History Smashers: Christopher Columbus and the Taino People

History Smashers #8

by Kate Messner, José Barreiro, Falynn Koch (Illustrator)

Myths! Lies! Secrets! Uncover the hidden truth about Christopher Columbus, and learn all about the Taino people. Perfect for fans of the I Survived books and Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales.

In 1492, Christopher Columbus sailed across the ocean and discovered America. Right? WRONG! Columbus never actually set foot in what is now the United States. His voyages took him to islands in the Caribbean and along the coast of South America. 

The truth is, when Columbus first arrived, Indigenous peoples, including the Taino, had been living there for thousands of years, raising their families, running their societies, and trading with their neighbors. He didn’t “discover” the lands at all! And his name? Not even really Christopher Columbus! Cowritten by bestselling author Kate Messner and our country’s premier Taino scholar, this fascinating addition to the series is the one that teachers have been asking for and that kids need to read.

Discover the nonfiction series that demolishes everything you thought you knew about history. Don’t miss History The Mayflower, Women's Right to Vote, and Pearl Harbor.

Genres: History, Middle Grade, Nonfiction, Native American, Historical, Graphic Novels, Childrens

223 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 8, 2023

About the author

Kate Messner is an award-winning author, TED 2012 speaker, and former middle school English teacher. Her books for kids include THE BRILLIANT FALL OF GIANNA Z.,SUGAR AND ICE, and EYE OF THE STORM (Walker/Bloomsbury Dec. 2010) the MARTY MCGUIRE series (Scholastic), SEA MONSTER'S FIRST DAY, and OVER AND UNDER THE SNOW (Chronicle, Books). Kate also wrote SPITFIRE and CHAMPLAIN AND THE SILENT ONE, both Lake Champlain historical novels published by North Country Books.

Kate lives with her family on Lake Champlain, where she loves to read, write, hike, swing on birch trees, and eat chocolate. She also hangs out in various places online.
Visit Kate's website: http://www.katemessner.com

Find Kate on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/KateMessner

...or follow her on Twitter - @katemessner

Reviews

[Manybooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Coauthored by Kate Messner and Taino scholar José Barreiro, Christopher Columbus and the Taino People (which was published in 2023 and is the eighth and thus far also the final instalment in Messner’s History Smashers series) thoroughly, totally hilariously and hugely delightfully bursts into proverbial smithereens the hideous and horrid bubble of historic and cultural blinkeredness of any and all Christopher Columbus defenders and acolytes, of those dim witted fools who still today would consider in any way admiring/venerating Columbus and considering him a successful and to be honoured and accoladed explorer, with Messner and Barreiro textually showing ample, solidly researched and sourced proof in Christopher Columbus and the Taino People that Christopher Columbus was first and foremost a bigoted and horrible full of himself lowlife (nasty all around to everyone but himself), a slaver, a genocidal maniac intent on destroying Taino life and culture, an uninformed, lacking basic intelligence failed explorer and as such also someone who should therefore not be honoured AT ALL and that it is high time to throughly and unilaterally discredit Columbus and to also no longer be having in the USA Columbus Day as a federal holiday.

Christopher Columbus and the Taino People has Messner and Barreiro showing how Christopher Columbus both never actually “discovered” the Americas and in fact always believed that he had landed in a far western, unknown part of India (and which is why the Caribbean is also called the West Indies and Native Americans/Canadians Indians), with readers (from about the age of eight or so onwards) discovering that Columbus should be considered at best a teller of tales, a major liar who actively and deliberately falsified his so-called discoveries and that what we have been taught and what often still infests in particular school history textbooks is basically Christopher Columbus’ own and nasty, problematic and generally wrong wrong wrong propaganda (and which became popular and internationally believed because Columbus ingeniously but also horribly made use of Johannes Gutenberg’s newly invented printing press to propagate and spread his falsehoods).

