Shackleton: Antarctic Odyssey
Earnest Shackleton made several attempts to reach the South Pole in his career as an explorer, but he never managed to see it. Bertozzi’s latest, much in the same spirit of his well-received Lewis & Clark (2011), covers one such expedition, during which Shackleton and his crew spent almost two years in and out of ice packs, drifting in lifeboats, and desperately trying to find a way back to civilization. For all the peril, though, the slightly obsessive (but never foolhardy) Shackleton comes across as an exceptional leader, maintaining a positive, enterprising attitude and never losing his probably life-saving spirit of camaraderie. Bertozzi eschews all narrative explanation, relying solely on dialogue among the crew and the detailed black-and-white panels to tell the story. The snow- and ice-bound journey is the perfect match for Bertozzi’s minimal style—vast stretches of white become gasp-worthy, desolate vistas. The result is stark but effective, and it only serves to underscore the tense drama of the harrowing journey beset by seemingly endless obstacles. Perfect for fans of real-life adventure stories. Grades 8-12. --Sarah Hunter