Celebrate Leif Eriksson Day
Since 1964, October 9th has been observed as Leif Eriksson Day in the United States. The day was set aside to honor the many Nordic people whose contributions have meant so much to the development of America. Paying tribute to Leif Eriksson recognizes Nordic efforts to settle and populate early 19th century America. Fortitude and courage (similar to Eriksson's heroics in crossing the oceans and facing the difficulties of the unknown) are saluted on this special day in homage to the accomplishments of Nordic Americans. The specific date was chosen because it marks the arrival of the ship "Restauration" in New York harbor-at the beginning of the first organized immigration from Norway to America. For more information visit: http://www.holidaysmart.com/10_leiferiksonday.htm
Contributor: Sheilah Egan
Reviews
Before Columbus: The Leif Eriksson Expedition
Elizabeth Cody Kimmel
This fictionalized biography of the intrepid Viking explorer begins with the exile of Leif's father, Erik the Red, from Iceland. During Erik's absence Leif develops his skills with bow and javelin and his strengths with running, wrestling, and swimming. He is almost a man when his father returns with exciting news that while he sailed west, he discovered a huge land, which he calls Greenland. Crowded conditions in Iceland inspire Leif's family and many others to emigrate there. Adventurous and imaginative, Leif dreams of even further exploration westward. At age 16 he is warmly received by their ruler, Olaf of Norway, and spends some time in the king's court. By 19 Leif has amassed enough wealth to buy a boat of his own and equip it for an expedition. Setting sail in a southwesterly direction and braving rough and foggy seas, he and his crew first come upon unknown islands and then upon a thickly forested new continent. They discover wild grapes growing there and name it Vinland. After spending the winter in a comfortable camp, they sail home triumphantly in the spring with a cargo of lumber and wine barrels. The use of dialogue and vivid settings enliven the story, which has been both carefully researched and imaginatively expanded. Black-and-white photographs of Viking artifacts, maps, and artists' illustrations are included, along with a reading list, bibliography, and index. 2003, Landmark Books/Random House, $14.95. Ages 9 to 12. Reviewer: Patricia Dole (Children's Literature).
Not currently available but worth seeking at the library or used book resource.
ISBN: 0-375-81347-0
ISBN: 0-375-91347-5
ISBN: 978-0-375-81347-4
ISBN: 978-0-375-91347-1
Exploring the New World
Rebecca Stefoff
The exploration of the North American continent by intrepid adventurers has traditionally been a subject for study and wonder. Setting out across the seemingly endless Atlantic Ocean in search of new lands remains an awesome endeavor. The sojourns of people such as Columbus, Leif Eriksson and Francis Drake are amazing efforts that were undertaken by driven individuals. It is this age of explorers that is the subject for this illustrated history book, one of five texts making up the "North American Historical Atlases" series. Starting with the Ice Age migrations of Paleo-Indian people from Siberia across the Beringian Land Bridge to Alaska, the author outlines the journey of human beings into the New World. The emergence of various Native American tribal groups sets the stage for the human habitation of North and South America for thousands of years. From the Vikings through the16th and 17th century Europeans, new comers overwhelmed native peoples. Whether the explorers were Spanish Conquistadors, English merchants or French trappers and traders, the final result of the Age of Exploration was the destruction of indigenous populations. Combining a lavish array of illustrations, period maps and art with a workable text, the author presents an appealing look at a dynamic, yet sadly tragic time in human history. 2000, Benchmark Books, $16.95. Ages 9 to 12. Reviewer: Greg M. Romaneck (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 0-7614-1056-2
ISBN: 978-0-7614-1056-0
Leif Eriksson
Jason Glaser
Writer Glaser tells the story of Scandinavia explorer Leif Eriksson who led a group of men to the shores of North America. Born about the year 980, he was the son of Erik the Red, a Viking leader who was always getting into trouble. Erik had a desire to explore and he left his home in Iceland sailing west. He returned home to tell his people about a new land he called Greenland. In 986 he moved his family to Greenland with about 400 other settlers. Leif grew up wanting to explore just like his father. When Greenland began to get crowded due to an increased population, Leif went off to find more land. He sailed until he came to North America, which he named Vinland because of the wild grapes growing there. He returned to Greenland with