Educational, easy to read and often using textual humour, satire and irony, Christopher Columbus and the Taino People cuts down not only Columbus but also rather the entire “Age of Exploration” (showing that for the native populations of the Americas, European discovery and settlement were tragedies and massive crimes against basic human rights), a five star text by Kate Messner and José Barreiro, with the detailed bibliographic materials being very much, hugely appreciated added bonuses. And while for me personally, Falynn Koch’s accompanying artwork is a bit too cartoonish (and that the comic book inserts are a trifle distracting), for younger readers, Christopher Columbus and the Taino People totally, absolutely presents a massively fun, educational, and interesting combination of text and images (and that I am of course and naturally now also planning on reading and reviewing books one to eight of the History Smashers series).

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this series. Easy, engaging, illustrated, but enlightening even for me. For example in this one I found out that Columbus was not 'revered' for 200 years after his time, but then interesting things happened... read the book to find out what!

Pictures of Columbus using a telescope are wrong. "The telescope wasn't invented until 1608."

"in 2021, human footprints were found in New Mexico's White Sands National Park that were dated, ...showing that people have been in the Americas for at least 21,000 to 23,000 years."

"The city of Columbia, South Carolina, decided to remove its Columbus statue from a park and relocate it to a museum, where it might one day be seen with more complete information about the explorer's legacy."

Terrific that we can tag this #OwnVoices, because it was co-authored by Dr. José Barreiro, a Taino elder, writer, and historian.

Rich back matter that makes it look like a history book for adults... which I don't mind admitting it is!

Next up, History Smashers: Women's Right to Vote.

[June Price · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quick quiz: Who was Juan Rodriquez Bermejo? Answer near the end of review.

Although I've had this series' Mayflower book in my digital stash for awhile, I have to admit to having never read it. I'll be remedying that failure soon. In other words, this one hooked me. As a former history major and teacher, while I did actually know many of the not-so-well-known details, I was delighted to discover that I not only had something to learn from this book but that it was such a delightful experience.

The book's format, with a combo of easy to read and grasp text mixed with often humorous drawings/comics, photos, maps, scrolls, and dialogue that flowed like you were having a discussion with the authors, it was a fascinating look at the myth of Columbus the great explorer, why that myth isn't true, and the actual facts. As it turns out, not only wasn't Columbus very likable, he also wasn't much of a manager and never came to accept that he hadn't, in fact, found a new route to Asia/India. In fact, he died still claiming he'd found Asia/India. Unfortunately, many others died because of him. The addition of the information on the Taino people then and now was an added plus. In fact, co-author Jose Barreiro is a Taino elder.

Bottom line, this one has turned out to be an excellent read. It’s aimed at children but, quite frankly, should work for about any age from upper elementary on up, adults included. I looked up some of the previous books in the series and they seem to follow the same basic pattern: introduce the myth, show why it can’t be completely true, then present the facts. I won’t detail here further other than to say I love the mix of breezy, conversational text and usually humorous comic book worthy illustrations.

Finally, Juan Rodriquez Bermejo was the first man to actually sight land, a white beach, on the initial voyage of the Pinta, Nina, and Santa Maria. Let's just say, he wasn't very happy with Christopher Columbus, whose real name you'll learn in the book.

This one would be an excellent addition to school, library, or personal bookshelves. Thank you #NetGalley and #RandomHouseChildren's - #RandomHouseBooksForYoungReaders and the authors for opening my eyes to "the rest of the real story". I'll be reading that Mayflower edition asap.

[Melinda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Continuing my decolonization through children’s books.

[Diana N. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really refreshing look at Christoper Columbus. This book really focuses on the Taino people whom should be in the history books more!

This book shows different perspectives and is a great level for elementary school readers. My daughters both read this and the book really sparked a lot of good questions. I felt like they really learned a lot from this book, as did I.

This is a great series for young and old minds alike.

Thank you to Random House Children's and Netgalley for providing me a copy of this ARC for my honest review.

[Kim Mento · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the History Smashers series. It is perfect for my middle schoolers who want a nonfiction book but need a book that's interesting, easy to read, and less than 300 pages. I have students who have read all of them!

I knew that Christopher Columbus wasn't the hero portrayed in my 1980s social studies textbooks, but I didn't know about the Taino people. I also didn't realize that Columbus was never in what is now the United States. This book is a good, kid-friendly introduction on what really happened with the voyages and to the people he encountered. Hopefully, kids will learn more about history as they read this series.

