Mary Batten

This exploration of the continent of Antarctica starts with a bare, frozen landscape of sea and ice and sun. It is, says Batten, "The coldest, windiest, driest place on Earth." But there's an amazing amount of life here, as readers will learn. Plunge into the ocean, inhabited by penguins, whales, and seals, and look in detail and discover the algae that thrives below the ice, including phytoplankton. The algae is eaten by krill, massive swarms that can adapt to the extreme temperatures. Then there are icefish, whales, penguins, and seals. More invertebrates can be found below the ocean, many with extreme lifespans to match their extreme habitat.

Although the continent has no human population, scientists explore and visit for short periods of time. Their experiments and research, including global warming, are covered over the next few pages along with an illustration of drilling for an ice core. The dangers of global warming are already showing, affecting both the creatures that live on this continent and the very continent itself, melting ancient ice shelves and causing rising sea levels that have far-reaching impacts on the rest of the world.

Back matter includes a map of Antarctica, additional facts and quotes, an author's note, glossary, and bibliography. It does not, I am pleased to say, imply that kids can save the planet by riding their bikes to school every day or using both sides of paper to draw on.

This nonfiction picture book is most likely to appeal to older readers. The photo-realistic art and lengthy chunks of text make it a poor read-aloud, but an excellent browsing book for kids who can either sit still and listen or would like to learn more about this mysterious continent. The art is stunning and pulls the reader into the strange world of a frozen, seemingly lifeless continent that is actually full of life and movement.

Verdict: A good title to update your nonfiction on Antarctica. While I'm cautious about buying books that reference global warming, as it's a rapidly changing science, this one is general enough that it will be relevant for several years at least.

ISBN: 9781682631515; Published November 2020 by Peachtree; F&G provided by publisher; Ordered for the library… (altro)