So You Want to Be an Explorer?

by David Small Judith St. George, Christina Moore (Narrator)

So you want to be an explorer? What does it take, you ask? To find out, take a look at Judith St. George and David Small's witty collection of some of the best explorers the world has ever known.You know Marco Polo and Christopher Columbus, but what about Mary Kingsley, who studied cannibals in Africa, or cowboy Jim White, who, by mistake, found Carlsbad Caverns?
Full of boundless energy and illustrations you won't forget, this historical jaunt will inspire the explorer in all of us, young and old.

Genres: History, Picture Books, Nonfiction, Childrens, Biography

Audio Cassette

Published January 1, 2005

Reviews

[Cameron]

Judith St. George's "So You Want to Be an Explorer?" provides children with a wealth of information about different famous explorers. However, it breaks from a traditional informational text by examining explorers through the traits they all embody. Determination, curiosity and respect are some characteristics the author uses to highlight the feats of some explorers. It then shifts to talking about what explorers do- make new sports, discoveries, even make mistakes. Each is accompanied by a short anecdote of a famous explorer that describes his/her contribution. By the end of the book, the author has covered years of discoveries and explorations and insists that there is still a place left for new explorers, and that the reader could be one!

I really enjoyed this book because of how personal it felt while reading, especially when the author asked questions and provided encouragement for a new generation of explorers. The layout of the information was interesting as well- instead of listing famous explorers and their activities, it emphasized a skill set or trait that was used by an explorer to meet a goal. By doing this, the author made it seem like it really is possible to become an explorer like those included.

This book would be a great read-aloud resource for 2nd graders. There are beautiful illustrations that go along with the text, but the text itself is small and children might have difficulty reading it. While the book features alot of famous explorers, it doesn't go into lengthy descriptions of their lives, so it would not be a good resource for strictly fact-based activities. All in all, I thought the author did a great job of providing information about explorers in a new and interesting way that children would enjoy.

[Paige Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

1) This book gives students a fun and enjoyable way to learn History, and some of the puns made about the explorers would help them remember them for a long time. This book goes through the different explorers and somehow connects them from one page to the other, helping the students reading or listening connect each explorer to another to better understand the concept. This book has all of the dates and names of the main explorers in the world, and their accomplishments or failures. This book also has funny pictures to go along with the pages, as well as a glossary of all of the explorers listed in the back of the book. Great book for classroom use!
2) Grade Level: 3rd-6th grade, Age Level: 7-10 years old
3) Appropriate classroom use of this book could be used in History, showing the different explorers of the world
4) Individual students who might benefit from this book could be students that like History, or students who have always wanted to be an explorer, or want to know what it's like.
5) Small group use of this book could be used to get in groups and make a passport for their group and choose one explorer to be and make the passport where they would go if they were that explorer.
6) Whole class use of this book could be used to read the book aloud to the class and ask the students which explorers they remembered from the book, and what they remembered about them. Also ask if there were any explorers they already knew about in this book.
7) Related Books: So you want to be President?, Encounter, So you want to be an Inventor?
8) This book does have an audible version on Amazon, as well as other books that go along with it to read in the classroom as mentioned above.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Listened to the audio at quiet time

[Catherine]

Summary: Have you ever dreamed of being an explorer? Do you want to go on grand adventures? Well, you can if you read Judith St. George and David Small’s adventurous book that is part of a collection. You will get to with some of the best explorers the world has ever known.

Evaluation: This book is great for the imagination. The book takes you through each explorer and their story. The art is awesome in this book and provides plenty of room for the imagination. I recommend this book because it's exciting and engaging. The book also flows like a story and keeps the attention of the reader.

Teacher Idea: I would read this book as an interactive read-aloud. I want to hear what the students liked and did not like about the story. Then I would love for my students to go write as if they were an explorer going to explore a new country for the first time. What would the journey look like? Would you go by boat? What would you call your country? What kind of challenge would you face as an explorer?

[Art · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did not get the audio CD, but rather listened online. As Goodreads no longer trusts its readers to start new editions, I will put my review here. Which is also unfortunate, as it lacks a cover picture. A really quick, really non-in-depth look at explorers. I took it more as inspirational than an attempt to learn a great deal about any one of them mentioned. But there were a number of fascinating little tidbits here and there. With that and the mini-mini-biographies of the explorers at the end, I feel it is more of a way of leading young readers into reading more about any of the explorers who interested them.

[Lynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I realize not all books can be all things, but sure wish this one had a time-line. Otherwise, it is a very good book to show students qualities they might need time to time, even though they don't think they are 'explorers'.

[Krista the Krazy Kataloguer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book not only had an interesting text, but illustrations in places so hilarious that I laughed out loud! As in So You Want to Be President?, St. George describes the characteristics that make up the good explorer, providing examples from history. Most of these people I'd heard of before, but Barbara Washburn, Pytheas, Jim White, Bjarni Herjolfsson, Horace de Saussure, and Heinrich Barth were new to me. What appealed to me most, as I said, were David Small's illustrations, filled with touches of humor. For example, I LOVE the picture of Barbara Washburn giving her typewriter a swift kick before heading off to climb mountains. In the picture of Gertrude Bell seated on the camel, I had to laugh at the sappy look on the camel's face. The looks on the faces of John Wesley Powell's crew as they headed down the rapids of the Grand Canyon were priceless. My favorite is the picture of Bjarni Herjolfsson in his Viking ship, standing at the bow looking off to the right for land, while the slaves/sailors rowing are frantically pointing to the left! Love it! Kids (and adult with a sense of humor) should love this book. Highly recommended!

[Kelsey · Rating 1 out of 5]

Age: 3rd-5th grade
Media: ink and watercolor

You'll find around 57 explorers cram packed in this introduction to the various forms of exploration. The paintings/drawings are pretty captivating leaning towards caricatures. The fast-paced tone is one of excitement and flattery.

While the title holds much promise, this book was a disappointment. The biggest downfall is the excessive amount of explorers introduced. Each explorer's discoveries are simplified facts without much build up and room to highlight specific traits amongst the explorers (lightly, awkwardly mentioned). Precious space is wasted with superfluous details like "Ms. Mary looked like a proper lady. But under her long skirts? Men's trousers" (12). While these are unique and cute and help split up the list of discoveries, they waste time that could be given relating the explorers to the audience. I also really disliked the way St. George handled the effect of exploration on native civilizations, saying that "bad explorers can do the natives in" (20).

This would have been better split up into two books, each at the same length of this book.

[Suzan Alteri · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one of the best children's nonfiction books I've read in a while. In a clear, rhyming style St. George discusses the various exploits of famous and not-so-famous explorers of the world. I actually learned a lot from this book and young children will love it's colorful pictures and engaging text. Also includes a glossary of explorers talked about in the books. Humorous and a joy to read!

[Morgen Shambaugh · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book to use to wrap up a unit about explorers because it gets kids thinking about what they would explore and what they would need! I loved reading it to my first graders and its pictures make kids realize they do not need to go on great journeys to do exploring. A lot of exploring can take place in their own backyard if they set out to find something.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Who wants to travel the world and have adventures this summer? If you do this is a good introduction to some of the folks who have explored and some of the characteristics you will want to have if you long to be an explorer as well!

[Matthew · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was long and perfectly entertaining throughout. It broadens the definition of explorer adequately to accomodate modern exploration. It was a really well-written book. Good for an older audience thanks to the length, but entertaining throughout.

[R.J. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Whimsically illustrated. Some interesting and unexpected choices for explorers, although they were all European or Euro-American. There is at least a brief acknowledgement of the "bad explorers" (St. George's words) who enslaved and slaughtered natives of Africa and the Americas.

[Shelby Deghand · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was very interesting because it featured many different situations where a child was considered to be an explorer. I think this book has a lot of lessons children can learn from included in the story, but an adult may have to pull those creative thought out of the child.

[Yosef Shapiro · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lot of good pieces of historical trivia. But, the best part of this book is the caricatures of famous people.

[Shawna Kopp · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a good transition book for older students to learn about exploiters and important people throughout history.

[Riegs · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute for a personal collection, but not hard "nonfiction" for a class unit.

[Marjorie Cummings · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book talks all about explorers, some you know and some you may not.

[Mandy Groover]

Great to read to students when you are doing a lesson about exploration.

[Sierra Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good book. Can't say much else about it.