Skip to content
Cover of Spice and the devil's cave

Spice and the devil's cave

by Agnes Danforth Hewes

FictionHistoryNewbery HonorChildren's fictionMagalhaes, fernao de, -1521, fictionPortugal, fictionVenice (italy), fictionDiscovery and exploration

In 1490s Portugal, Abel Zakuto, a Jewish banker with a keen interest in mapmaking and sea navigation, encourages explorers Magellan, da Gama, and Diaz to find the elusive sea route around the "Devil's Cave"--the Cape of Good Hope--to India, which would enable Portugal to dominate the spice trade.

Writing a summary for young readers…

For young readers

Book data: Open Library