In our library on the History Smasher shelf on top of the biography section.
970.01
MESSNER

[Marisa Pierucci · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this series and am so glad to see one written about Christopher Columbus and the Indigenous People whose lives he forever changed. I will be adopting this as part of my 5th grade social studies for next year and am excited to have such an engaging resource to use with my students. Books like this are crucial for the students of today, so we can start busting historical myths and start teaching historical truths. I love the format of these books - graphic novel mixed with a traditional novel style. Very engaging for kids and their teachers!

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall very good introduction to the actual history of Christopher Columbus. There wasn't much new information for me, but then again I've been questioning history books since I was in the second grade and visited the historical Jamestown site and learned that the biographies I'd read on Pocahontas were more lies and tall tales than fact compliments of John Smith's heavily questionable account. I do wish we'd gotten more detail on some of the Taino leaders. Anacoana is such a fascinating historical figure and she only gets a passing mention of being legendary.

[Caroline · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was actually my first History Smashers book, despite being a major Kate Messner fangirl, and I was instantly hooked. The text is engaging and incredibly informative without being overwhelming. I like that the book gives the incorrect statement first before telling the truth in lots of details, this helped orient me in the story. Great for informational readers and those needing to learn some true history.

[Tina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advanced reader copy from NetGalley.

I just love these books! I'm such a history nerd. I love finding out what really happened!

[Lindsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. This book is definitely an important read regarding the truth about Columbus as history has morphed his reputation over time to be almost unrecognizable compared to reality. Compared with some of the other History Smashers books, this one did seem a little lighter in historical depth than some of the other books and didn’t seem to have as many primary source references as some of the others in the series. Some of the individuals discussed were superficially addressed leaving a few more questions than answers. And while, perhaps, the history is a bit too gruesome to fully address in a book targeting a younger audience, it didn’t seem to go as in depth into the horrors inflicted on the Taino — there are a couple of references to De Las Casas’s work, but the passages/content was the lighter and less disturbing and barely scratched the surface of the atrocities inflicted— i.e. babies being drowned in the river because they were considered children of the devil, the Spanish placing bets on how easily they could kill the indigenous, and sending dogs to chase and attack those fleeing into the mountains. He also mentioned that the Spanish made it the standard that for every one person killed by the indigenous, the Spanish would kill 100. Now, I totally understand why an upper elementary/middle grade book would avoid the gruesome details; however, the book largely intimates that the deaths came from overwork and disease, which while true, seems to gloss over the intentional killing, often for sport or power, of these people. Aside from this significant omission, the rest of the content is really good and important.

[McKenzie Richardson · Rating 5 out of 5]

For more bookish opinions, visit my blog: Craft-Cycle

Another fantastic entry in the History Smashers series. Told with humor and wit, this book helps to lay out the exploration of Christopher Columbus, describe aspects of Taino culture, and shows why Columbus became such a popular figure in the first place. Along the way, Messner and Barreiro smash myths and misinformation, providing an entertaining and informational read.

The book takes the readers through the start of Columbus' journey all the way to the present day. I found the section on Columbus Day and Indigenous Peoples' Day especially interesting.

The text is broken up with humorous illustrations, black-and-white photographs, and further information presented in entertaining comics.

Great themes throughout of verifying sources, questioning primary sources, and examining the historical context.

The backmatter contains a timeline of events, notes from both of the authors, a bibliography, and an index. There are also samples from History Smashers: The Underground Railroad and History Smashers: Plagues and Pandemics.

An interesting, informative, and entertaining read.

[Heidi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kate Messner's History Smashers series adds a new volume with this book about Christopher Columbus and his interactions with the Taino people of the Caribbean. Using illustrations, comics, and primary source quotes, Messner and Barreiro introduce middle grade readers to Columbus's 1492 voyage as well as his subsequent visits to the the islands of the Caribbean, as well as Central and South America. Ironically, he never actually landed in North America despite the statues, lessons, and national holiday founded in his name. The authors' explanation of what is actually known about Columbus and his explorations is combined with theories and educated guesses from historians all told in a very easy to read manner. The use of a variety of formats makes the book especially friendly for middle grade readers with illustrations or photographs or sidebars on every two-page spread. The large, nicely spaced text makes for pleasant reading. Informative and intriguing, the authors also take care to address some of the myths that have made Columbus so legendary over the years. The end of the book also presents an explanation for Columbus's rise to fame in the United States despite his never setting foot on it. A fascinating read about an influential figure from history and the impact he had on the Americas.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

