When I was a third grade teacher, I always spent Columbus Day reading Encounter by Jane Yolen aloud to my class. What I like about this book is that (minus the author’s note) it doesn’t spell things out so plainly for the reader and listener. It allows the space to connect those dots yourself.
There’s a great round-up of resources over at Vamos a Leer if you’re an educator or parent wondering how to approach this tricky holiday.