Adventures of Marco Polo by Russell Freedman

This is a superior piece of bookmaking and a story well worth reading. Freedman's account of Marco Polo's daring adventures should hold the attention of even the most reluctant readers of non fiction. He writes simply but never condescendingly. The book's pages look like parchment paper and every double page spread contains at least one illustration. There are lush paintings by the illustrator and many colorful images from historical illuminated manuscripts. Perhaps the most valuable chapter is the last, titled "Did Maro Polo Go to China?" In it the author discusses current scholarly theories about the Polos and whether they ever actually made it all the way to China. This could engender a lively discussion about how we decide what to believe about the past. The topic fits well into both 6th and 7th grade social studies curricula. Starred reviews in Booklist and SLJ.

Alexander the Great Rocks the World by Vicky Alvear Shecter

This biography details the life and times (or escapades) of Alexander the Great.

Peppered with casual comments directed toward the reader, it offers both an intimate and a broad view of Alexander's upbringing, education, military campaigns and leadership as ruler of Macedonia, Greece, Persia, Egypt, etc, etc, etc. The author is able to imbue a sense of Alexander's power, charisma, and progressive thinking.
Humorous text and the common threads of adolescence (pre-and early adolescents being the target audience) are employed to draw in the reader. Of course, the subject matter is pretty interesting, too.

Shecter includes a timeline, a bibliography, chapter end notes, and a decent index. Illustrations, photographs of artifacts, maps and other visual aids, and quotes from famous dead guys help make the book a breezy read.

My favorite quote, from pages 51-52, "After uniting Greece, he had a new obsession-Perisa. He wasn't alone. The Greeks, in general, shivered in ther tunics whenever the subject of Persian aggression came up. They especially feared the powerful Persian ruler, King Darius III. Why? Because King Darius served the Dark Lord Sauron and sought the One Ring that would give him power over the hobbits and Middle Earth. Oh, wait. Wrong story."

4th grade - 8th grade