Gr 5-9 This engaging presentation of early exploration of the Americas offers both fact and speculation on who, when, and why voyagers came; how they traveled; and what evidence they left behind. Did Phoenicians flee their Greek conquerors in 146 BCE and land in New Hampshire, building America's mysterious "Stonehenge" and etching Phoenician letters into rocks? Are the ancient Irish beehive-shaped homes, scattered as ruins throughout New England, clues to the presence of persecuted Irish monks living among Native Americans more than 1000 years ago? Did the complexion and Welsh vocabulary of the reputedly "white" Mandan tribe of North Dakota result from assimilation of Prince Madoc's Welsh expedition in the 12th century? How did gold spearheads from West Africa become artifacts of the Olmec people of Central America? Citing legends and sagas, oral and written histories, and archaeological discoveries, Wulffson presents an intriguing array of possibilities that includes Romans, Vikings, Chinese, Irish, and Africans. Similar in content, format, documentation, and audience appeal, Russell Freedman's Who Was First? Discovering the Americas (Clarion, 2007) is more selective, factual, and colorful. Although well-captioned images and eye-catching sidebars enhance Wulffson's text, the brown and blue washed illustrations lack vibrancy. Nonetheless, the stories and unanswered questions about pre-Columbian voyagers will capture the imaginations of many readers, offer fascinating glimpses of different cultural groups, stimulate further research, and establish that Columbus's latecomer discovery fame can be attributed to the printing press, good publicity, and his royal backing. Gerry Larson, Durham School of the Arts, NC

Author of both fiction such as Soldier X (Viking, 2001/VOYA April 2001) and nonfiction including The Kid Who Invented the Popsicle, Wulffson posits in this work that there were many other voyages to the Americas by groups ranging from the Phoenicians to the Chinese to the Vikings, who interacted with and settled in the Americas, both North and South. In his introduction, Wulffson plainly states that only some of these early expeditions can be proven. Each chapter examines a different period and people, beginning with the Phoenicians in 146 BC and ending with the voyage of Christopher Columbus in 1492. Each chapter begins with a map illustrating the particular expedition and then presents the various findings that support the claim that this group traveled to or settled in the Americas. Although much of the material is presented in a manner that allows readers to draw their own conclusions, the amount of research indicated is impressive. In addition, Wulffson sets up the reasoning for each journey by clearly discussing the background of each civilization. For example, when discussing the early journey of the Romans, Wulffson goes into some explanatory detail about the reign of Nero and his setting fire to Rome that led to the flight of the Christians. He provides interesting and easily accessible reading. There are many photographs and side notes that help explain the text and present key points of his argument.-Karen Jensen.