History Smashers is a great series. If you haven’t read any of them, you will find that they are very comprehensive, and give both the common myth about an historical event, and they it is broken down so you can understand why the myth is wrong, and what actually happened. Apparently Kate Messner, the author, has been asked to write about what actually happened with Chrstopher Columbus, in the past, but hasn’t gotten around to it until now, because she met Jose Barreiro, who is a descendant of the Taino people who were present when Christopher Columbus first came ashore in the West Indies.
With the background that Barreiro brings to the book, we can see the other side to the common myths about Columbus, and get a different point of view, which is the whole point of the History Smashers.

In this case, the book talks about common thought about Columbus that turned out to be false, as well as what the Taino People were like, and how they reacted.

Highly recommend this series, both this book, and the other books, she has written.

Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review. This book is coming out from Random House, 8th of August 2023

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Authors Kate Messer, a former middle school English teacher, and Jose Barreiro, a former professor of Native American studies and a member of the Taino Nation, carefully unwrap the myths surrounding Christopher Columbus and his four voyages to the Carribean. They use Columbus's stellar , not not so true, reports to the King and Queen of Spain and the equally glowing writings of his nephew and commence to fact check the events. Everything from Columbus's sponsors, the boats, the crew, the devastating impact of the Spanish on theTaino civilization, and finally the rebellions by the sailors, settlers, and Tainos. The later portion of the book describes the life of of the Taino people after Columbus died to the Taino people today. Back matter includes a time line, and bibliography. I highly recommend this book for all upper elementary/middle school students.
#HistorySmashersChristopherColumbusandtheTainoPeople #NetGalley
Thank you to Random House Books For Young People and Netgalley for the digital arc

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Disclosure: I'm Puertorican and therefore biased toward the Taino People who make up a part of my heritage.

This is the perfect read for kids interested in real history. This is obviously well-researched and effectively presented. The book is almost entirely about Christopher Columbus and there is very little about the Taino People, but I'll give that a pass because there is a lot of Columbus lore that does need to be smashed and there is probably very little evidence on the ways of the Taino people that is not biased toward the European lens. I did feel like I learned a lot and that the language was accessible and fun. My one drawback is that in an effort to be thorough, it became a bit repetitive (especially when enumerating Columbus' failures... it felt like he just kept doing the same things and even I felt like skipping chapters) Overall this is very good at being factual and citing all their sources not just in the index but on the page, giving kids a good example of how to read primary material in the process.

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

This installment of Kate Messner's middle grade History Smashers series debunks many of the most commonly told and believed myths about Christopher Columbus as an explorer. In doing so, the book highlights the often untold or overlooked perspective of the Taino people who were impacted by the arrival of Columbus. The accessible combination of text and images gives readers insight into the realities of Columbus's voyages and an important perspective about the impact Columbus had on the Taino people. Includes a timeline and bibliography. This will be a valuable addition to my school's media center collection.

[Sarah Street · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book I picked up from the History Smashers series — a middle grade history/nonfiction series. I wanted to see what they were like and if my kids would be interested. This was well put together — it reads with a nice narrative and is supplemented with illustrated comic-style sections. The complexity level is great for middle-grade, and I love the idea of spending one book on one important topic. I think tackling Columbus is particularly important since there are so many myths surrounding this one person. I learned a lot and look forward to checking out a few of the others.

[Avery D · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another amazing addition to the History Smashers collection!

Sure, you've probably learned about Christopher Columbus in school, but do you know the whole story? This book will definitely make you rethink everything you thought you knew.

This book addresses the good and the bad impacts that Christopher Columbus had on the world, and why we should still remember him because of the things he did. Also near the end it talks about present-day, and how we are still being affected.

(Additional resources and index in the back of the book)

Would recommend ♥

[Shai · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this is a good book for middle schoolers. The information was presented in an inviting and interesting way with some text and some graphic elements thrown in to keep things fun and engaging.

