THE INDESTRUCTIBLE TOM CREAN: HEROIC EXPLORER OF THE ANTARCTIC, by Jennifer Thermes, Viking Books for Young Readers, Jan. 24, 2023, Hardcover, $19.99 (ages 4-8)
Learn about early Antarctic exploration in Jennifer Thermes’ excellent The Indestructible Tom Crean: Heroic Explorer of the Antarctic.
At the turn of the twentieth century, Antarctica is the last unexplored continent. The ice is unforgiving. It can break the human spirit. It takes many men willing to face hardship, danger, and years away from home to journey to this uncharted end of the earth. This is the story of one. His name is Tom Crean.
The Indestructible Tom Crean reveals the true stories of Crean’s adventures on the Discovery, Terra Nova, and Endurance expeditions. He hauls 800-pound sleds full of supplies, escapes from drifting ice floes, and trudges miles alone across a treacherous ice shelf. When the Endurance becomes trapped in the frozen sea and sinks, it is up to Crean and several others to go for help. They sail a tiny lifeboat through the most violent seas in the world and cross a daunting glacial mountain range by foot in order to save their fellow explorers. Tom Crean’s heroic acts of courage, perseverance, and teamwork inspire the men to keep going. —Synopsis provided by Viking Books for Young Readers
The Indestructible Tom Crean: Heroic Explorer of the Antarctic is a fantastic nonfiction picture book that is sure to spark questions and imagination.
Written and illustrated by Jennifer Thermes, The Indestructible Tom Crean is informative, creative and awe-inspiring. From the moment you open the cover and find front pages filled with facts and end pages filled with animals of Antarctica, you know you’re not only going to go on an adventure, but you’re going to learn something, too.
Through her text and artwork, Thermes captures the wonders and dangers of Antarctica. Comic-book-like panels give way to full-page spreads, creating impact and showing scale. Beautiful illustrations show emotion and movement. And Thermes’ utilization of present tense adds intensity to her writing.
The Indestructible Tom Crean is well worth owning. It would be a great resource in the classroom and lots of fun at home, as well. It’s one of my favorite recent nonfiction picture books.
Copyright © 2023 Cracking the Cover. Unless otherwise noted, all books — digital and physical — have been provided by publishers in exchange for honest and unbiased reviews. All thoughts and opinions are those of the reviewer.
