   | Full Text Reviews: School Library Journal - 08/30/2019 Gr 3–6-Vivid and detailed artwork depicts the perseverance it took for these travelers to make their journeys and how their travels contributed to disciplines such as geography, science, and journalism. The 60 explorers featured in this collective biography are broken up by their main method of exploration: "Sea & Ice," "Land," and "Air & Space." Each adventurer gets at least a double-page spread with biographical information or illustrations highlighting their travel, and some sort of map outlining their path. Huang digs deeper to feature stories of underrepresented people. Notably, this book does not shy away from the treatment and enslavement of Indigenous people. Additional inserts give more information about the explorers' contributions, such as the section on Charles Darwin's discoveries and the history of the moon landing. VERDICT An exciting look at the famous and the little-known explorers of the world and beyond. An excellent option for elementary nonfiction collections.-Molly Dettmann, Norman North High School, OK - Copyright 2019 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission. Booklist - 10/15/2019 *Starred Review* Discovering the explorers highlighted in Huang’s action-packed compendium is sure to inspire intrepid readers. Even better, the inspiration is multinational and multicultural, and covers not only early men and women of note but also contemporary adventurers such as African American explorer Barbara Hillary, who began her barrier-breaking career with a trip to the North Pole at age 75. Huang’s mini-biographies, typically spread across two pages, are exceptionally illustrated by Hawke, who makes each one unique through painted colors, borders, and portraits, as well as photos of artifacts specific to the subject’s work. In Sylvia Earle’s section, the action takes place in the sea, with painted schools of yellow fish and layered coral reefs framing photos of Earle as she meets a moray eel and collects algae. Meant for dipping into over and over again, the book introduces readers to many new explorers—Xuanzang, a Buddhist monk; Esteban Dorantes, a Moroccan slave; and Namira Salim, a present-day Pakistani woman; among others—along with familiar names, though Huang includes ideas not often present in older biographies. The point is made that much exploration harmed indigenous populations, that “discovery” was relative, as natives were already familiar with their homelands, and that people like the Nepali-Indian mountaineer Tenzing Norgay should be celebrated alongside more famous counterparts like Edmund Hillary. A great and necessary addition to all libraries. - Copyright 2019 Booklist. Loading...
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