the intention of starting a colony in Vinland, but instead Leif became the leader of Greenland after his father became ill. Other Vikings left to form colonies in Vinland, but Leif stayed in Greenland, married and had several children. Viking colonies grew along the shores of Vinland until 1100, but eventually, the settlers of Vinland disappeared. Years later, the Greenland settlers were also gone. Either the settlers starved, died-off or left. The location of Vinland is still a mystery. Some old house foundations have been found at a site in Newfoundland, Canada, but it is still uncertain whether these were the homes of the Vinland settlers. Leif Eriksson is remembered as the first European to visit North America. Color illustrations, maps, fast facts, timeline, glossary, Internet sites and further reading are included in the book. This biography is part of the "Fact Finder" series published by Capstone Press. 2005, Capstone Press, $22.60. Ages 8 to 12. Reviewer: Della A. Yannuzzi (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 0-7368-2664-5
ISBN: 978-0-7368-2664-8
Leif Eriksson
Shannon Knudsen
Illustrations by Mark Oldroyd
Christopher Columbus is the person many credit with being the first European to have discovered North America. While his discovery did lead to the European settlement and development of North America, Leif Erikkson discovered North America nearly five hundred years before Christopher Columbus. Leif Erikkson was a Viking who lived in Greenland with his father, who was known as Eric the Great. Part of the "On My Own" biography series, this book tells the story of Leif Erikkson in a way that will appeal to early readers. The colorful illustrations add interest and drama to Leif's adventures as he sets sail from Greenland to locate three pieces of land that had been sighted previously by another Greenland seaman. Leif and his crew came across all three but the first two were not suitable for settling. The third, however, looked promising and Leif and his crew soon discovered a clear water lake with fish, lush grass and trees, and grapes. A chronology of important dates in Leif Erikkson's life is also included at the end of the book. 2005, Carolrhoda Books/Lerner, $23.93 and $5.95. Ages 7 to 10. Reviewer: Jennifer Chambliss Bertman (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 1-5750-5649-6
ISBN: 1-5750-5828-6
ISBN: 978-1-5750-5649-4
ISBN: 978-1-5750-5828-3
Leif Eriksson: Viking Explorer
Joanne Mattern
Who was Leif Eriksson? Was he the first European explorer to discover the new world of North America? Many people believe he was. Born in 975 in Iceland, Eriksson was the son of Erik the Red, the Viking leader who settled Greenland. As a boy, Eriksson learned the skills of Viking men--how to hunt and fish, how to read and write, how to fight, and, most importantly, how to sail. When he heard rumors of a new land far to the west, Eriksson lead a group of 35 sailors to find it. No one knows with any certainty where Eriksson landed in North America, but it is certain that Vikings did reach the New World as remains of Viking villages have been found in Newfoundland. From the "Explorers!" series, this account of the life of Leif Eriksson and his times and the culture in which he lived is informative, interesting, easy to read, and well illustrated with photographs and drawings. At the beginning of the book, readers will find a pronunciation guide to Viking names, at the end, a timeline, glossary, a list of books and websites to learn more and an index. A good resource for curriculums that include a study of explorers. 2004, Enslow Publishers, $23.93. Ages 8 to 10. Reviewer: Anita Barnes Lowen (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 0-7660-2146-7
ISBN: 978-0-7660-2146-4
Leif's Saga: A Viking Tale
Jonathan Hunt
This picture book takes a creative look at the life of Leif--the son of Eirik--the Norseman who traveled to North America from Greenland. Told by a Norse boat builder, the story describes all the stages of Leif's journey from the extensive preparations to his reluctant return. Throughout the text, Hunt provides smaller panels containing illustrations that show activities that are taking palce at the same time as the main action featured in the full page illustrations. In the smaller panels, there are also runic messages that can be decoded using the legend in the back of the book. This historical tale of adventure and hardship is exciting. The vibrant and detailed illustrations create a wonderful sense of the period while giving greater depth and emotion to the individuals involved in the story. The text itself and the historical afterward provide a lot of interesting information about the life of Leif Eriksson and the myths surrounding his people. 1996, Simon & Schuster, $17.95 and $16.00. Ages 5 to 9. Reviewer: Alexandria LaFaye, Ph.D. (Children's Literature).
