In my first year of teaching, I taught a combined third, fourth, and fifth grade class. In an attempt to teach critical thinking, I gave my fifth graders articles and books that spoke directly about Christopher Columbus and some of his not-so-heroic behaviors.
I recently had the opportunity to visit one of my former students, and at 28 he still doesn’t like Columbus!
You are reading: Children’s books about christopher columbus
Columbus plays an important role in the history of the United States. For many years, he has been celebrated as a hero, hence the American holiday, Columbus Day. But in recent years, we’ve learned that there’s more to Columbus than traditional history books tell us.
I want to be honest and tell you that I haven’t looked at the primary sources to find out if everything I’ve read online is true. however, i have studied enough to know that columbus was far from the pure and courageous hero many books portray.
I am not going to examine the life of Columbus in this post and paint him as a hero or a villain. But I do want to share a collection of Christopher Columbus children’s books that you might want to read to his students.
I think we should be honest with our students about Columbus’ achievements and his heinous acts, always keeping in mind the age and maturity level of our listeners.
race day, by christina mia gardeski guided reading level: g
This is a simple book, perfect for new readers and for reading aloud to preschool and kindergarten children. While the book doesn’t talk about Columbus misbehaving, it does state that he didn’t discover America and that the people he called Indians were actually Native Americans.
christopher columbus, by marion dane bauer guided reading level: j
This is an extremely simple book that tells the basic history of Columbus in a child-friendly way. does not share any hint of misconduct on the part of columbus.
where do you think you’re going, christopher columbus? by jane fritz guided reading level: s
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I wish more kids were familiar with jean fritz books. I think they may be muffled by all the old words or pictures in the original versions. But Jean Fritz had a real gift for bringing historical biographies to life. the story is told in a way that is sometimes funny, but always captivating and honest. It is a lengthy book that goes into great detail, including the facts that Columbus brought the natives back to Europe to sell as slaves, and that he punished the natives who did not provide him with the gold he demanded. I recommend this as a read aloud for third graders and up, or for intermediate students to read alone or in literature circles. (Get ready for giggles; true to life, the images show naked Native Americans.)
christopher columbus, by stephen krensky guided reading level: k
This book is well written and well illustrated, but Krensky makes no attempt to address Columbus’s evil deeds. If he reads this book aloud, he’ll follow up with a discussion about some of his not-so-great achievements.
an illustrated book of christopher columbus, by david a. adler
Although I have always been a fan of David Adler biographies for children, I was disappointed that this book did not acknowledge Columbus’s mistreatment of the Tainos. I really don’t like the part where he talks about what Columbus brought to Europe: “…and some Indians”. as if they were extra baggage! I don’t recommend it.
follow the dream, by peter sis
This is a stunning picture book that begins with Columbus’s childhood and ends with his landing in what he believed to be the East. it does not address any of his terrible actions towards the natives.
did christopher columbus really discover america? by emma carlson berne about guided reading level p
this is the only book i have found that tries to dedicate as many pages to the tainos as to columbus. It is also an interesting and informative book. While it may be too long to read to your class in one sitting, you can break it up over a school day or a week. I like how each page starts with a new question, like: how long did it take to cross the ocean? And how did Columbus treat the natives?
highly, highly recommended.
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christopher columbus, by lola m. schaefer approximate guided reading level: i
This is a short and good book for new readers. it has just a few sentences on each page, timelines, a glossary, and more. However, the book never mentions Columbus’ mistreatment of the Tainos; in fact, it doesn’t mention them at all.
race day, by vicki liestman Approximate Guided Reading Level: k
This book was a happy surprise. tells the story of columbus in a way that is simple and easy for children to read, but is also very direct about the way he and his men treated the tainos, and calls into question the very idea that columbus is a hero. The end of the book acknowledges the good things Columbus did, but also encourages us to consider October 12 as a day to tell the whole story, including the horrific way Native Americans were treated.
christopher columbus, by peter and connie roop guided reading level: s
This is a decent chapter book for advanced readers. The authors used Columbus’s own writings as the primary source when writing the book. I don’t think the writing is particularly engaging or interesting, but the book is both informative and to the point.
who was christopher columbus? by bonnie bader guided reading level: t
I found this chapter book much more fun than the roops version. it is written in a more colloquial style and has additional information that would fascinate children. The book doesn’t paint a sunny picture of Columbus, but it does acknowledge his achievements.
the story of columbus, by anita ganeri guided reading level: n
This is a simple book from the dk reader series. offers basic information and is honest about some of the bad behaviors of columbus and his men. the book is very simple and does not try to tell us how we should remember columbus.
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