In author Candy Gourlay and illustrator Tom Knight’s Ferdinand Magellan, part of the First Names series, meet the explorer who first went around the world.

Before he led the first expedition to circumnavigate Earth, Ferdinand Magellan (1480–1521) was a Portuguese noble who loved the sea. A skilled sailor, he led a number of voyages and is known for his incredible navigation skills. Over the course of his sailing career, he faced terrible storms and mutinies but always managed to get his crew home safely. He set off with his crew to circle the globe—a trip that no other ship had ever completed. Though Magellan died in combat in the Philippines before he could complete the voyage, his ship went on to complete the first circumnavigation of the world, and he is still known as one of the greatest explorers. However, as historians today note, many of the places that Magellan “discovered” already had people living there, and his fame is one rooted in colonialism. Ferdinand Magellan tackles the legacy—both good and bad—of this famous explorer.

“A modern, engaging biography that is a strong buy for classes or libraries needing to support research projects or students interested in world history.” —School Library Journal

First Names is a highly illustrated nonfiction series that puts readers on a first-name basis with some of the most incredible people in history and of today!

The First Names series:
Harry Houdini
Amelia Earhart
Ada Lovelace
Malala Yousafzai
Ferdinand Magellan
Beyoncé
Nelson Mandela
Greta Thunberg

Candy Gourlay is an author and journalist who knew that she wanted to write ever since she was a little girl in the Philippines. Her books include Is it a Mermaid? and Bone Talk. She lives in London with her husband and her three children.
Tom Knight is an illustrator and writer. When not drawing, he can be found trying to play various musical instruments or staring out at a boat in his front garden that he wishes he knew how to fix. He lives in England with his wife, Tabby, and his two sons, Archie and Seth.