The amusing illustrations and descriptive text provide an interesting insight into the age of sea exploration and the meeting of cultures in the New World. The book serves as an enlightening introduction to the life of Christopher Columbus, including his struggles to finance his journeys, his sometimes infamous behaviour and his final lonely days. Informative captions, a comprehensive glossary and an index make this title an ideal and fun introduction to the conventions of non-fiction texts. It is an ideal text for Key Stage 2 shared and guided reading and helps achieve the goals of the Scottish Standard Curriculum 5-14.