Sunken Treasure

From Publishers Weekly A readable, involving text, paired with attractive watercolor illustrations focuses on the history and fate of Nuestra Senora de Antocha. The Antocha is a 17th century Spanish galleon that sank during a hurricane off the coast of Florida. The book details the history of the wreck and the many attempts to salvage her, culminating in the successful 1985 operation that netted one of the most lucrative treasures ever found. The Antocha is only the alluring frame for the story: along the way, readers also discover a tremendous amount of information about sunken treasure, salvage operations, the history of diving, the restoration and preservation of wrecks, and much more. Gibbons also briefly details other famous treasure hunts: the Mary Rose , the Vasa , the Whydah and, finally, the Titanic. For its engrossing subject matter and attractive, well-designed package, this book reveals Gibbons at her best. Ages 6-10. Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. From School Library Journal Grade 1-4 Once again, Gibbons makes a complex subject understandable and appealing to young children; here she fills a gap in materials available on treasure hunting for this age group. Judy Donnelly has written two books for this age: True-Life Treasure Hunts (1984) and The Titanic Lost and Found (1987, both Random), but neither contains the in-depth information and attractive illustrations found in Gibbons' book. Gibbons follows her usual style: colorful, detailed, often labeled illustrations, accompanied by brief but accurate text. Here she uses mottled, rather than flat, backgrounds, giving the book a different look from her other books. The major portion tells of the 1622 sinking of the Spanish treasure ship Atocha and its subsequent discovery in 1973. Children will appreciate the difficulty involved in unearthing treasure from the sea, the cast, the specialized equipment used, and the historical significance of a search of this magnitude. Gibbons makes each step of the process a fascinating one, and the frequent frustrations are also well-detailed. The last pages of the book briefly describe four other treasure hunts, including the search for the Titanic. Finally, Gibbons includes a very brief history of diving. Librarians and parents should be prepared for many requests for further information on treasure-hunting, as this book will whet children's curiosity for more. Barbara S. McGinn, Oak Hill Elementary School, Severna Park, Md .Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.