Interest/Grade Level: Grades 4-8

Synopsis:
While on the brink of finishing the arrangements to take a voyage to Antarctica to discover the South Pole, Jack Winslow loses his wife to pneumonia. It is 1909 and Jack feels that with the death of his wife, no one will take care of his sons. After some deliberation, his teenaged son Colin and stepson Andrew will accompany their father on the trip. It is an adventure of a lifetime and while the boys have their reservations, they go with their father and trust his judgment. Also going on the voyage is the nephew of the expedition’s sponsor, Philip. The crew includes a photographer, two doctors (a vet and general physician), a sled dog handler, researchers, several seaman, cooks, and 35 dogs with Greek names. During the voyage, Philip plots with his henchman stowaway, Nigel, to create as much discord as possible and take over the ship. While Jack takes Andrew with him on the ice, Colin stays behind to “mind the store” with Captain Barth. When Philip’s mutiny scheme goes awry, it is due to Colin’s bravery and skill that thwarts Philip’s success. Several of the land participants do not survive due to the elements. Jack and Andrew do not make it to the South Pole, but survive against enormous odds to get back to the ship. The book ends with the ship, the Mystery, stuck in the ice. If they do not escape, the ice floes will crush the ship. The story is continued in the next book in the series, Antarctica: Escape from Disaster.
Review:
With my moderate fascination of “Pole” stories, my interest was held throughout the book. The author does a good job with the story’s timeline to Antarctica, paralleling Shackleton’s journey. I think this is a great book to introduce adventure stories for middle school aged students. The only woman mentioned in the book is the wife of the expedition leader and she dies early on in the book. All of the remaining characters are male, a good example of men and boys working together for a greater good. The relationship between the step-brothers and their father during the journey is not easy but lessons are learned about trust and family. The author’s excellent descriptions of the ocean voyage and Antarctica provide first-rate visual images for the reader. The nephew, Philip, is a scoundrel at best and again, the author explores family relationships with his character. The crew goes through monumental events and while not everyone returns from the trip on the ice, it is not so disturbing as to fend off young readers. At the end of the book, there is an extensive glossary of nautical terms, a bibliography, which is unusual in young adult chapter books, and four websites where students can explore for more information about ships, Shackleton’s voyage, and Antarctica. This is a really nice bonus for the reader. ( )