Who Was First? : Discovering the Americas

School Library Journal Review: Starred Review. Gr 5?9?With characteristic polish, documentation, and readability, Freedman examines the evidence for determining who first discovered the Americas. Despite traditional historical emphasis on European discoveries, "tens of millions" of Native Americans were living here when these renowned explorers arrived. The author devotes separate chapters to Columbus's New World voyages, Chinese treasure-ship expeditions under Admiral Zheng He, and the "New World" wanderings of Leif Eriksson and the Vikings. But, with well-established Native American civilizations already in America, the bigger question is where they came from and when. Theories of Stone Age migration, DNA links to other cultures, and the location of carbon-dated artifacts provide clues but no definitive proof about the mysterious origins of the first Americans. This focused, investigative presentation will enhance collections that typically feature individual explorer biographies or descriptions of specific ancient Native American civilizations. Freedman conveys the allure of history and research through anecdotes, archaeological evidence, maps and illustrations, different points of view, and unanswered questions. His "Chapter Notes" and annotated "Selected Bibliography" are informative models of style and technique for young researchers. Students will discover fascinating information as well as a fine example of the research process in this thought-provoking work.?Gerry Larson, Durham School of the Arts, NC Copyright ? Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.