ANN BANCROFT: On Top of the World

The story of the first woman to reach the Arctic Circle by dogsled: Flashing back from a crisis during the expedition, Wenzel describes Bancroft's athletic childhood and school difficulties, caused by a learning disability that was not discovered until her junior high years; her persistence in trying to become a teacher despite continuing academic difficulties; and her eventual triumph over the many obstacles on the Arctic expedition. Wenzel's straightforward presentation of this inherently interesting story is illustrated with a wealth of crisply reproduced photos, many of them in color. An effective salute to perseverance. List of Arctic expeditions; index.