Helen Thayer's Arctic Adventure: A Woman and a Dog Walk to the North Pole

Encounter: Narrative Nonfiction Picture Books

by Sally Isaacs, Iva Sasheva (Illustrator)

Take a trip with Helen and Charlie--to the North Pole. The adventures of Helen Thayer and her dog, Charlie, as they walk from Canada to the magnetic North Pole are exciting, perilous, and heartwarming. Perfect for the boy or girl who loves adventure and exploration.

Genres: Nonfiction, Biography, Picture Books, Childrens, Middle Grade, Animals, History

32 pages, Library Binding

First published January 1, 2016

Reviews

[Margaret]

Helen Thayer's Arctic Adventure is exactly what the title says. What makes this book so special, not only is it based on a true story but the messages it conveys. Helen is 50 years old when she started this trek. At first wanting to be alone she was talked into taking a Canadian Inuit Husky with her, she named him Charlie. This adventure was something that she took seriously and trained hard for. She planned and prepared. Enduring polar bears and the weather they stuck together and overcame what nature put in their path. They didn't give up but persevered.

The illustrations were wonderful, depicting the barren land with its snow and hollowing winds. Very easy to feel the elements. The colorful pages are what brings this book to life, I would recommend reading on a colored tablet or the print copy.

This story is direct and to the point, it is perfect for the targeted age (middle grade). I loved its message - that no matter your age/gender you can follow you dreams, by working hard, planning and being prepared your can do anything.

Thank you to Netgalley for bringing this book to my attention, the author herself has penned a more in depth story of this 'adventure' called Polar Dreams and sits nestled on my tbr pile.

This and other reviews can be found at justonemorechapter.com

[Margaret]

Over the course of fifteen years winter has grown to become my favorite season. It's a time when Mother Nature takes a pause, resting before renewal. Whether walking along a worn path on crystal clear, blue sky days with air so crisp you could cut it or through drifts of new snow and biting winds, my dog Xena and I would make our way regardless of what the day offered.

On March 6, 2016 the ceremonial start of The Last Great Race, the Iditarod, began in Anchorage, Alaska. Following these women and men and their dog teams traveling a course across the forty-ninth state is breathtaking. The challenge of nearly one thousand miles through unforgiving land and weather is beyond comprehension but many of them have done it for decades. At this time there are still forty-three women, men and their dogs on the trail. Thirty have completed the journey in less than ten days.

In 1988 a trip never accomplished before was undertaken. Helen Thayer's Arctic Adventure: A Woman And A Dog Walk To The North Pole (Capstone Young Readers, an imprint of Capstone, March 1, 2016) written by Sally Isaacs with illustrations by Iva Sasheva portrays thrilling moments of this milestone adventure. Attitude, preparation and determination fueled every step made.


My full recommendation: http://librariansquest.blogspot.com/2...

[Becky]

When I first opened this my knee-jerk reaction was that there were too many words on the page for it to work as a picture book. However, within a couple of pages I was really drawn in by the art and the story, so that's no longer a concern of mine.
The art is really fantastic, and the occasional difference in textual treatment is a really nice touch.
I am always super excited to find books about women doing awesome stuff, and this is a really excellent adventure story with a very lovable dog to boot. Plus the added bonus of being a true story!
I am a teacher, but the age range for this book falls below my usual sphere of interaction. That being said, I buy a lot of picture books for my sister's kids, and I have a very good idea of what works and what doesn't, at least where those particular kids are concerned. I'm hoping to visit my sister sometime soon, and if I do, I plan to read this to her kids and see what they think. At the very least I think they'll love the pictures, as they are both beautiful and exciting.
Definitely worth checking out!

[Tiz. T.]

*starts chanting* POWER TO WOMEN! POWER TO WOMEN!

YOU ALL SIT STILL WHILE I TELL YOU THE STORY OF THIS BADASS WOMAN, HELEN THAYER.

HELEN THAYER is a badass one who decided to BE THE FIRST WOMAN TO GO IN THE MAGNETIC NORTH OF THE WORLD. Which happen to be VERY NORTH where there are things like BLIZZARDS AND POLAR BEARD AND GENERAL BAD THINGS.

But does our Helen care? OF COURSE SHE DOESN'T the prepares as she should and SHE GOES ON with only one husky dog with her, Charlie.

The tale of her success is a GREAT READ for any lil boy or girl. Buy it. Give it as a gift to your cousins or nephews or nieces or friend's children and teach them WHAT WOMEN CAN DO.

*starts chanting* POWER TO WOMEN! POWER TO WOMEN!

Excuse me while I go adding this title to my personal altar of Badass Women of the World, right next to Amelia Earhart.

[Hilary]

Helen Thayer was the first woman to walk to a Pole, and this is her story. The illustrations are incredible, and almost made me feel the howling wind! I actually felt a little let down because I knew there must be so much more to the story; a picture book just can't do her story justice.

