ANTARCTICA: Journeys to the South Pole
by Walter Dean Myers
Scholastic Press
ISBN: 0439220017
Ages 9-12
134 pages

In ANTARCTICA: Journeys to the South Pole, Walter Dean Myers uncovers little-known stories about the exploration of this frozen continent. He documents the history of exploration of this unforgiving, frozen landmass from the earliest expedition in 1773 led by James Cook until present day.

The author knows all too well the difficulties faced by the early explorers. The first chapter of the book is dedicated to Myers's own experience traveling north to the Arctic Circle. Ice floes cracked and groaned as they scraped against the steel sides of his ship, waking him from his sleep with their terrifying sounds. He gained a new respect for the early explorers of Antarctica who were brave enough to risk their lives in the quest to discover a new world.

Myers uses primary sources such as journals and letters to piece together a complete chronicle of the exploration of Antarctica. James Cook was the first to explore the Antarctic Circle, but he was still 1,650 miles from the South Pole. The next explorer to venture into the unknown region was Captain James Clark Ross of Great Britain. He discovered the world's largest body of ice now known as the Ross Ice Shelf. An American named Charles Wilkes was the first to discover that the Antarctic was actually a continent. A later chapter in the book details the fierce rivalry between Norwegian Roald Amundsen and Robert Falcon Scott of Great Britain. Antarctica still fascinates explorers today. In 1959 the United States Antarctic Program was established and a permanent research center was set up on the frozen continent.

Walter Dean Myers, the talented author of MONSTER, has written a fascinating account of the history of the exploration of Antarctica. From the first attempt to cross the Antarctic Circle to present-day exploration, Myers captures the excitement and drama of the dangerous expeditions. The black and white photos, maps and illustrations complement the text perfectly and add to the reading experience. I had to get a blanket while I read this book because I felt like I was exploring this desolate continent myself.

History buffs and fans of action-adventure stories will want to dive into ANTARCTICA: Journeys to the South Pole.

   --- Reviewed by Renee Kirchner (renee.kirchner@usa.net)

Back to top.