This book tells the story of Christopher Colombus in a way that encourages young students to pursue their dreams. Afterall, Colombus was called crazy and had to live through two rejections from the king and queen of Spain before he was actually allowed to see his dreams become a reality. Even while sailing to "America," he was opposed by his own crew members who doubted him and wanted to throw him overboard. This book is valuable because it tells the history of Colombus, but it also encourages its readers to follow their dreams no matter what type of opposition they may face.

From School Library Journal
Grade 2-4--A fascinating artistic represen tation of the discovery of the New World. In a preface, Sis makes refer ence to Columbus escaping the walls of fear and ignorance that encompassed 15th-century Europe and uses that mo tif freely throughout--as a curtain framing a view of Genoa, a background for pictures of Columbus's early life, and in an endpaper map of Europe sur rounded by a wall. The illustrations, ex ecuted in a variety of media--oil, ink, watercolor, and gouache--show scenes from the explorer's life as well as some of the many imaginary creatures that populated the Europeans' picture of the outside world at that time. Sis uses col ors ranging from drab browns and grays, to a rose-colored sky that is a background for the king and queen of Spain, and deep blues and greens for the ocean. A double-page medieval- style map is bordered with important dates and small pictures representing those dates, while another double page shows many postage-stamp-size repre sentations of the sea as described in Co lumbus's log. The many details on each page invite individual readers to pay close attention, but the brief, clear text and framed illustrations lend them selves equally well to group sharing. Make room on your crowded Colum bus shelf for this one.
-Jean H. Zim merman, Willett School, South River, NJ
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