THE GREAT ATLAS OF DISCOVERY

World exploration from 6000 B.C. to 1989 A.D., in chronological order with plentiful illustrative material: portraits; photos and drawings of instruments, equipment, exotic plants, animals, people, and landforms; maps (not always easy to follow when several routes are shown on the same map). The brief explanatory text touches on political and economic outcomes. The standard folks are here, plus some less familiar ancients: Egyptian, Muslim, Chinese. It all adds up to less information than a general encyclopedia, but the treatment is much more colorful. No women are mentioned; Matthew Henson, the only African American included, is described (in one sentence) as Peary's ``servant and friend.'' Attractive despite its brevity. Index. (Nonfiction. 10- 12)