FILIPINO AUTHOR IN LONDON
Candy Gourlay
MEET
FERDINAND
MAGELLAN
The 16th century explorer who masterminded the first ever voyage to sail round the world and in the process revealed the other side of the world to Europeans.
Candy Gourlay is the author of First Names Ferdinand Magellan and of several books for young people.
By some strange coincidence she has a photo in exactly the same pose as Tom Knight, the illustrator. More about Candy here. Follow Candy on Instagram.
Tom Knight is the illustrator of First Names Ferdinand and of many, many other children's books. He is also the author-illustrator of the Good Knight, Bad Knight series. Visit Tom's website and find out more about him. Follow him on Instagram!
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Ferdinand's incredible journey led to the discovery of many animals that Europeans had never seen before like Sea Lions and Penguins.
Ferdinand lived in a time when Europeans went on voyages to discover the unexplored world. it was called the Age of Exploration.
Ferdinand is credited with the first circumnavigation of the world even though he did not survive to complete it. He died in a battle with an island king in the Philippines.
Ferdinand's incredible journey led to the discovery of many animals that Europeans had never seen before like Sea Lions and Penguins.
Get to know Ferdinand Magellan on First Name terms! Find out:
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How he named the biggest ocean in the world
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How he switched countries from Portugal to Spain
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How a penguin got named after him
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How he discovered many peoples whether they liked it or not
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How he became famous for a voyage he never finished
"History is a many-sided narrative ... The usual reading of this story dismisses as bit players the indigenous people whose lives were changed forever by explorers. It's high time our children are taught to read this narrative critically, ask questions and do the work to find the answers." Candy Gourlay
A replica of the Victoria: the only one of Ferdinand's fleet to survive the voyage.
Photo by Christian Ferrer
Ferdinand is part of the First Names Series published by David Fickling Books – biographies of famous and historical figures.
PRAISE FOR FERDINAND
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL
This latest entry in the “First Names” series covers Ferdinand Magellan’s life (1480–1521), from his boyhood in Portugal to his death in the Philippines. Gourlay provides plenty of engaging action scenes and historical facts but also discusses the impact his conquests had on the Native and Indigenous populations of the lands he visited ... Verdict: A modern, engaging biography that is a strong buy for classes or libraries needing to support research projects or students interested in world history.
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BOOKS FOR KEEPS:
Gourlay’s book destabilises the notion of an uncontested Eurocentric narrative and as such signifies a break from convention. It comes at an important moment for education and publishing and invites questions as to how to most effectively contextualise historical figures so as to teach a history oriented towards truth rather than glorification.
READ BEYOND THE SECRET GARDEN: THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STORY
by Darren Chetty and Karen Sands O'Connor
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BOOKWAGON:
This marvellous potted biography in the “First Names” series has spirit and humour throughout. Magellan’s legacy is examined in the light of the exploitation of the lands he ‘discovered’ ... Candy Gourlay narrates his life with skill and plenty of wry humour. She places Magellan in both the context of his own time, but also with hindsight, reflecting on his dubious legacy.
READ THE REVIEW
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