OVER THE TOP OF THE WORLD: Explorer Will Steger's Trek Across the Arctic

by Will & Jon Bowermaster Steger ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 1, 1997

Steger (for adults, Crossing Antarctica, 1992) recounts how, in 1995, he set out with 2 women, 4 men, 33 dogs, and 2 tons of gear to cross the ice-covered Arctic Ocean in this real-life adventure story. Teachers of geography and earth science will want to grab this text, packed with fullcolor photos of the Arctic landscape, the dog sleds, and team members in their elaborate gear, performing the many tasks necessary for their daily existence in a sub-zero environment. Steger's voyage, told in journal form, is straightforward but dramatic: Adversity confronted the group early on, when a sled broke through the ice and nearly drowned a team of dogs. Subsequently, one of the seasoned explorers resigned, and the remaining members of the group were forced to reassign responsibilities, reduce the number of sleds, and accept a 300-mile airlift over unstable ice. Steger's narrative shows that while the team charted their position with computers, communicated with classrooms around the world via a satellite uplink to the Internet, and wore clothing spun from space-age fiber, it was their physical stamina, knowledge of their dog teams, and their ability to work together that ultimately led to their success. The whole project is inspiring and readers will find that it's worthwhile to get acquainted with this band of intrepid and remarkable people.

Pub Date: Feb. 1, 1997

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: 64

Publisher: Scholastic

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 1997

Categories: CHILDREN'S