Review Detail

Leo: Dog of the Sea

Middle Grade Fiction 220

The Voyages of Magellan

June 08, 2017 (Updated: June 30, 2026)

Overall rating

4.0

Plot

4.0

Characters

N/A

Writing Style

N/A

Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)

4.0

Leo is a ratter on board the Trinidad, the lead ship in an armada on a journey to the Spice Islands and other ports of call. The men, and especially Espinosa, aren't very nice to him. They are glad that he keeps the rodent population down, but grudge him his meager rations. He finds a stowaway, Marco, on board, and has no desire to help the boy, although when he is found and threatened by the men, Leo feels oddly compelled to help him. Marco is put to work, and the ship battles bad weather, disease, sharks, and trouble with the crew. The men are frequently unhappy with the conditions on the ship, and the leadership deals harshly with any complaints or rebellion. Eventually, the ship heads to the New World. A scribe who is traveling on board, Pigafetta, keeps a journal about everything that occurs, and is friendly to both Marco and Leo. He is appalled when Magellan kills a number of natives when they land on the Isle of Thieves.When the ship lands at Cebu, they think that King Humabon will deal fairly with them, but the sailors are soon embroiled in a terrible battle. Pigafetta is disheartened after this, but Marco encourages him to not mourn Magellan, but to press on to the next journey.

Good Points

Like the other Dog Chronicle books (Darling, Finder, and Murphy), Leo covers history from a unique perspective. This is an action packed tale that readers who likes stories about adventure and fighting will enjoy. The best part is that this covers some of Ferdinand Magellan's travels. Explorers are covered in Ohio's social studies curriculum, and I frequently have students ask for more information about different explorers. The notes at the back of the book give additional information.

The descriptions of being on the boat are very vivid-- can't say it made me want to take to the high seas at all! I especially liked the historical notes at the back of the book. I sometimes encourage my students to read these first so that they will have a better understanding of the historical context.

Leo is not treated particularly well by most of the crew, but readers who love dogs will find this to be an interesting historical change. It's difficult for us to imagine a time when dogs were valued more for their ability to work than for their ability to be our friends!

This was a quick read, and the illustrations add some interest to the story. This is a great way to introduce historical fiction to younger or struggling readers who want an exciting story that just happens to teach them some important history.