Vasco Da Gama

By Allison Stark Draper
The Rosen Publishing Group
2003
112 pages
Reading Level:  7-8
Biography

This book contains the history of Vasco da Gama, who was a Portuguese explorer.  This book does not examine da Gama as a hero but as an ambitious man.  One thing that I like about this book is that there are several pictures of ancient maps and portraits in this book.  Due to the content of the book, I would list it as a 7-8 grade reading level. 

I would rate this book as excellent.  It is a more factual account of his actions, which are brutal at times; however, I would use this book when conducting a unit on explorers as I think that it will provide students with a better understanding of how indigenous peoples may have felt when they encountered these European explorers.