Ice Story: Shackleton's Lost Expedition

This dramatic, suspenseful narrative reads like an adventure story-but it is true. In 1914, Sir Ernest Shackleton and a twenty-seven-man crew set off on an expedition to reach and cross Antarctica. Just a month and a half into the voyage, their ship, the Endurance, was caught fast in heavy pack ice. The men had no radio contact, and no one knew where they were or even that they were in trouble. None of them should have survived the ordeal that followed-unstable ice floes, treacherous waters, freezing temperatures, and starvation. Only the extraordinary leadership, courage, and strength of Shackleton brought the whole team safely through. Elizabeth Cody Kimmel's clear, compelling text is illustrated with photographs, taken and carefully preserved by the ship's photographer, that record the stark condition and the day-to-day activities of the men. Hand-drawn maps that show the extraordinary route of the Endurance and her crew. Bibliography, index.

"Kimmel tells the exciting story well; the riveting adventure may inspire further interest in history and exploration." Kirkus Reviews

"...Most of the important background is here, along with maps and some of Frank Hurley's extraordinary expedition photos. The lucid overview is likely to encourage readers to pursue other books on the subject--perhaps some of the adult ones Kimmel includes in her bibliography." Booklist, ALA

The elements of the story make for fascinating reading: a courageous and inspiring leader; a foundered ship swallowed by ice; a stalwart crew stranded on shifting ice floes; a final, daring-beyond-description rescue effort in an open boat through eight hundred miles of hurricane-blown seas and on foot over an uncharted mountain range.... Kimmel focuses more narrowly on Shackleton and the key members of the crew; she has chosen to forgo dialogue and diary quotes and focus on the action. The inherent drama of the tale is such that it shines through Kimmel's pared-down telling...