10 Routes That Crossed the World

by Gillian Richardson, Kim Rosen (Illustrator)

Overview

Written for middle-grade readers, 10 Routes That Crossed the World explores famous roads, trails, and pathways across the globe that have played a significant role in human history. Chapter subjects include the first crossing of humans into North America across the Bering Strait; the Camino de Santiago trail in Spain and its importance to pilgrims for centuries; how the Inca Trail in Peru helped both build an empire and facilitate its destruction; the war-torn Khyber Pass connecting Afghanistan and Pakistan; the building of the Trans-Siberian Railroad under extreme conditions; the short but treacherous Chilkoot Trail, which led hopeful gold prospectors to riches; and the Serengeti migration trail, traveled by millions of animals and Maasai people for generations. Dramatic fictionalized stories with accompanying artwork open each chapter, and colorful pages include a variety of archival and modern photos.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781554518753
Publisher:	Annick Press, Limited
Publication date:	04/11/2017
Series:	World of Tens Series
Pages:	164
Product dimensions:	7.20(w) x 9.40(h) x 0.40(d)
Lexile:	1190L (what's this?)
Age Range:	9 - 11 Years

About the Author

Gillian Richardson has written seventeen books for children, including 10 Ships That Rocked the World, 10 Plants That Shook the World, and Kaboom! Explosions of All Kinds. She lives in the British Columbia interior.

Kim Rosen has illustrated for magazines and newspapers including The New Yorker, The Atlantic, TIME, The Washington Post, and The Globe and Mail, as well as corporate clients including Starbucks and American Express. She illustrated the three previous books in the World of Tens series. Kim lives in Northampton, Massachusetts.

Editorial Reviews

04/01/2017
Gr 4–7—Blending history, geography, and culture, this volume explores 10 historic routes that have allowed people (and animals) to migrate, trade, and communicate over long distances. Most of the trails are still in use or have left extensive archaeological evidence as to their existence. Ancient paths such as Roman roads in Britain and Inca roads in South America are man-made engineering marvels that let their respective empires flourish. Other routes discussed include the Trans-Siberian Railroad, the iconic Route 66 in the United States, and the Khyber Pass in the Himalayas, all of which have facilitated the migrations of millions of people. The Silk Road, a hugely important trade route for centuries, is briefly mentioned in the chapter on the Khyber Pass but is otherwise curiously absent. Though additional notable paths are referenced in sidebars, the information provided is not substantial enough for reports, and the book may have trouble finding an audience. The illustrations, photos, and artwork add interest, but the lack of captions is unhelpful. VERDICT Though intriguing, this is not likely to fly off shelves. A marginal purchase for geography collections at best.—Lisa Crandall, formerly at the Capital Area District Library, Holt, MI

School Library Journal

2017-02-20
A broad picture of roads and trails from many parts of the world and many eras.Richardson highlights roads, trails, and routes that played important historical roles, from the land bridge Beringia, the route by which the first people may have traveled from Asia to North America, to the Ho Chi Minh Trail (1959-1975), now the Ho Chi Minh Highway in Vietnam (begun in 2000). In addition, this book makes stops along the Roman roads in Britain, the Inca roads in South America, the animal migration route in the Serengeti plains, the Khyber Pass between Afghanistan and Pakistan, the Trans-Siberian Railroad, the Spanish pilgrimage route el Camino de Santiago, the Chilkoot Trail through the Alaska Coast Mountains, and Depression-era Route 66. Each chapter opens with a map (readers will wish for more detail), introductory data including name, age, description, "Claim to Fame," and "Who Uses It Now?," and an illustrated, one-page, unnecessary fictional story to set the scene and engage readers. The informational parts of each chapter, with their accompanying photos (unfortunately uncaptioned), are ably written. Carefully distinguishing between hypothesis and fact in the Beringia chapter and elsewhere, the author does an excellent job of helping readers understand the current relevance of many of these routes. A mostly satisfying mix of history and geography for the curious armchair traveler. (bibliography, index) (Nonfiction. 10-13)

Kirkus Reviews