Thermes, Jennifer. Indestructible Tom Crean, The: Heroic Explorer of the Antarctic. Jennifer Thermes, Illus. Penguin, 01/2023. 56pp. Biography. GRADES 1 – 4. $19.99. 978-0-593-11772-9. OUTSTANDING.
Antarctic explorer Tom Crean comes to life in a colorful biography chronicling his experiences on the icy continent in the early 1900s. Unlike many other explorers, the resourceful, funny, dog-loving Irishman never wrote or spoke publicly about his experiences. The author instead relies on accounts written by Tom’s crewmates about the Discovery, Terra Nova, and Endurance expeditions. The well-organized, fast-paced story includes a wealth of details ranging from heart-pounding (scaling icy cliffs) to mundane (playing games aboard an ice-bound boat). Kids will pore over the dramatic watercolor and pencil illustrations, particularly the one of Tom and his shipmates trapped on an ice floe surrounded by killer whales. Fun-to-read maps are interspersed throughout the text; back matter includes an informative afterword, timeline, and source notes.
Jenny Andrus—Independent