Lost in the Antarctic: The Doomed Voyage of the Endurance

Happy New Year! Nothing like starting off a new year by taking a look at the worst possible things that can happen to people! Lost in the Antarctic makes that blown radiator, torn ACL, or leak in the attic seem like small potatoes. Here's to an excitement free 2019!

Olson, Tod. Lost in the Antarctic: The Doomed Voyage of the Endurance
January 1st 2019 by Scholastic Inc.
E ARC from Edelweiss Plus

Ernest Shackleton was both fortunate and unfortunate-- he wasn't able to be the first explorer to set records on either pole, but he was on three very harrowing expeditions where he could easily have died, but didn't. After losing the race to the South Pole to Roald Amundsen, Shackleton decided he would cross Antarctica from sea to sea. Unfortunately, the Endurance became trapped in the ice and had to be abandoned. Far from civilization, the men took their provisions and survived on the ice, eventually got into life boats and headed toward Elephant Island when the water was clear enough. Olson does a fantastic job writing engaging, narrative nonfiction, and readers who enjoy survival stories will love this one.
Strengths: This was a page-turner. Olson knows just what details to include to keep readers on the edge of their seats, and his narrative moves along so smoothly. If students got their hands on more nonfiction like this, I think they would like it more. There are occasional pictures and maps, but this reads very much like a novel. Olson's Lost in the Amazon: A Battle for Survival in the Heart of the Rainforest is on our 6th grade Battle of the Books list, and readers seem to be enjoying it.
Weaknesses: This whole series is so well-researched that I would love to have nice, hard bound copies for the library. They don't circulate a lot, but will be mildly popular for years. With paperbacks, evern prebinds, the paper begins to be very unpleasant after about 15 years. I know, I know. Publishing is about making money, not about making me happy!
What I really think: Definitely purchasing, and recommending to students who loved the Wallaces' Bound by Ice.