Signature Lives: Christopher Colombus

Children's Literature

The voyages of Christopher Columbus to America occurred during the Renaissance period when Europeans experienced a rebirth of interest and achievement in the arts, science, and global exploration. This title from the eye-catching "Signature Lives" biography series presents history's most famous explorer and his efforts to find a westward route to the Indies. It also features a unique parallel timeline of the subject's life and world events. Ten brief easy-to-read chapters accurately portray his mysterious boyhood, the campaign to find a sponsor for the four journeys undertaken, and the explorer's image as a hero to some, villain to others. Reader's interest is captured from start to finish. In chapter four, "Setting Sail," precise details depict the daily menu, navigation tools, personnel attitudes, and weather events. The book's pages are accented with elegant purple, ancient natural parchment, and white colors, enriched with antique framed and scripted sidebars and highlighted with captioned full-color period photos, paintings, and maps. Other features include a glance at the subject's life, additional resources including books, web sites (limited to FactHound), and historic places to visit, glossary, source notes, select biography, index, and image credits. Adventure seekers and biography lovers will appreciate this title. 2005, Compass Point Books, Ages 10 to 14.
—Barbara Troisi

VOYA

This beautifully presented biography series covers noted figures from the Renaissance era. One particularly nice feature of this series is found in the attractive and high-quality color images in each volume, illustrating the lives and achievements of noted Renaissance explorers, inventors, scientists, and artists. The text of each biography is based upon primary sources and is written in a clear, concise style. Christopher Columbus gives the reader a balanced view of his life and debunks some of the myths that have become part of the history of this legendary explorer. Columbus, for example, knew that the earth was not flat, but had, in fact, his own theory that the earth was not round but pear shaped. The book also covers the despicable treatment by Columbus and his men of the native peoples of the lands acquired for Spain and the fact that the extermination of the native Taino people led directly to the introduction of slaves from Africa to the Americas. Each volume in the series contains a time line of important events in the lives of each subject, additional resources, and a short, one-page biographical summary. These slim books are packed with information and would be an excellent resource for upper elementary and middle school teens doing reports on the Renaissance. The "eye appeal" of this series would also guarantee high interest for teens browsing for interesting biographies to read. Other noted Renaissance figures covered in this series are Francisco Pizarro, William Shakespeare, Nicholas Copernicus, and Michelangelo. The books are highly recommended for public and school libraries. (Signature Lives: Renaissance Era). VOYA CODES: 5Q 4P M J (Hard to imagine it being anybetter written; Broad general YA appeal; Middle School, defined as grades 6 to 8; Junior High, defined as grades 7 to 9). 2005, Compass Point Books, 112p.; Glossary. Index. Illus. Maps. Biblio. Source Notes. Further Reading. Chronology., PLB . Ages 11 to 15.
—Jan Chapman