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Hernando de Soto
Hernando de Soto, a brave leader, a skilled fighter and an excellent strategist, was the first European to discover the Mississippi River. De Soto first sailed to the New World in 1514, where he became the first governor of Panama and gained fame helping conquer the rest of Central America. Author Jeff C. Young relates tales of de Soto's bravery, and his brutality, as he set out to make a name for himself exploring Central America and helping fellow Spaniard Francisco Pizarro conquer Peru. Young tells the story of de Soto's crowning achievement, his discovery of the Mississippi River in 1541, as he scoured the southeastern United States for gold and the elusive passage to Asia that so many explorers of the era sought.
* Reviews *
After a preliminary chapter that takes readers into the crux of the story, each book backtracks to the explorers early life and the history surrounding each voyage. Admittedly it is difficult to inject much verve into the Old World politics, but these sections feel dutiful and bland. The books are best when the exploration is underway, although the authors make only limited use of the first-person accounts available. Different problems arise when the adventurers land: specifically, when they meet the locals. In LaSalle, native North Americans are referred to as Indians, a rather dated choice that is extra curious given that in Magellan the natives of the Indian subcontinent are also called Indians. DeSotos slaughter and enslavement of South, Central, and North American native peoples (also called Indians) would seem to merit more discussion, while his actions in battle are called brave and heroic. Photos and reproductions of archival items are often small, cropped, or of poor quality; maps are inconsistent and low on detail, and the design can only be called amateurish. The Library of Explorers and Exploration (Rosen) offers a more balanced and questioning presentation, and has a more extensive use of primary sources and full-bleed art., School Library Journal April 2009
RL
Grades
6-7 IL
Grades
6-12+ GRL
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