Although I knew much of the information presented, there were a few myths that I did not realize were dispelled. Did you know Columbus was essentially fired by the king and queen of Spain? That he was a forgotten historical figure until the 1800’s?

I didn’t know this and am glad that I read this book as I learned a few things that I had not known.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good introduction to what Columbus REALLY did. I grew up understanding the traditional story of Columbus and, as I grew older, knowing how devastating the impact was upon native peoples. However, I don't recall ever hearing about the Taino people. It was an eye-opener, and I'd recommend this book to anyone who grew up with the traditional Columbus story!

[June Price · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quick quiz: Who was Juan Rodriquez Bermejo? Answer near the end of review.

Although I've had this series' Mayflower book in my digital stash for awhile, I have to admit to having never read it. I'll be remedying that failure soon. In other words, this one hooked me. As a former history major and teacher, while I did actually know many of the not-so-well-known details, I was delighted to discover that I not only had something to learn from this book but that it was such a delightful experience.

The book's format, with a combo of easy to read and grasp text mixed with often humorous drawings/comics, photos, maps, scrolls, and dialogue that flowed like you were having a discussion with the authors, it was a fascinating look at the myth of Columbus the great explorer, why that myth isn't true, and the actual facts. As it turns out, not only wasn't Columbus very likable, he also wasn't much of a manager and never came to accept that he hadn't, in fact, found a new route to Asia/India. In fact, he died still claiming he'd found Asia/India. Unfortunately, many others died because of him. The addition of the information on the Taino people then and now was an added plus. In fact, co-author Jose Barreiro is a Taino elder.

Bottom line, this one has turned out to be an excellent read. It’s aimed at children but, quite frankly, should work for about any age from upper elementary on up, adults included. I looked up some of the previous books in the series and they seem to follow the same basic pattern: introduce the myth, show why it can’t be completely true, then present the facts. I won’t detail here further other than to say I love the mix of breezy, conversational text and usually humorous comic book worthy illustrations.

Finally, Juan Rodriquez Bermejo was the first man to actually sight land, a white beach, on the initial voyage of the Pinta, Nina, and Santa Maria. Let's just say, he wasn't very happy with Christopher Columbus, whose real name you'll learn in the book.

This one would be an excellent addition to school, library, or personal bookshelves. Thank you #NetGalley and #RandomHouseChildren's - #RandomHouseBooksForYoungReaders and the authors for opening my eyes to "the rest of the real story". I'll be reading that Mayflower edition asap.

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A mythological history worth smashing.

It is so nice to see an approach to Christopher Columbus that adds the voice of a Taino author. Trying to temper the long-standing hero-worship of Columbus with reality isn't easy; there's a lot of disentangling to do. But this was an interesting and informative approach to the saga of exploration in the Americas.

Every time I read something about Indigenous history, I am struck by how much word choice matters. In this instance, authors Barreiro and Messner note that the terms "old world" and "new world" vividly convey a specific European perspective , not an Asian, Caribbean, or Indigenous one. So when we repeatedly use those words, they reinforce the idea that the Old World was traditional and European, long-standing, established, venerable, and representative of "tradition." By contrast the New World sounds like a fresh place, uninhabited by humans, and a blank slate. The very words dehumanize and devalue the people who were already there.

For all Columbus' faults and errors, I love that the authors also note his strengths: persistence and self-promotion. These are qualities that bring to mind many modern personalities who have little substance, but are robustly equipped to craft myths about themselves. And humans have not progressed enough to resist that kind of self-mythmaking. It's so important to stand up for one-self, but also necessary to balance self-confidence with humility and perspective.

[Roderick · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm irked by the author's repeated mislabelling the racist Europeans with gentle euphemisms like "settlers" and "explorers" when they were overtly violent invaders. When is such soft terminology used for the darker-skinned (North African) Moors, who took over Southern Europe (ex: Spain)?

