Marco Polo For Kids

The Far East comes alive in this activity book centered on Marco Polo’s journey to China from Venice along the 13th-century Silk Road. Kids will join Marco as he travels by caravan through vast deserts and over steep mountain ranges, stopping in exotic cities and humble villages, until at last he arrives at the palace of the Kublai Khan. Woven throughout the tale are 21 activities that highlight the diverse cultures Marco encountered along the way. Activities include making a mythical map, creating a mosaic, fun with Feng Shui, making paper, and putting on a wayang-kulit (shadow-puppet play). Just for fun, kids will learn a few words of Turkish, Persian, Mongol, Hindi, and Chinese. A complete resource section with magnificent museums and their Web sites invites kids to embark on their own expedition of discovery.

Marco Polo recounts his voyage to China where he served the emperor Kublai Khan for seventeen years before returning to Venice.

Marco Polo, the first European to travel to China and return to write about his adventures, was born in Venice in 1254. Marco's father had left on a journey to Asia before the boy was born. Marco did not see his father and uncle, Niccolo and Maffeo Polo, until fifteen years later. In 1271 the three Polos left Venice and headed for the court of Kublai Khan in eastern China. The journey took them more than three years—they arrived in 1275. Marco Polo became a favorite of the Great Khan, and was sent on important missions all over the Mongol Empire. Marco and his father and uncle served Kublai Khan for 17 years. When they returned to Venice in 1295, Marco became the captain of a merchant ship and was captured and imprisoned in Genoa. While in prison he and another prisoner who was a writer of romances wrote the story of Marco Polo's adventures.

Marco Polo was seventeen when he set out for China . . . and forty-one when he came back! More than seven hundred years ago, Marco Polo traveled from the medieval city of Venice to the fabled kingdom of the great Kublai Khan, seeing new sights and riches that no Westerner had ever before witnessed. But did Marco Polo experience the things he wrote about . . . or was it all made-up? Young readers are presented with the facts in this entertaining, highly readable Who Was . . . ? biography with black-and-white artwork by John O?Brien.

Recounts the life of the great explorer who traveled more than thirty thousand miles by land and sea from Italy to China in the thirteenth century, and who was instrumental in opening up the East to Europeans.

If you want to experience that perfect day, whether you are young or old, Venice, Italy is the place to be. The people of Venice, Italy are warm, cosmopolitan, honest, artistic, and full of music and fun. This is why Penelope Dyan and John D. Weigand traveled to Venice, Italy to write and photograph Marco Polo Was Here! This is another book to add to your collection of Weigand s and Dyan s travel guides for kids; and it is clear they know what they are doing, and they know what kids like. Your child does not need to grumble about going with you on yet another trip (even if it is to one of the most beautiful places in the entire world) if your child is able to participate in the planning process. Make sure your child a part of things. Your child can go on this trip vicariously (by reading this book) or go to Venice, Italy for real and enjoy and see these wonderful people and wonderful places of interest and fun! Penelope Dyan is an attorney, writer and former teacher of grades K-12 and an award winning teen and children s book author and illustrator. John D. Weigand is a television engineer and photographer with a special talent for capturing that perfect photo; and while this book is meant for kids, it will be a welcome addition to your coffee table book collection. If you want to see even MORE of Venice, Italy, watch for Bellissima s release of John D. Weigand s Just Venice! This will be another perfect compliment to your coffee table book collection, and it will be a beautiful supplement to Marco Polo Was Here! A Kid s Guide To Venice, because it WILL BE Just Venice! through and through. Until then. . . Ciao!

Includes an excerpt from Marco Polo brave explorer.

A humorous spin on Marco Polo's exploration of Asia.