Prince Henry, the Navigator,

by William Jay Jacobs

A biography of the Portuguese prince who made sailing safer by his navigational maps and who designed the caravel--a type of sailing ship. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0531009726
• ISBN13: 9780531009727
• Release Date: January 1973
• Publisher: Franklin Watts
• Length: 53 Pages
• Weight: 0.90 lbs.
• Age Range: 9 to 10 years
• Grade Range: Grades 4 to 5

Customer Reviews

Fairly Good, No Glaring Red Flags

The book was good overall. Gives more background information than some other books on Prince Henry and his times. Covers Henry's early years, preparation at Sagres, his sanctioned explorations, trade that brought wealth, Islam/Christian relations, various people groups/nations, lives of others Henry came into contact with and hired, sailing/navigation/ship technology and its important role. These events were not covered in great depth but were integrated quite well; it read smoothly and simply. Incidently, I was glad that Henry's faith was covered fairly; it could have sketched his personality a little better though (i.e. his tenacity and perseverance). The only glaring issue I saw (which I see in a lot of historical books) is that it perpetuates the idea that folks back then thought the earth was really flat. They knew it to be a sphere: see works of Eratothenes, St. Augustine, Bede, Columbus, and other works of educated men of the 14th Century. Overall, the book was good and kept the attention of our homeschooled 4 and 6 year old.