Okay – how
many of you have actually read Marco Polo by Manuel Komroff, illustrated
by Edgard Cirlin? I know, I know – those of you who have done and
surpassed Year 2 in Ambleside Online’s curriculum have done it already,
LOL!
However,
as I am reading it with the children I am totally fascinated – enough
so that I have pulled out my “grown-up” antique version to read a little
ahead for more details.
I intrigued with the person telling about the fountain up north in Georgia
that, by my guess from the description, is actually a fountain of oil!
And the fire worshipers – how that relates to the Magi and their visit
to see Jesus – isn’t that extraordinary?! I think, even greater still
was hearing another person relate their local story about Noah’s Ark and
the tall mountain peak that the locals said it came to rest upon!
It is just wonderful to read this story. For some reason, I do not remember learning much at all about Marco Polo in school – perhaps a small blurb of some sort. Nothing that inspired me to go read more about him, that is for certain. And I was/am a history goober who if someone was interesting enough to me, yes, I would go find books to learn more about that person (thanks Dad & Mom!). I have some other stories & websites from the AO website that we will be using in the next few days. The children love tracking his journey on their maps and I think just reading 1 chapter a week of it makes them feel a bit like they are on this long journey with him.
At least they are learning more about Marco Polo than I did: Marco!...........Polo! (Splash!)
