David Beckham Book

The first historical fiction story I ever wrote was in fifth grade and it was about Christopher Columbus; this was in the dark ages when the way history was taught should have not been taken remotely seriously. So, I'm sure whatever I wrote was also a bunch of nonsense. Now, this book is history the way it probably was: ships that weren't always seaworthy, rats, Columbus capturing slaves, Columbus "discovering" an already settled area, etc. etc. but also giving credit for what was accomplished, and in this narrative there is much concentration on the natural world: the findings of natural resources and the many animals observed, and eaten. I like the way the exploration is shown as exciting but certainly not glamorous, and not wholly successful either.

The pictures are wonderful. My favorite illustration is the one with the dolphins and the (probably gray) whale.

This is a short (46 pages) non-fiction chapter book, containing 11 chapters, a glossary, a For More Information section, and an index. Key words in the book have their pronunciation included.

3 ½ stars