(4) 4-6 Illustrated by Francis Back. The seventeenth-century mapmaker, explorer, and founder of Quebec is profiled in a somewhat sketchy text almost overwhelmed by information boxes that provide intriguing supplemental information about Champlain's era but divert attention from the man himself. Color illustrations, historical reproductions, and an inviting design lend appeal, but readers may wish for a more detailed portrait. Reading list. Ind.

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta