Author: James Rumford
Genres: Biography, Historical Fiction, Nonfiction, Picture Book
Ages: Child (6-9), Preteen
Ibn Battuta was the traveler of his age—the fourteenth century, a time before Columbus when many believed the world to be flat. Like Marco Polo, Ibn Battuta left behind an account of his own incredible journey from Morocco to China, from the steppes of Russia to the shores of Tanzania, some seventy-five thousand miles in all. James Rumford has retold Ibn Battuta’s story in words and pictures, adding the element of ancient Arab maps—maps as…
4.5Overall Score
Traveling Man
Reader's Review A stunningly beautiful account of Ibn Battuta's journeys, summarized and narrated for younger audiences in captivating and poetic language. What stands out is the artwork in ...
Reader’s Review
A stunningly beautiful account of Ibn Battuta’s journeys, summarized and narrated for younger audiences in captivating and poetic language. What stands out is the artwork in this book; beautiful watercolours, maps, calligraphy and arabesque are all woven together, with sentences that sometimes traverse the illustrations like roads through the desert. Highly recommended for homes and classrooms. Note however, that the language may be too complicated for younger children.
To look out for
- Islamic Values: While mention of the Qur’an and hajj is made, the story is still told from a secular perspective and God plays little role in Ibn Sina’s motivation.
- Violence: Passing mention is made of the perilous situations that faced him, including lack of food, storms, being captured and the death of his parents.
Purchase on: Book Depository
