Atlas of Travels and Explorers

Isabel Minhós Martins & Bernardo P. Carvalho

A few centuries ago, we didn’t know the limits of our planet and many areas of the world remained isolated, with no connection with other places. We didn’t know of the places and species that existed in other regions, neither of their peoples and cultures.

In order to to learn all we know about this world we lived in, we had to hit the road. Riding a donkey or a camel, sailing a boat or by foot – we left our homes to look for the unknown, and came back with extraordinary novelties from other places.

The travels of monks, botanists, traders, sailors or artists gave important contributions to our knowledge of the planet, and to our awareness of the existence of each other. These travellers — from all times and places — are the main characters of this book, where there will be plenty of maps and many, many adventures.

Press voices

“The profiles humanize the historical figures, revealing the circumstances of each person’s life, the motivation for their quests—not just business interests and religious demands, but also the eternal human desire to face the unknown. The freedom and courage of the travellers are masterfully interpreted by the versatility and incredibly wide range of techniques and vision of the artist Bernardo Carvalho.”  BolognaRagazzi Awards, 2019

“One more essential book for the youth, recalling the primary feeling and the eagerness to travel, in this era when you know everything before the departure. If it isn’t the best children’s book of the year, it must be close.” Pedro Miguel Silva, Deus me livro

“This atlas has beautiful maps, yes (or shall we say ‘coloured paintings and black and white drawings from another world’), but mainly it carries stories of courage and vision.” Blog Prateleira de Baixo

“An ode to curiosity, to the eagerness to find others, learn about their homes, their habits. (…) It’s not strange that the readers of this atlas will be influenced by this craving to go out and learn what’s beyond.” Sara Figueiredo Costa, Parágrafo magazine