conquests in the New World. Although the author does not shy from the negative aspect of colonization in the details of Coronado's own expeditions, the "rah rah" feel of the introduction sets a mood that tinges the whole book. There is also some question as to whether Spanish contributions to the history of the Western hemisphere are as neglected as the author implies. With additional titles on figures such as Gaspar de Portola, Hernando de Soto, and Juan Ponce de Leon, this series is a welcome addition to expanding cultural history collections. Glossary. Index. Illus. Photos. Chronology. VOYA Codes: 3Q 3P M J (Readable without serious defects; Will appeal with pushing; Middle School, defined as grades 6 to 8; Junior High, defined as grades 7 to 9). 2003, Mitchell Lane, 48p. PLB
Editorials
VOYA
Each book in this series, "Latinos in American History", introduces a person of Spanish or Latin American heritage who made a significant contribution to North American history. The books reviewed are highly readable, but the illustrations are mediocre, reminiscent of an old textbook. Francisco Vásquez de Coronado is the biography of a Spanish officer who explored the Southwest in the mid-sixteenth century. He claimed several Native American settlements in the Southwest for Spain before returning to Mexico. In Coronado, a notable omission is the lack of a detailed modern map of his travels. Another concern is the first chapter's glorious portrayal of Spain's conquests in the New World. Although the author does not shy from the negative aspect of colonization in the details of Coronado's own expeditions, the "rah rah" feel of the introduction sets a mood that tinges the whole book. There is also some question as to whether Spanish contributions to the history of the Western hemisphere are as neglected as the author implies. With additional titles on figures such as Gaspar de Portola, Hernando de Soto, and Juan Ponce de Leon, this series is a welcome addition to expanding cultural history collections. Glossary. Index. Illus. Photos. Chronology. VOYA Codes: 3Q 3P M J (Readable without serious defects; Will appeal with pushing; Middle School, defined as grades 6 to 8; Junior High, defined as grades 7 to 9). 2003, Mitchell Lane, 48p. PLB— Beth Karpas