The Coast Mappers

by Taylor Morrison

Overview

In the mid-nineteenth century, little was known of the west coast and waterways. The ships that sailed those waters did so at a considerable risk, sometimes depending on only a school atlas to navigate and all too often crashing into the rocks. So the U.S. Coast Survey, whose purpose was to map every mile of American shoreline, commissioned George Davidson to chart all of the major points on the coast and all of the waterways in between. In this beautifully illustrated book, Taylor Morrison chronicles the challenges and adventures Davidson and his team faced and the methods they used to accomplish this monumental, and essential, task.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780547345840
Publisher:	HarperCollins Publishers
Publication date:	04/01/2004
Sold by:	HARPERCOLLINS
Format:	eBook
Pages:	48
File size:	22 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	8 - 10 Years

About the Author

Taylor Morrison pairs his artistic talent with extensive research to bring readers engaging nonfiction picturebooks. A graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design, he has illustrated several books for children. He was born in Kansas, raised in Illinois, and now makes his home in Oregon.

Editorial Reviews

Some younger readers will find that the detailed description of the how Cape Disappointment was charted is rough going; others, with an interest in science, may appreciate Morrison's willingness to plunge into complex subjects. — Eric Nagourney

The New York Times

Gr 5-7-In 1850, George Davidson was selected by the U.S. Coast Survey office to map America's Pacific coast. During the ensuing years, he and his fellow scientists faced great danger and surmounted numerous difficulties as they doggedly sailed over rough waters and traveled through rugged terrain to record the necessary data. Creating a palpable sense of time and place, Morrison describes the frantic temperament and daunting economic realities of California during the Gold Rush, the difficulties of journeying to and working in remote locations, and the almost-hostile encounters between the explorers and the Makah and Nootka Indians. Cartographic methods are clearly explained through both the carefully researched text and the precise illustrations. In one example, the author relates how the surveyors used telescopes, star maps, and chronometers to determine the exact location of Point Conception. In another, he details how a topographer worked with a plane table and a stadia rod to map the features of Cape Disappointment. Varying between two-page paintings and smaller spot illustrations, the artwork clarifies the text, depicts the breathtaking beauty of the coastline, and adds a sense of adventure. This is an absorbing look at the science of cartography before the era of aerial photography and GPS, and at the dedicated men who risked their lives to chart the unknown.-Joy Fleishhacker, School Library Journal Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

School Library Journal

"This is an absorbing look at the science of cartography before the era of aerial photography and GPS, and at the dedicated men who risked their lives to chart the unknown." School Library Journal

"Combining applied science with history and biography, the discussion follows Davidson and his companions through years of difficulty, danger, and discomfort as they work toward their goal." Booklist, ALA

From the Publisher