Helen Thayer's Arctic Adventure: A Woman and a Dog Walk to the North Pole (Encounter: Narrative Nonfiction Picture Books)

My two boys were captivated by this book. That is no small feat. The illustrations are great and the text quite interesting. Because it is a real-life exploration story, it really got their imagination going!

This book is inspirational for people of all ages. Parents and children alike will be enthralled at this amazing true adventure story of a strong and determined woman. Well written and expertly illustrated, it is also a heartwarming tale of the bond that develops between an independent woman and the dog who accompanies her on this incredible journey. Not to be missed!

This is a wonderful story of Helen Thayer's expedition. My seven year old granddaughter enjoys the book and was looking forward to learn how Helen made it to the North Pole. She also noted how much she liked the illustrations.

My seven year old daughter chose this book for a school non-fiction project. She loves dogs, strong women, and adventures, so this was perfect. The story is great, as are the illustrations! I recommend it very highly.

So, off the top of your head, how many girl-centric, non-fiction, adventure tales for young readers can you name? Yeah, I thought so. If that's what your early middle grader might like, this book is a great choice.Helen Thayer is a real person. She really did train herself up and travelled, on foot, alone, to the magnetic North Pole. Because it was, you know, there. She braved freezing cold, polar bears, brutal winds, ice storms, and various injuries, but gritted her teeth and soldiered on. This is a gripping adventure tale, loaded with incident, (and a loyal canine companion), that never strays from its stirring "you can do anything you set your mind to" message.The book is very well written for the target audience. It is brisk and direct, and nicely paced with scenes of danger broken up by scenes of wonder. It has a conversational and slightly gee-whiz feel, but the vocabulary and writing style are sophisticated enough that this isn't a "kiddie" book. The book is short and to the point, but it gets across the story and the message with style. (Thayer wrote her own first person story in a book published in 2002 and reissued in 2012, and that book is just as good in its way - loaded with a lot more detail and cast in Thayer's distinctive, personal voice. That might be a nice book to graduate to if your reader laps up this one.)So, if you want a gripping you-are-there classic adventure with an engaging and gritty woman at the center, this could be an excellent choice.(Please note that I received a free advance will-self-destruct-in-x-days Adobe Digital copy of this book in exchange for a candid review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)

Helen Thayer is a real person who wanted to be the first woman to travel alone to the Magnetic North Pole. She was convinced to take a dog, Charlie, but besides that she was alone. She trained herself by climbing various mountains and racing on skis, luge and kayaks. She braved freezing cold, polar bears, brutal winds, ice storms, and various injuries, but gritted her teeth and soldiered on. Charlie was her guard-dog and companion. He knew when it was too dangerous to travel and stayed tucked into the tent and protected her from a polar bear attack. This is a gripping adventure tale, loaded with situations and incidents, that never strays from its "you can do anything you set your mind to" message.The book is very well written for the target audience. How many female centred, non-fiction, adventure tales for young readers can you name? It is brisk and direct, and nicely paced with scenes of danger broken up by scenes of wonder. It is easy to read but the vocabulary and writing style are sophisticated enough that this isn't a "kiddie" book. This is a great middle grade book, which just goes to show that picture books are not just for young children. The book is short and to the point, but it gets across the story and the message with style. The illustrations are a wonderful complement to the text to give just that much more realism and description.I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Helen Thayer's Arctic Adventure is exactly what the title says. What makes this book so special, not only is it based on a true story but the messages it conveys. Helen is 50 years old when she started this trek. At first wanting to be alone she was talked into taking a Canadian Inuit Husky with her, she named him Charlie. This adventure was something that she took seriously and trained hard for. She planned and prepared. Enduring polar bears and the weather they stuck together and overcame what nature put in their path. They didn't give up but persevered.The illustrations were wonderful, depicting the barren land with its snow and hollowing winds. Very easy to feel the elements. The colorful pages are what brings this book to life, I would recommend reading on a colored tablet or the print copy.This story is direct and to the point, it is perfect for the targeted age (middle grade). I loved its message - that no matter your age/gender you can follow you dreams, by working hard, planning and being prepared your can do anything.Thank you to Netgalley for bringing this book to my attention, the author herself has penned a more in depth story of this 'adventure' called Polar Dreams and sits nestled on my tbr pile.