Best Books:
Publishers Weekly Book Review Stars, May 1996; Cahners; United States
No longer readily available, consult your local library or used book resource.
ISBN: 0-02-745780-X
ISBN: 0-689-80492-X
ISBN: 978-0-02-745780-3
ISBN: 978-0-689-80492-2
Viking It & Liking It
Jon Scieszka
Illustrated by Adam McCauley
Join Joe, Sam, and Fred, better known as the Time Warp Trio, as they go on another adventurous journey back to 1000 A.D., when the Vikings lived and sailed. The Trio quickly learns that if one says "Thursday" over and over again near a certain "magic" book, the familiar green mist comes out from the book and sends them on a trip back in time--where they then have to find the book in order to return home. The reason they are sent to the Viking era is because "Thursday" was created from the Viking god Thor...whom a day was named after, Thor's day. The trio finds themselves in front of Leif Eriksson, and his Vikings soon realize they have to do some fast-talking and fast magic tricks if they want to survive. The next event that takes place is a meeting between Leif's evil cousin Grim, where they end up becoming heroes and saving Leif and all of his Vikings. In order for them to go home they must find the "book;" they rely on their new Viking friends to help them find it. A funny and humorous book that includes the skald, who creates many poems that describe what is going to take place in Viking terms, such as "amaze our peepers," which means amaze our eyes. The word-play makes it fun for readers to try and figure out different word associations throughout the book. A wonderful read for young children, especially those who enjoy laughter while reading. 2002, Viking, $14.99. Ages 7 to 11. Reviewer: Christy Oestreich (Children's Literature).
Best Books:
Children's Catalog, Eighteenth Edition, Supplement, 2004; H.W. Wilson
State and Provincial Reading Lists:
Garden State Children's Book Award, 2005; Nominee; Juvenile Fiction; New Jersey
ISBN: 0-670-89918-6
ISBN: 978-0-670-89918-0
Viking Longboats
Margaret Mulvihill
Illustrations by Tony Smith
Part of the "Hallmarks of History" series which uses a physical feature of the day to introduce a specific time period in history, this book focuses on the Viking Age through the unifying feature of the Viking longboat. The book does an excellent job of explaining the benefits of these amazing boats, but goes far beyond this to discuss the events of the period. There are many colorful illustrations, including a diagram of one ship being built, several photographs of museum artifacts, and a map of Viking conquests. One drawing, however, showing Native Americans in loincloths during the Viking explorations of North America, may be considered stereotypical. The book is thirty-two pages long with twelve chapters that include such information as the building of the longboats, Viking towns, family life, trading and conquests, and political structure. Each book in the series concludes with a chapter that explains what happened next; this book discusses various Viking influences that can be seen in our present society. Each book also has simplified research aids, such as an index, and a date chart that shows what was happening in various parts of the world during the time being studied. Charts and sidebars are included throughout the book where they are appropriate. The books in this series are short and contain relatively simple language and sentence structure, making them suitable for many third graders and especially helpful to older struggling readers who want to know more about the Vikings. 2007, Stargazer Books, $27.10. Ages 8 to 12. Reviewer: Sheryl O'Sullivan (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 1-59604-120-X
ISBN: 978-1-59604-120-2
Updated 9/20/07
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