LA Salle and the Explorers of the Mississippi (World Explorers)

Grade 7-10-- This attempt to describe both LaSalle's life and the French exploration of the Mississippi is not very successful. Coulter doesn't really examine his subject's difficult, driven personality until the last few chapters, and although he spends some time on other French explorers, he doesn't concentrate on their motivations. The early chapters deal with the Mississippi and its valley, but much of this material is poorly presented and confusing. The only modern map of the region does not have sufficient detail to enable readers to locate places described in the text. There is a significant error in the first chapter, in which Coulter claims the Missouri joins the Mississippi at Sioux City, Iowa (the actual confluence is at St. Louis). The organization is acceptable, but the writing is often dry, and the vocabulary is far too advanced for the intended audience. Coulter writes from a European point of view, devoting little text to how the Native Americans felt about the white men. The black-and-white period art and maps form one of the book's few strengths, and a full-color portfolio of some of the works of artist George Catlin is very good. There will be no natural audience for this book. It is often too difficult for young readers and is too short on detail for adults. --Mary Mueller, Rolla Junior High Sch . , MO
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