Amazing story, wonderfully told. Beautiful illustrations, muted and soft, as if we were seeing Kingsley's memories. Includes note and bibliography. ( )

This is about the adventures of a woman named Mary Kingsley. This book talks about her life and much an adventurer she was in her life. She was one of the only women to travel alone to Africa during this time and people thought she was crazy for doing so. This book would work well in a Geography or English class. ( )

Uncommon Traveler is a brief biography on the short life of Mary Kingsley. Having grown up in a lonely London household, books were her teachers and a glimpse into a different world. After the death of her parents, and end of her duties, she went to Africa to experience the adventures she always craved.
I had never heard of Mary Kingsley before but enjoyed this small glimpse into her life. The Victorian era was plagued with a sense of propriety, yet she didn’t let society crush her determination and zest to explore. I thought the quotes from Mary Kingsley herself being wound into the story was a delightful touch. With sensationalism very much prevalent in the late nineteenth century, I did wonder if some of her accounts from Africa could have been exaggerated. However, I think it adds to the charm of this biography.
I wasn’t keen on how the dreary and ghostly illustrations, that perfectly accompany the tone of the beginning of her life, never changed. With a book focusing on her amazing adventures, I was missing colorful artwork to truly engage me in her explorations.
Although she died at a fairly young age, there’s a small comfort in knowing it was while doing something she was passionate about. ( )

Uncommon Traveler is about Mary Kingsley who grew up in London, and decided to follow the footsteps of her father and travel. It was odd in the year of 1800 for a woman to travel alone, especially in West Africa where it was dangerous for travelers and locals alike. Mary Kingsley endured many dangers in Africa, but lived to tell the tale. Though it seemed to be a book about women empowerment, I still was left unsure about the power of the story. The illustrations seemed a bit dull and boring. In one part of the book, the author is very descriptive about the beautiful colors, but the actual illustrations failed to reflect the description. The author had a great opportunity to tell a story about a courageous woman who beat all the odds, and accomplished many great things that many people believed she would not, but failed to do so. ( )

Appropriate for second and third grade students, this biography tells the life of Mary Kingsley in an intriguing way. Besides using it for a read aloud, this book could also be used for teaching about biographies. ( )