Race to the Frozen North: The Matthew Henson Story
Catherine Johnson, Katie Hickey
Subjects
- Action Adventures - chills, thrills and plenty of spills
A thrilling fictionalised account of the life of Matthew Henson, the first African-American man to travel to the North Pole, from the Carnegie-nominated author Catherine Johnson. Matthew Henson was simply an ordinary man. That was, until Commander Robert E. Peary entered his life, and offered him a chance at true adventure. Henson would become navigator, craftsman, translator, and right-hand man on a treacherous journey to the North Pole. Defying the odds and the many prejudices that faced him to become a true pioneer. This is his remarkable and often untold story. Particularly suitable for readers aged 9+ with a reading age of 8.
Reviews
Race to the Frozen North explores the store of Matthew Henson, a black man living in America. He aspired to travel the sea from a young age. Matthew was abused by his stepmother and had ran away from home. He began working in Washington to earn a living. He experienced abuse from white people and knew he would have to work even harder to be recognised as an equal. Matthew took every opportunity to explore the sea and even managed to make it to the North Pole. Whilst exploring the sea, he met people from different cultures and immersed himself in them. He was the first black man to reach the North Pole, however due to the circumstances of this time period, his name was never mentioned till years later. This book is amazing and inspiration for young children. It teaches that hardships should never hold you back and to appreciate other cultures. The illustrations at the bottom of the books are exceptional to show Matthew’s progression throughout the book.
Najifa2001
I enjoyed this book a lot more than many other Barrington Stoke books. It was much better written and it made me want to keep going back to the story… It’s a shame though that it didn’t contain any photos of Matthew Henson…otherwise it does just feel like a ‘story’… 🧊
MairiG
Great story of eventual triumph over unfair odds.
Miss Upton
A dyslexia friendly , easily accessible historical fiction book based on the life of Matthew Henson. I would happily recommend this book to any Year 6 student .
MsT
An interesting re- tell of Matthew Henson's expedition to the North Pole. The adversity and prejudice he had to try to overcome and the good people he met along the way. An ultimately sad story but both my Year 6 class and I loved it. We have also read Freedom by the same author - a fascinating and edge of the seat read.
CB17
A really interesting read.
lucybray
Little know explorer whose challenges are clearly told - important contribution to diversity
lauraelizabet45
A short very readable account of the life of Matthew Henson, the first man to reach the North Pole. The format is dyslexia friendly. The author describes Henson, his travels and travails in a matter of fact way. The prejudice and discrimination that he endured throughout his life is neither glossed over nor dwelt upon giving us an insightful picture of Henson’s heroic and stoic character. A quick read for children of eight and over. A good class read aloud.
CecilyBlue
Makes you wonder how many people of colour we've never heard about in history lessons. Thought provoking story.
TL9346