I read D’Aulaire’s Columbus to my oldest twins years ago during our first history cycle. Honestly, the narrative of this book was exactly what I remembered from my own elementary social studies and geography classes. Like many Christopher Columbus books, it portrays Columbus as a hero who did no wrong. Well, it’s time to take an honest look at Columbus.
I remember reading arguments that supported saving the “harder truths” for when kids are older and more mature. However, I think it does children a disservice to have such low expectations of their ability to understand and empathize. This time around, I felt troubled after reading Columbus by D’Aulaire. I then decided to find additional books that I felt my kindergartener and second grader could understand. I also found additional chapter books for my fifth graders.
Christopher Columbus books for the Lower Elementary Level
An overview of the life of Columbus
Columbus by Demi is a well-rounded overview of his life. It leaves out such graphic details as the cutting off of hands. However, two of the illustrations of enslavement and bloodshed may be too graphic for sensitive or younger children. Also, in the second half of the book, the Taino people are depicted as unclothed (without anatomical details). Although this is accurate from what we know of history, I mention it because some may wish to avoid that.
A note from Demi at the beginning of the book reflects the scholarship involved in the writing of this book. I appreciate that she lists her source material and creates illustrations as accurately as possible. She shares, “I also read books on tying knots, sailing, and fifteenth-century navigation.” Wow.
Columbus and the Taino
Encounter is by Jane Yolen and illustrated by David Shannon. This story is told from the point of view of a young Taino boy who encounters Christopher Columbus. He has dreams and attempts to warn his people against trusting the Spainards. However, they do not heed his warnings. At one point they kidnap him but he finds his way back home. The story ends with the same Taino as an old man who has lived through the colonization and devastation of his people and his land. An author’s note in the back further explains how she based her story upon the facts that we have.
Jacques Cartier
I discovered the second book because of the similar title. Encounter, written by Brittany Luby and illustrated by Michaela Goade, is about the arrival of Jacques Cartier. We know from records that Cartier experienced friendly initial relationships with the native peoples of Canada. This book shows the possibilities of mutual respect between people groups, and the story ends there. It is overall very friendly and doesn’t foreshadow the horrors to come. The author’s note explains further details. Unfortunately, Cartier did end up kidnapping native Stadaconan people to use as guides in the new land, and to bring back to France.
The rest of Haiti’s History
So what happened to Haiti after the Spaniards and disease killed nearly all the Tainos? Freedom Soup by Haitian author Tami Charles and illustrator Jacqueline Alcántara gives us the history. The French colonized the island and brought slaves from West Africa to work in the plantations. Eventually, and over the course of 9 years, the slaves successfully rebelled. Haiti became the first free black country, led by Toussaint L’Overture! I never learned about the Haitian Rebellion in school. And we read a whole stack of books about Haiti. It took us three weeks to read.
I’m getting slightly off track, but this is the sort of rabbit-trail learning that interests me and my children. Asking questions, finding answers, and making connections. These are the stories that make geography and social studies memorable and relevant.
Longer Books
Pedro’s Journal: A Voyage with Christopher Columbus is a fictionalized account of a ship’s boy on Columbus’ first voyage to the Americas. Written as a diary, we feel his pride and awe for Columbus as the captain. Later comes Pedro’s shock and shame over Columbus’ attitudes and actions towards the native Taínos. This is an easy and interesting read that offers another perspective. It is a work of fiction and not to be taken too seriously–the author states that she is not a historian.
Where Do You Think You’re Going, Christopher Columbus? is written with Jean Fritz’s usual humor. She leave out more graphic details of Columbus’ enslavement of the Taíno people, but does describe how they are enslaved and kidnapped by Columbus and his men. This book is not divided into chapters and there are many illustrations throughout.
Morning Girl is a fictionalized story of how the Taíno people probably lived before colonization. In the last chapter, Morning Girl welcomes Christopher Columbus and his crew when they reach her island. Late Elementary and Middle Grade Level
Critical Thinking
Highlighted in last week’s post about the Age of Exploration, the book Around the World in A Hundred Years contains a chapter about Christopher Columbus. My fifth grader twins still read Christopher Columbus: New World Explorer or Fortune Hunter? by Jessica Gunderson. The pictures and historical documents added a bit more dimension to their understanding. I actually read the last chapter aloud to the younger children, “Columbus’ Legacy.” It nicely summarized how Columbus had been forgotten, reintroduced as the “discoverer” of America, and now studied honestly. I liked how it focused on critical thinking and also presented both sides of the story. This book is available to read on archive.org.
Activities
My older children read Christopher Columbus and the Age of Exploration for Kids: with 21 Activities. This book is a comprehensive look at Columbus’ life and treatment of the Arawak people. (The Taino people are a subgroup of the Arawak). One of the activities is making the quadrant that I mentioned in last week’s post, and the book explains it well. We enjoy cooking as we learn about countries, and were delighted to find a recipe for making hardtack. Also called Survivor’s Bread, sailors would bring this on long voyages. It was truly very hard; watch our video!
Comparing the content of this book with D’Aulaire’s was, frankly, shocking to me. I challenge anyone to read the truth about Columbus and not come away feeling furious. Curious? Comment below if you’d like a full exposé of D’Aulaire’s book!
The Tainos
For further reading, check out The Tainos: The People Who Welcomed Columbus by Francine Jacobs. Using archeological records, Jacobs informs us of the Taino way of life before and after Columbus. The final chapter introduces Bartolomé de Las Casas, who became a priest. He felt that the plight of the Tainos was cruel and sinful, and worked to free them of their enslavement. Unfortunately, he was too late and smallpox wiped out too many Tainos and the group could not be saved.