I Sailed with Columbus

Historical Fiction

Grade Level: 2-4

I Sailed with Columbus

            Have you ever wondered what it may have been like to spend a day with one of the old historical music bands or even maybe a superhero? In the historical fiction novel, I Sailed with Columbus written by Miriam Schlein, a young orphan boy named Julio does just this when he ends up on the voyage to new land with the one and only legend Christopher Columbus. Imagine having that story or experience comparable to this one in the back of your pocket to keep with you and to pass on the story.

            Throughout the story, Julio tells his stories and records about everything that happens on the ship day by day on the voyage. Even, for example, emphasizing how he had ended up making friends with some of the Native Americans he met when landing in America. This book takes readers back in time to a period where compared to our society now, everything was very colonial and new to the founders of many different land masses. And gives us readers a chance to close our eyes and picture being on the ship with Columbus, sailing day by day hoping something would appear in the distance.

            For myself, I believe my favorite factor of this story is that we must remember, Julio is a child, and so this story gives even more reason for students to put their imaginations to work. Since technically, this story is written by a child, for children to interact with how one little boy saw everything that was going on through a younger perspective; compared to what an adult on the voyage might have been thinking. This is a fun way to teach students about these discoveries along with who Christopher Columbus actually was; and eventually adding on to the child’s perspective of the story which one could call it. I would most definitely keep this story in my classroom library since it is a very interesting story and it also gives a new way of learning to students.

            8: Understanding a Text

             9: Making Connections