Almost simple enough to be classified as a children's picture book, rather than children's biography. Nice, though. ( )

Celebrated Czech-American artist Peter Sís, who was awarded the Hans Christian Andersen Medal in 2012 for his "lasting contribution" to the world of children's literature, turns in this beautiful picture-book to the story of Christopher Columbus. Inspired by the voyage of Marco Polo centuries before, Columbus dreamed of sailing west in order to find new routes to the Indies and the Orient. He clung to this dream despite years of refusal from the various European monarchs whom he approached for support, and refused to give up, even when he was seemingly the only person who believed it was possible to find land by sailing west. Eventually, he gained the support he needed, sailing west in 1492, thereby making history and setting in motion events that would radically change the world...

Today, as I write this review of Follow the Dream: The Story of Christopher Columbus, it is Columbus Day, marking the 528th year since modern contact was made between the peoples of Europe and those of the Americas. It is a holiday that has become controversial of late, dividing opinion between those who feel we should not celebrate the day, given the disastrous consequences that first contact had for the native peoples of this hemisphere, and those who believe that, however flawed the man, he did achieve something unprecedented in human history, and laid the groundwork for the modern world we know today. Some cities have replaced Columbus Day with an 'Indigenous Peoples' Day,' while other communities continue to honor the great explorer. Complicating the matter is the fact that Columbus Day has become intertwined with Italian-American identity in many quarters, and is one of the few moments in the national calendar when this community is honored and remembered. For my part, I have little sympathy with the cultural and historical vandalism currently consuming the (so-called) left, but also have no interest in whitewashing history. I tend to believe that historical achievements should be remembered and honored, even when those who achieved them were far from perfect, recalling that old phrase that "we see further than our ancestors because we stand on their shoulders." With that in mind, and given my all-consuming interest in children's literature, I decided to read and review a number of different picture-book biographies of Christopher Columbus, as a means of marking the day. The titles I chose include David A. Adler's A Picture Book of Christopher Columbus (1991), Peter Sís' Follow the Dream: The Story of Christopher Columbus (1991) and Demi's Columbus (2012).

Sís' Follow the Dream: The Story of Christopher Columbus is the second of the three books I have read, after the Adler, and is very different in feeling. While that other title offered a outline view of Columbus' entire life, this one concentrates on the dream that drove Columbus, and concludes when his ships reach San Salvador, on his first historic voyage. Although this is still a biography, and does give a great deal of information, it is not a complete one, and is arranged around the theme of creative thinking and sticking to one's purpose, even when everyone around you thinks differently. There is no exploration of the consequences of Columbus' voyage for the native peoples of the Caribbean, or indeed, the peoples of Europe and the rest of the world. The book was first published in 1991, just in time to mark the 500th anniversary of Columbus' first westward voyage in 1992, and reflects its creator's identification with that explorer's historic dream, as someone who himself came west, from his home in then Czechoslovakia, to live in the United States. Sís' author's note discusses this in greater detail, noting how many maps in Columbus' time showed Europe existing inside a great wall, something he (Sís) found deeply moving, given his own early life enclosed by the wall of the Iron Curtain. This is a much more sophisticated book than the Adler, and is as much about how we approach history, and make meaning from it, as about the history itself. I don't know that I would recommend it, by itself, as a biography of Columbus, but I think it could be paired very well with a fuller, more factual biography, perhaps the one by Demi, which I intend to read next. The accompanying artwork here, done in oil, ink, watercolor and gouache, is beautiful, and well deserving of its selection as one of The New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Books. Recommended to slightly older picture-book readers - six to seven, I would say - looking for stories about Columbus, and about exploring the world and following one's dreams. ( )

This is the story of Christopher Columbus and his journey to America. He was inspired as a young boy while reading about the travels of Marco Polo. He often watched the ships unload their treasures from the Orient and dreamed about one day sailing to the Orient on a different route. He would go west. He had to become educated about maps, stars and sailing. He would also have to convince the King and Queen to provide him with the ships and crews, in return he would claim the land for them. It look 6 years to convince the King and Queen to agree. They provided him with 3 ships, The Nina, The Pinta, and The Santa Maria. After 71 days and through terrible weather, they finally spotted land. He did not discover a new route to the Orient, he had actually discovered America. This is a great book for early middle school age group to introduce the Christopher Columbus topic. This book would be a great resource if I ever did a lesson on Christopher Columbus. ( )

This is great biography about Christopher Columbus who sails around the world and lands on America instead of India. This a good book for children who can learn about Columbus's explorations and discovery without getting overwhelmed with all the history. ( )

With full-color illustrations, this book helps the 15th century come alive for young children. Simple text on each page gives basic facts about Christopher Columbus' exploration.