Marco Polo

Children's Literature - Anita Barnes Lowen

Marco Polo is remembered as one of the first Europeans to travel from Europe across the continent of Asia to present day China. Most importantly, he left a written record of his travels and of what he learned and saw. This volume follows Marco from his teenage years in Venice through his lengthy voyages with his father and uncle to his return to Venice. Throughout the book are "Would You?" pages that pose questions for young readers to think about and/or discuss. "Would you be excited about traveling to an entirely different continent? Would you be tempted to return home after hearing about war or facing bandits?" Illustrated with captioned drawings and photographs, this book is a quick and enjoyable introduction to the man who is often credited with educating Europeans about China. An explorer timeline runs along the bottom of the book's pages, beginning with Marco Polo's birth in 1254, and ending with Admiral Peary's death in 1920. At the end of the book, readers will find a glossary, pronunciation guide, a link to the publisher's website where one can learn more about this early explorer, and an index.