Disclaimer: I received a free copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Joanne Roberts]

Interesting account of solo trek to the North Pole. Full of danger and uncertainty. The message is pursue your dream. Don't give in to fear. Well illustrated with realistic pictures and maps. Resources in back. Touching story of woman and dog. Strong female character. Motivational.

[T]

Informative book for kids and adults alike about the first woman to walk to the North Pole. Spoiler: the dog is ok and lives a long life.

[Marissa Skrivan]

The book talks about how Helen had adventures throughout her life, but the North Pole was an adventure that would be very unique because it had not been done by a woman, alone. She was 50 years old and decided to go on another dangerous adventure. She is warned against it and as a compromise she decides to take a dog with her, Charlie. After five days Helen and Charlie see a polar bear. Charlie chases off the polar bear, and when it looks like he might not come back he does, this causes the two to grow closer. The two continue on their journey. Helen and Charlie run into a storm and are forced to stay in the same place, there is a crack in the ice, she gets a cut in her eye, loses many of her supplies, and finally on the 21st day she wakes up and sees she is almost there. After a few hours she checks and she is, she has finally made it to the North Pole. She radios back and then on Day 27 a plane comes to get her and as she looks down, she sees that the wind has already swept away her tracks.

I would use this book in upper elementary (grades 4 and 5) because it has some words that are slightly larger and has longer sentences. This is a good book to use to introduce new vocabulary to students. Many words throughout the book are highlighted and there is a glossary in the back; some new concepts for kids could include ice screws and odometers. By giving this book to students it would be good to have them reread the book, to improve their reading, and also have them look at this book for ideas. I would use this as a way to inspire students to think of an adventure they could have. This book shows students that they can do things even when there are struggles. In the book Helen goes through storms, loss of supplies, and even a scar on her eye. This is a good book to show that a student can and should persevere. I would also ask my students to do a quick write of a time when they struggled and continued. Helen’s story is a good way to introduce vocabulary, touch on topics of adventure and perseverance, and to reread because of its complexity.

[Amy]

What a great non-fiction title with wonderful illustrations! The text is written in a concise and accessible way that I think would appeal to the elementary school crowd. I can picture this being used as a read-aloud in a future program for K-2nd graders.

[Sandy]

Initially I thought this would be too wordy to hold my first graders attention. I was wrong. This true story had a great mix of adventure and facts that she found fascinating. Plus, it has a dog. The kid loves dog stories, especially true ones.

[Christina]

This book was well written but not necessarily terribly interesting to me (perhaps because I am not the intended audience, which is probably elementary school students). Good biographical information about someone I had previously not heard of before reading this book.

[Apzmarshl]

As we study Canada this rotation, this was a great book that includes exploration and the message to keep taking one step at a time. Anyone can be an explorer.
Helen Thayer and her dog Charlie walked to the magnetic North Pole when Helen was 50 years old.

[Andréa]

Note: I received a digital review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.

[Maya]

A dramatic read for a child who loves stories of adventure.

[Suzanne Rogers]

I checked this out digitally, thinking it was the full story. What I read was incredible and leaves me wanting to read Helen’s narrative! This was concise, remarkable account for children.

[Pop Bop]

A Ripping Yarn; A Grand Adventure

So, off the top of your head, how many girl-centric, non-fiction, adventure tales for young readers can you name? Yeah, I thought so. If that's what your early middle grader might like, this book is a great choice.

Helen Thayer is a real person. She really did train herself up and travelled, on foot, alone, to the magnetic North Pole. Because it was, you know, there. She braved freezing cold, polar bears, brutal winds, ice storms, and various injuries, but gritted her teeth and soldiered on. This is a gripping adventure tale, loaded with incident, (and a loyal canine companion), that never strays from its stirring "you can do anything you set your mind to" message.

The book is very well written for the target audience. It is brisk and direct, and nicely paced with scenes of danger broken up by scenes of wonder. It has a conversational and slightly gee-whiz feel, but the vocabulary and writing style are sophisticated enough that this isn't a "kiddie" book. The book is short and to the point, but it gets across the story and the message with style. (Thayer wrote her own first person story in a book published in 2002 and reissued in 2012, and that book is just as good in its way - loaded with a lot more detail and cast in Thayer's distinctive, personal voice. That might be a nice book to graduate to if your reader laps up this one.)

So, if you want a gripping you-are-there classic adventure with an engaging and gritty woman at the center, this could be an excellent choice.

(Please note that I received a free advance will-self-destruct-in-x-days Adobe Digital copy of this book in exchange for a candid review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)

[Brianna Westervelt]

As a library page (also known as someone who reshelves books), I have become quite familiar with the Juvenile Nonfiction section and its plethora of thin spines.

