Looking for Marco Polo

November 9, 2009
Newbery Honor author Armstrong (Whittington) weaves the story of Marco Polo into an entertaining contemporary tale. Eleven-year-old Mark's father, a passionate anthropologist, leaves for a six-month research trip to study Mongol herders in the Gobi Desert. When his father disappears, Mark and his mother travel to Venice in the hopes of finding him through the agency he works for. There, Mark suffers an asthma attack and spends time with Doctor Hornaday, an acquaintance of his father's, and his mastiff, Boss, both of whom are Marco Polo scholars and great storytellers ("Stories and strangenesses are like falling feathersâthey pass and are gone forever unless you catch them as they go," remarks Hornaday). Like Mark, readers should quickly be drawn into Marco Polo's colorful life and his travels, a story purportedly passed down through generations of people and animals ("Dogs have history just like people," Boss tells Jack. "We know. We remember"). Mark's authentic and emotional letters to his father and Jessell's detailed pencil drawings enhance this rich recreation of the late 13th century. Ages 8â12.

December 1, 2009
Gr 5-7-This story within a story brings to life the adventures of the famed 13th-century Venetian explorer. It begins in the modern day with the disappearance of 11-year-old Mark's father, who is tracing Polo's route through the Gobi desert. Mark and his mother travel to Venice to help with the search. While there, Mark has a terrible asthma attack and meets his dad's army friend Dr. Hornaday, who decides to entertain his patient with imaginative stories about Marco Polo. His tales are full of color and excitement; the details, although they are not based on known historical events, are grounded in the author's research on Polo's times and the places he claimed to have seen. The narrative becomes a little confusing: Hornaday's dog can talk to Mark and describes what Polo's homecoming to Venice was like, as passed down through his dog ancestors. The descriptions of the world in the 13th century are fascinating, and the imagined relationship between Kublai Khan and Polo is intriguing, but due to its complicated structure, this isn't a book for reluctant readers. Illustrations are interspersed throughout. The novel is an excellent supplement for those studying the explorer and his world. Extensive chapter notes are included, but there is no map."Caroline Tesauro, Radford Public Library, VA"

Copyright 2009 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

August 1, 2009
Grades 4-7 After his father is reported missing in the Gobi desert just before Christmas, 11-year-old Mark and his mother travel to Venice, where the Gobi expedition was planned. Marks anxiety about his father provokes an asthma attack, and the doctor who treats him provides diversion by describing, in exciting detail, the adventures of Marco Polo. Armstrong ably conjures up the atmosphere of damp, foggy Venice in late December while blowing some dust off of the accounts of Marco Polos travels with his lively storytelling. The tales of Polos escapades are embellished with many fictionalized elements, but the novels back matter explains where the stories diverge from the facts and includes a large selection of additional reading suggestions (albeit mostly for an adult audience). Whether or not readers know the specifics of Marco Polos voyages, they will enjoy this entertaining blend of contemporary and historical adventure.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2009, American Library Association.)