Although she introduces some facts about the original (rightful) inhabitants of the land, she continues to focus on the racist imperialist's problems. I don't care about his feelings; I thought that this was supposed to give honest insight into his victims' experience. Also infuriating is how she never uses the word "racist" when the European males continually assert their ideas of racial superiority on all the non-Caucasians they meet: why be so soft & slippery about the hard truth? I was hoping for unvarnished accurate history, but there seems to be an unwillingness to be straightforward about how evil these racist savages were to the peaceful inhabitants of the Caribbean.
P.S. The Europeans were not Christian; they were Catholic; the difference is important, since their satanic actions (ex: rape & genocide) proved that they were definitely not following the religion that Jesus Christ founded. Especially since the Messiah was a brown-skinned Middle Eastern Semite, whose Hebrew people had been enslaved themselves.

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would like to thank Random House Children's and NetGalley for a free eARC of this title in exchange for an honest review.

Disclosure: I'm Puertorican and therefore biased toward the Taino People who make up a part of my heritage.

This is the perfect read for kids interested in real history. This is obviously well-researched and effectively presented. The book is almost entirely about Christopher Columbus and there is very little about the Taino People, but I'll give that a pass because there is a lot of Columbus lore that does need to be smashed and there is probably very little evidence on the ways of the Taino people that is not biased toward the European lens. I did feel like I learned a lot and that the language was accessible and fun. My one drawback is that in an effort to be thorough, it became a bit repetitive (especially when enumerating Columbus' failures... it felt like he just kept doing the same things and even I felt like skipping chapters) Overall this is very good at being factual and citing all their sources not just in the index but on the page, giving kids a good example of how to read primary material in the process.

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an electronic ARC from Random House Children's Publishing through NetGalley.
Messner offers well researched insights into complicated history of the European explorers coming to the Americas. The focus is on Christopher Columbus but many others are mentioned too. Columbus is portrayed realistically. Readers see his flaws, stubbornness about giving up on his ideas, his passion to discover new routes, and his commitment to continued exploration. Messner also includes the Taino people. She offers credit to Dr. Jose Barreiro, a Taino elder and historian, for the knowledge he provided on this nation. The history included allows readers to see beyond the stories and learn information on this time period. The author includes a timeline and bibliography for further study.
Written in language middle grade readers will comprehend.

[Yapha · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an entertaining and important look at the facts behind Christopher Columbus and his "discovery" of America. Using his own writings and other primary sources, the authors smash the myths surrounding Columbus and his many trips to what became known as the West Indies. The illustrations will help to draw young readers in and keep them interested in this horrifying history. Written for middle grade students (grades 4-7), this does not go into the graphic details of what Columbus and his men did to the Taino, but it also does not sugarcoat their transgressions. This book should be in all libraries and classrooms where American history is studied. Highly recommended for grades 4 & up.

eARC provided by NetGalley

[Amber Ray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not bad for a kids' book. This book takes on a lot of the myths I learned about Columbus back when I was a kid. I grew up with books that painted him as a hero and that when he was taken back to Spain in chains...that was basically portrayed as Spain being horrible and unjust to him--as I remember, for just failing to run the colony well and his men fighting a bit with the natives. Hoo boy was it a shock to learn how he actually was!
This book even taught me the Taino weren't as extinct as I was taught. Basically it's thought there are no pure Tainos left, but like the Tasmanian aboriginial peoples, many people with degrees of Taino ancestry are living today.
I wish History Smashers did an adult series too. Fun little read.

[Kasey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was drawn to this book by the beautiful and colorful cover.

Although this may be targeted toward children, it is also suitable for adults. I enjoyed the format of this book, which was part graphic novel, part traditional novel. The illustrations were cute and humorous at times.

As an adult, I learned new things about Columbus, his voyages, and interesting facts about the Taino way of life.

Overall, this was an informative and entertaining read. I’d recommend this to anyone looking to reexamine Columbus's story.

[Kris · Rating 4 out of 5]

I HATE Christopher Columbus. HATE. I find it absolutely appalling that he is celebrated in any capacity. So I have read multiple books about how terrible and awful he is, and like Janet says, “Fun fact! Columbus is in the Bad Place because of all the raping, slave trade, and genocide!”

So I am very, very glad that there are books for kids out there that acknowledge this, and I'm glad that one of the contributors is from the Taino people. Does it go far enough for a hater like me? Nah. But that book would probably be banned in schools, so this is a good alternative.