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 these additional titles from the History Smasher series.

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History Smashers: Women's Right to Vote 9780593120347
History Smashers: Pearl Harbor 9780593120378
History Smashers: The Titanic 9780593120439
History Smashers: The American Revolution 9780593120460
History Smashers: Plagues and Pandemics 9780593120408
History Smashers: The Underground Railroad 9780593428931
History Smashers: Salem Witch Trials 9780593705278

Product Details
Audience: Age 8-12 years
Education Grade Range: Grades 6-8
Lexile: 1070L
Fountas/Pinnell: X

Author: Kate Messner, Jose Barreiro
Illustrated by: Falynn Koch
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers

ISBN: 9780593564264
Binding: Paperback
Page Count: 224 pages
Dimensions: 5.19 "W x 7.66 "H x 0.52 "D
Weight: 7 Oz

KATE MESSNER is passionately curious and writes books that encourage kids to wonder, too. Her titles include award-winning picture books, like Over and Under the Snow; novels, like Breakout and Chirp; the Fergus and Zeke easy reader series and the popular Ranger in Time chapter books; and works of nonfiction with a focus on nature and history. Before becoming a full-time writer, Kate was a TV journalist and a National Board–certified middle school English teacher. She lives on Lake Champlain with her family and has managed to summit all forty-six Adirondack High Peaks between book deadlines.

JUSTIN GREENWOOD is an artist best known for his work on comic book series, including Torrent, Area 510, Stumptown, Crone, The Last Siege, and The Fuse, and the nonfiction graphic novel Alexander Hamilton: The Graphic History of an American Founding Father. Born and raised in the Bay Area, he attended the Academy of Art University in San Francisco and graduated with a BFA in traditional illustration. When he’s not drawing, you can find him hanging with his wife and kids around the foothills of the Sierra Nevada, pretending to pan for gold while trying to sneak an occasional nap.

JOSE BARREIRO is a Cuban-born American writer, journalist, and former professor of Native American studies at Cornell University. He is a member of the Taíno Nation of the Antilles.

Children's Non-Fiction, Middle Grade, History, Diversity, Native American, Indigenous, Facts

History Smashers: Christopher Columbus and the Taino People