Hudson

Gr 3—6—In Weaver's take on this oft-celebrated explorer, Hudson is portrayed as merely a human being, with positive and negative characteristics; his dogged determination to find a water passage to Asia, despite constant failure, is both admirable and quixotic. The author gives enough detail to bring the story to life without overloading children with information, a downfall all too common in other books about Hudson. She emphasizes the bits of the story with the most kid appeal—harsh living conditions on the ships, battles with Native Americans, and the mutinous crew that eventually abandoned Hudson and his supporters. This book is also visually engaging: Craig's original, full-page paintings are vibrantly hued, and the print is well laid out on white or pale earth-toned pages. The most similar book, Jean Elizabeth Goodman's Beyond the Sea of Ice: The Voyages of Henry Hudson (Mikaya, 1999), has more content but an excruciatingly unreadable font and layout. Where it excels is with its simple but adequately labeled foldout map, with which readers can follow Hudson's expeditions; the only map in Hudson is in the front of the book and only the continents are labeled. Its compelling text and beautiful paintings still make for a good read, but the lack of a practical map dulls its shine.—Rebecca Dash, New York Public Library