Animals Marco Polo saw An adventure on the Silk Road

Sandra Markle

Book - 2009

Chronicles the travels of Marco Polo and the exotic animals that he saw along the way.

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Subjects
Published
San Francisco : Chronicle Books c2009.
Language
English
Main Author
Sandra Markle (-)
Other Authors
Daniela Terrazzini (illustrator)
Physical Description
45 p. : col. ill., map ; 24 cm
Bibliography
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN
9780811850513
Contents unavailable.
Review by School Library Journal Review

Gr 3-6-This intriguing book discusses generally agreed-upon details of Marco Polo's explorations in Mongolia and the Far East, and speculates about the moths, jackals, van cats, zebu, oxen, Persian lions, snow cats, and camels he may have met along the way. Though this quick read is generally informative, there are a couple of mistakes: the Persian lion is not extinct, as stated, and the Latin name provided for the Marco Polo sheep is incomplete. The text is enhanced by color, mixed-media illustrations that occupy one page or the top half of each spread, and depict street and wilderness scenes. Sidebars discussing particular animals include a small, color drawing of the creature, and back matter includes a full-page, old-style map of the explorer's travels. A useful introduction to 13th-century history.-Michele Sealander, Hamburg School, NJ (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review

Generously illustrated short chapters describe Marco Polo's journey from Italy to the court of Kublai Khan with his merchant father and uncle. Each double-page spread features a full-page painting; spot art accompanies boxed information, usually about an animal. A useful "Map of Marco Polo's Travels" is appended. Reading list. Glos., ind. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.

(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review

In the late 13th century, 17-year-old Marco Polo set out for Cathay (China) with his father and uncle. They followed the legendary Silk Road to the palaces of the Kublai Khan, for whom they worked for 17 years before returning to Venice, where Polo later told his story. Markle describes his adventures chronologically for young readers. Most episodes are related on a single page opposite Terrazzini's attractive, detailed mixed-media illustrations, rendered in dark tones that reflect the dangers of the journey. A separate entry on each page includes information about an animal that Polo might have seen. In spite of the title, as with others in this series the animals are an addendum rather than the focus of the narrative. This attractive introduction to Polo's famous trip stumbles twice, misnaming the Khan's summer home and omitting from the map Polo's travels to India and return home. A fourth volume in the author's Explorers series, Animals Charles Darwin Saw (ISBN: 978-0-8118-5049-0, illustrated by Zina Saunders), appeared in February 2009 in conjunction with Darwin's 200th anniversary. (glossary, for more information, index) (Nonfiction. 7-10) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.