Exploring the Americas (Chester the Crab's Comics with Content Series) [Paperback]

Bentley Boyd (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 9 and up | Grade Level: 4 and up | Series: Comix With Content

See the clash of cultures as white Europeans set foot in the North American woods that are home to the First Americans. Who wins the fight for Florida? Who claims the Mississippi River - and then loses it? And why are the English so happy to find fish? Meet Columbus, Cabot, Cartier, LaSalle, Champlain, deLeon, deSoto and Menendez in this funny, colorful graphic novel that will excite reluctant readers and help homeschooling parents!

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Bentley Boyd graduated from Harvard University with a degree in History and Literature. He has been a professional cartoonist for 15 years and is a passionate advocate for the use of the graphic novel format to enliven non-fiction material for young readers. Boyd lives in Williamsburg, Virginia, and makes full use of the surrounding historical resources to research, write and draw his books.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Paperback: 24 pages
• Publisher: Chester Comix; 2 edition (April 15, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0972961631
• ISBN-13: 978-0972961639
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 10.7 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 0.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #603,083 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #58 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > History & Historical Fiction > Exploration & Discovery

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars History as a visual story, May 5, 2006

By 

Carl Rosin - See all my reviews

This review is from: Exploring the Americas (Chester the Crab's Comics with Content Series) (Paperback)

As a teacher of language arts and interdisciplinary studies, I recommend Bentley Boyd's work to kids 10 and up. He developed a strong graphic sense over his years as a long-time political and educational cartoonist (full disclosure: I have known Bentley for many years, and saw early versions of many of the narratives that ended up in the Chester the Crab series). This makes his work visually stimulating for readers of all ages.

This series started as an educational tool aligned with Virginia's content-focused "Standards of Learning". The current educational environment promotes a focus on real content; a school that wants its students to learn plenty of real content could do no better than to connect with this author/artist's work. Each page is a stand-alone piece of history that addresses a clear content objective, and each book tells a handful of stories that put years of history in context. The color is great, the layout engaging, and the subtle references add layers of information and humor.

One note: even though this is a series for students, Bentley is unafraid to address sensitive issues and unwilling to gloss over the unpleasant aspects of history. "Heroic figures" are not larger-than-life, and their flaws are not airbrushed away. This is history and art from someone who loves and respects both.

5.0 out of 5 stars Dynamic, entertaining, and it slips in a bit of history under the radar, June 28, 2009

By 

M. A Cohen "Harry's Mom" (Bethesda, MD) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Exploring the Americas (Chester the Crab's Comics with Content Series) (Paperback)

My son is 8 and an avid reader. He'll read novels, biographies, and he LOVES Archie comics. The fact that this series coveries all of them makes it a home run for our house.

I think it would also be an excellent introduction for kids who might not have a great interest in reading. Everyone loves comics, right? Let them read these and they'll be entertained while actually learning something about early American history at the same time.