K-Gr 2-A small-format biography that's suitable for beginning readers with little or no background knowledge. Wade provides a basic outline of who Columbus was, what inspired him to explore, and why. The contributions of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain, the composition of the crew, arrival and contact with the natives on the island, and his return to Spain are mentioned. The simple text with one to four lines per page is accompanied by an assortment of unattributed artwork in a variety of mediums, including bright paintings, pencil-and-ink drawings, and photographs. There is no map to indicate where Columbus may have landed in the Caribbean. Students seeking biographies will probably want more information than is provided here.-Christine E. Carr, Lester C. Noecker Elementary School, Roseland, NJ Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.