The Lost Colony of Roanoke

by Jean Fritz

Book Overview

The Lost Colony of Roanoke is one of the most puzzling mysteries in America's history. In 1587, 115 colonists sailed to the new world, eager to build the brand new Cittie of Raleigh, only to disappear practically without a trace. Where did they go? What could have possibly happened? Who better to collect and share the clues than Jean Fritz and Hudson Talbott? The creators of Leonardo's Horse , an American Library Association Notable Book, again combine...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0399240276
• ISBN13: 9780399240270
• Release Date: May 2004
• Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers
• Length: 64 Pages
• Weight: 1.03 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 8.2" x 10.3"
• Age Range: 7 to 10 years
• Grade Range: Grades 2 to 5

Customer Reviews

A fascinating look at the first English settlement in the New World

Jean Fritz is far and away the best writer of non-fiction history for children, and her newest book is, in my opinion, her best yet (though I have always thought "Can't You Make Them Behave, King George" nothing short of brilliant). Longer than most of her others, and illustrated with beautiful full-color paintings instead of the usual cute line drawings, it is also a more difficult and serious read. That, of course, is meant in the best possible way: history is hot with kids, but it is more often than not a sanitized sort of history with a happy, feel-good ending tied in with the American Dream. The lost colony did not have a happy ending, and Ms. Fritz refuses to pander to her audience or to make ugly truths pretty. This is a delightful change from most history books for children. Divided into four chapters, covering the planning, sailing, settling, and historiography of the colony, the last chapter is the real tour de force. I've never seen such a sophisticated demonstration of historiography for children, and I'm very impressed with how successful and interesting it is. Covering all of the major theories about what happened to the lost colony, this chapter gives an excellent account of exactly what historians, anthropologists, and archaeologists really DO: namely, they sort through the tiniest of clues, weeding out scams and forgeries, to develop theories that may never be proved. This is a great book for all ages. I certainly learned a great deal that I didn't know about the colony: when the subject came up during a discussion with some historians I could more than hold my own based on what I learned in this book (try doing that with other kids history books!). Although enjoyable by anyone with an interest in history, it might be a very good choice for a boy who thinks that history is lame: there's enough sabotage, shipwrecks, and disaster to keep anyone's interest.