Brendan the Navigator

by Jean Fritz

Book Overview

If you ask children in Ireland who really discovered America, you may get this surprising answer: St. Brendan, of course. He left Ireland 1,500 years ago in a leather boat to find paradise. Tales of... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 069811759X
• ISBN13: 9780698117594
• Release Date: February 1999
• Publisher: Puffin Books
• Length: 32 Pages
• Weight: 0.20 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.2" x 7.0" x 9.0"
• Age Range: 7 to 9 years
• Grade Range: Grades 2 to 4

Customer Reviews

Fantastic Tale of the First European to Discover America

Jean Fritz is a wonderful historical author for children. Her books are incredibly fanciful and fun in the way that they presents historical figures to children. It is clear that she has done her research as you read her stories objectively, but the way that she tells it is the most enjoyable way that I have ever read history! She introduces Brendan to her readers, which she primarily sees as being children telling about incidents in his life which will draw the children to relate to Brendan. Then she tells an incredibly fanciful rendition of what happened on his journey to America. She finishes with 4 pages of a more historical accounting of which and how these tales may relate to what could have historically happened. The pictures that she has included are throughout and wonderful as well. For a more historical account of Brendan's journey you may want to read the chapter on Saint Brendan in Robert Reilly's book "Irish Saints". (You can read my review of that where you can find my other reviews). But if you want to provide a child with a combination of fanciful tale and historical fact, this book will fill the bill.