Have you ever wondered why the city of Atlantis was lost beneath the salty waves? Or what drove Leif Erikson to explore the bitterly cold northern lands? What about the explorer Saint Brendan from Irish folklore who risked everything to discover the “Radiant Land"—and was shocked to find so much more?
The Voyagers: Being Legends and Romances of Atlantic Discovery is a children's book by Padraic Colum. It comprises a mixture of legendary and historical stories about Atlantic exploration, from the story of Atlantis to the naming of America. The book, illustrated by Wilfred Jones, was first published in 1925 and was a Newbery Honor recipient in 1926.
The voyagers included are Maelduin, Saint Brendan, the children of Eric the Red, Christopher Columbus, Ponce de Leon, colonists of Virginia, and Amerigo Vespucci. Their stories are told within a framing sequence of Henry the Navigator's interest in exploration.
If old-storytelling collections intrigue you, Padraic Colum's tales of mythical and historical seafaring voyages will weave its spell over you. With additional notes mentioning Native American and Indigenous perspectives Colum would not have had access to for his writings about Columbus and Jamestown, we hope readers will appreciate having this Newbery Honor classic back in print.
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