"Looks can be deceiving. One woman who seems
like a cheerful librarian turns out to be the Indiana
Jones of the Ice. She's a mechanical engineer for ice
structures and is part of the South Pole traverse
team. Her job: searching for hidden crevasses. She
sometimes has to climb down into them to blow
them up so her team can safely pass!
The dream of being an explorer began when G. Neri was a young boy. He had grand wishes for a future filled with adventure and travel. It didn't happen when he was young; as a writer of books for kids, his chance came when he convinced the National Science Foundation to fund a trip to Antarctica so that he could write about it for a young audience.
It took a year of planning before he boarded a commercial plane that took him from Florida to New Zealand. From there he flew in a military cargo plane to the icy continent. It was hard to wrap his head around being among scientists whose task was almost beyond his understanding. Being there was all that he had ever hoped. What a 'strange and beautiful place' to share with his readers!
His wonder at all that he sees is shared in well-documented text and digital artwork by Corban Wilkin, that includes clear and telling photos of the author's explorations. While living at McMurdo Station, he is able to share his sightings, encounters, and thoughts on all he was seeing. His humorous comments and ability to capture the barren nature of his surroundings are informative and entertaining.
Included maps, a list of places he might visit on any day, captioned images of how to dress for the extreme cold, archival and present-day photos of the work being done, descriptions of the people living at McMurdo Station, a list of things you will, and will not, find in Antarctica, photos of the vehicles used, and a plethora of other lists will capture attention and inspire discussion.
An author's note, an impressive list of other facts about the continent, the answers to some big questions about Antarctica, a list of recommended source material, and the inclusion of films/TV and websites are found in back matter, upping the learning for those readers interested in knowing more.
This is some terrific book, and defintely worth reading.
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