Spice and the Devil's Cave

Ferdinand Magellan, Vasco da Gama, and other fifteenth-century adventurers spring to life in this thrilling tale of the competition between Portugal and the Venetian Republic to discover an all-sea trade route leading to the spices of India. In the Lisbon workshop of banker and navigation enthusiast Abel Zakuto, a group of intrepid explorers gather to discuss the possibility of finding a way around the stormy tip of Africa — the Devil's Cave. Author Agnes Danforth Hewes won the first of her three Newbery Honor awards with this book, which was praised by The New York Times as "e;one of those engrossing works of historical fiction whose appeal is nearly universal . . . a colorful history of a far-reaching commercial struggle and a vivid drama of individual hopes and aspirations."e; Enchanting woodcuts by Lynd Ward illustrate this gripping adventure, which is suitable for grades 7 and up and will delight readers of all ages.