Raising La Belle: The story of the La Salle Shipwreck

Raising La Belle: The story of the La Salle Shipwreck © 2002 Mark G. Mitchell, author and illustrator Eakin Press ISBN: 1-57168-703-3 Since I've written a few books for young readers (fiction and nonfiction) I often pick up an interesting title for reading. Raising La Belle spans the boundaries of young reader to adult--mostly because the subject matter is not often related for any age. This book is an excellent retelling of the fateful 1686 LaSalle exploration of Matagordo Bay area and the subsequent 1995 raising and claiming the wreck from the waters. The 16th century and 20th century time frames are neatly juxtaposed give two exciting adventures relating to the same ship. This history is fascinating, and Mitchell has filled each segment of the story with tension and authenticity. Winner of the 2003 SPUR Award for best western juvenile nonfiction book from Western Writers of America