The Adventures of Marco Polo

This is a good book about Marco Polo in a graphic format. The graphic format allows my ESOL students to read English at an easy level while learning history. Since many of my students are Chinese, they love Marco Polo and anything else I can provide them about China. I can learn some Chinese from them, and they learn in English.

This book is a good place to start for the young student who is assigned to write a report about Marco Polo. As part of the outstanding Capstone's Graphic History set, the story line jumps to life. The result is a fast-paced, short concise introduction to an interesting controversial(did he exist?)historical figure who explored China. The four chapters present the basics about Marco Polo and the student is guided to research further through suggested internet sites via facthound.com and books like The Life and Times of Marco Polo (Biography from Ancient Civilizations). Through this book the student will be introduced to Kublai Khan and distant China. An interesting explanation of the fantastic creatues Polo saw is presented; the author clarifies how, for example, Polo's descriptions( using primary sources) of unicorns were actually rhinoceroses. One of the shortcomings of this book is that there is not enough emphasis on Chineese culture but rather a shallow view of this great empire is presented. Otherwise it is a good book for the young reader of middle school age. Reluctant readers will find the graphic novel approach entertaining and reading will not be so "boring." Recommended for middle school and community libraries.