In a beautifully illustrated book, Demi has told the amazing story of Marco Polo. Born in 1254 to a wealthy merchant family in Venice, Italy, Marco Polo began his journey east with his father and uncle. Traveling by foot, camel, boat, and pack mule, they faced many challenges and dangers. They escaped bandits near Armenia, terrifying dust storms, bitter cold mountains, and more. The Polo saw amazing things, such as oil that sprang from the ground and was used for light, clothes made of gold, mines filled with rubies, and strange animals. After 24 years, they returned home to a family that had presumed them dead. Throughout his travels, Marco Polo kept a journal of his travels which he turned into a book. The book, The Travels of Marco Polo, was met with derision and he endured ridicule the rest of his life. When a priest asked him if he wanted to repent for some of the stories he told, Marco Polo replied, "I did not tell half of what I saw for I knew I would not be believed." This is a wonderful story of adventure that any student would find fascinating.