And among these I have noticed a growing number of narrative nonfiction picture books. To my surprise, I found they are aimed at a slightly older reader. If the subject is unusual or interesting enough — and is pulled out from among the thin spines and displayed prominently at the bookstore or library — even grownups are known to read them.

Take Helen Thayer’s Arctic Adventure. It recounts the story of the first woman to travel solo to either the top or bottom of the world. (Thayer reached the magnetic North Pole in 1988.) There are beautiful illustrations throughout this book, and her story is certainly engaging. Reading it, though, left me wanting more. Thayer's story felt like it deserved a full-length work of narrative nonfiction — say, 200 pages — rather than a picture book.

But wait! This story was already published as a 200-page book! Helen Thayer wrote it: Polar Dream, in 1994. Weirdly, or maybe not, this title was missing from the “Read More” bibliography in the back of the picture book. The first edition of Polar Dream came in at 247 pages; by the revised edition in 2002, it was down to 185 pages. I would say either of those lengths are fine for a reader ages 9 to 11 (the target audience for this picture book).

You just get a whole lot more story when your book is the length of Polar Dream — or for that matter, any of our titles at Quindaro — than from a picture book. And when the story is as engaging as Helen Thayer’s Arctic Adventure, doesn't it deserve a truly book-length treatment?

(Originally appeared in the March 2016 issue of Quindaro Press's Actually newsletter.)

[Carla]

Helen Thayer is a real person who wanted to be the first woman to travel alone to the Magnetic North Pole. She was convinced to take a dog, Charlie, but besides that she was alone. She trained herself by climbing various mountains and racing on skis, luge and kayaks. She braved freezing cold, polar bears, brutal winds, ice storms, and various injuries, but gritted her teeth and soldiered on. Charlie was her guard-dog and companion. He knew when it was too dangerous to travel and stayed tucked into the tent and protected her from a polar bear attack. This is a gripping adventure tale, loaded with situations and incidents, that never strays from its "you can do anything you set your mind to" message.

The book is very well written for the target audience. How many female centred, non-fiction, adventure tales for young readers can you name? It is brisk and direct, and nicely paced with scenes of danger broken up by scenes of wonder. It is easy to read but the vocabulary and writing style are sophisticated enough that this isn't a "kiddie" book. This is a great middle grade book, which just goes to show that picture books are not just for young children. The book is short and to the point, but it gets across the story and the message with style. The illustrations are a wonderful complement to the text to give just that much more realism and description.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Aerin]

This book was written after real-life events, and it was as delightful as it was motivational. Helen Thayer is the first woman to travel to the magnetic North Pole, and her experience sets a great example of how determination and perseverance can help a person make their dreams come true.

Helen traveled to the magnetic North Pole by herself, her only companion being Charlie the fearless dog. No matter what challenges mother nature put in her way, she fought through and never gave up until she made it to her destination.

My son loved this book, but he especially loved Charlie! The note about Helen Thayer at the end of the book was his absolute favorite, because there we find out about Charlie after the North Pole adventure, his bonding with the wolves and his other trips and experiences along Helen and her husband. The fact that he lived such a long (over 22 years!!!) life was an absolute delight for my 8 year old. Great book!

[Jonnathan Ortiz]

This book was written after real-life events, and it was very motivational. Helen Thayer is the first woman to travel to the magnetic North Pole. Helen traveled to the magnetic North Pole by herself, her only companion being Charlie the fearless dog. No matter what challenges mother nature put in her way, she fought through and never gave up until she made it to her destination.
I could use this book in my classroom for when i could be talking about the north pole and what the weather could possibly be like. The way i could use this book in my class is by doing an illustration sheet in which all students participate by drawing a scene from the book and then it can be put together and recreate the story. I would also save this book until the winter so it could perhaps snow and then take the students outside and pretend to do what Helen Thayer did.

[Gina]

I received this book from NetGalley. It's a nice chronicle of Helen Thayer's trek to the North Pole. It includes a short bio as well as discussion questions at the end. The illustrations lack detail and color. This is a good book for grades 2-4 and will provide a lot of opportunity for discussion of various topics.

[Sue Poduska]

When you go for a walk, do you usually have to worry about polar bears? Not as long as you’re not walking alone to the north pole. But that’s exactly what Helen Thayer did in 1988. Detailed and accurate illustrations help to make the story come to life and become accessible to students.

[Sally]

This is so beautifully illustrated; there's not much detail but then it is a picture book after all. I loved how Charlie the dog also got a bio at the end - he lived to be 23! :)

[Brenda]

This is another book from the Encounter: Narrative Nonfiction Picture Books Series.

As a retired elementary school teacher and elementary teaching librarian I know that getting children to read books of history, especially biographies, is not easy. This series of books for young readers gives just enough details to get children started and interested, and hopefully the desire to learn more about the subject.

I have purchased this entire series for my 3 grandchildren.