Books in Great Explorers series

Sir Francis Drake rose from humble beginnings on an English farm to become one of the country's most widely acclaimed heroes. As a result of his early exploits at what amounted to piracy in the Caribbean, he acquired great wealth and fame. He became a confidant of Queen Elizabeth I, a terror to the king of Spain, and an admiral in the navy that defeated the mighty Spanish Armada. As an explorer, Drake was the first Englishman to circumnavigate the world--the second ever to do so after Magellan--and his voyages uncovered much about the western coast of the Americas, the Pacific Northwest, the Pacific Ocean, and Cape Horn. Read in Sir Francis Drake how this man's career opened the way for more exploration by the English and was part of the foundation of British naval power.

La Salle is one of the best-known but least-understood explorers of human history. Celebrated for following the Mississippi to its mouth in present-day Louisiana, he was also berated for failing to relocate that same area when he came by sea. Justly known as the greatest of the canoe-carrying and paddle-wielding Frenchmen of his time, he was a failure when it came to colonization and conquest. There was greatness within him, including a powerful will to succeed, but there was also sheer stubbornness, which cost him when he attempted to create a French colony in what is now Texas. In Robert de La Salle, read about a man whose journeys encouraged explorers from other European nations to survey the southeastern United States.

This title introduces readers to Captain Cook, the great explorer who mapped thousands of miles of uncharted territory. Cook's life story is examined from his childhood to his marriage and his service in the Royal Navy. Early influences are covered including Cook's development as an astronomer. Cook's journeys on the Endeavor and Resolution are covered, including the search for the Terra Australis Incognita and the Northwest Passage. Aligned to Common Core Standards and correlated to state standards. Abdo & Daughters is an imprint of Abdo Publishing, a division of ABDO.

This title introduces readers to Neil Armstrong, the great explorer who was the first person to walk on the moon. Armstrong's life story is examined from his childhood to marriage to his studies at Perdue University and service in the US Navy and the Korean War. Armstrong's years at NASA are covered, including the Gemini and Apollo programs, as well as Armstrong's historic mission on Apollo 11 with Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins. Armstrong's later years as NASA's Deputy Associate Administrator for Aeronautics and tenure at the University of Cincinnati are also examined. Aligned to Common Core Standards and correlated to state standards. Abdo & Daughters is an imprint of Abdo Publishing, a division of ABDO.

This title introduces readers to Marco Polo, the great explorer who was the first European to explore China. Polo's life story is examined, from his early travels with father Niccolo Polo and uncle Maffeo Polo to China to see Kublai Khan and visit Xanadu, to his marriage to Donata Badoer, to his travels in China in the Kublai Khan's service. Polo's book The Travels of Marc Polo is covered, as is its influence on other explorers such as Christopher Columbus. Aligned to Common Core Standards and correlated to state standards. Abdo & Daughters is an imprint of Abdo Publishing, a division of ABDO.