Father Junipero Serra: Founder of California Missions (Hispanic Biographies) [Library Binding]

Donna Genet (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 11 and up | Grade Level: 6 and up | Series: Hispanic Biographies

Traces the life of Father Junâipero Serra from his childhood on the Spanish island of Majorca, his duties and travels as a missionary, to his death in 1784 and his legacy of the "Golden Chain" of missions in California.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-6?Although this biography gives a full account of the Franciscan priest's life and work, it fails to mention the furor surrounding his beatification (1988); in fact, Genet overlooks both the ceremony in Rome and the protests of Native Americans. However, the book succeeds as a portrait of a dedicated missionary who overcame health problems and a hostile environment to found a lasting chain of California missions. Serra emerges as a pious and a gentle man, in sharp contrast to the brutal Spanish soldiers. The easy-to-read text provides interesting detail of the Western terrain, Native American culture, and mission life. While most of the black-and-white photographs are adequately reproduced, the selection is poor and does not do justice to the grandeur of the missions. Unfortunately, the Mission San Diego de Alcala is represented by a photograph of its gift shop. Sean Dolan's Junipero Serra (Chelsea, 1991) offers fuller background material and recognition of the sainthood controversy; yet it, too, lacks a good selection of illustrations of the missions.?Pat Katka, formerly at San Diego Public Library
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Gr. 6^-9. Perhaps this should have been called "Father Junipero Serra and the Founding of the California Missions," since it presents at least as much information about the missions as the missionary. Genet strives to bring a balanced and objective approach to the controversial subject of missionization and colonization. She admits that the Catholic Church, the Spanish government, and the Spanish military did not care "about the wishes of Native Americans." She adds that the native perspective is missing from many historians' accounts. However, she occasionally trips up by not clearly distinguishing Spanish opinions about the Indians from facts: "The Native Americans had few words for ideas or beliefs." The simple, accessible style makes the book useful for struggling report writers. Sparsely illustrated with black-and-white photos; additional maps would have been helpful. Chapter endnotes and a scholarly bibliography are included. Julie Corsaro

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 11 and up
  
• Library Binding: 128 pages
• Publisher: Enslow Publishers (June 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 089490762X
• ISBN-13: 978-0894907623
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.8 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,282,977 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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