ANIMALS ROBERT SCOTT SAW: AN ADVENTURE IN ANTARCTICA

Well illustrated with acrylic paintings and archival photos, this volume from the Explorers series traces the two Antarctic expeditions of English explorer Robert Falcon Scott, who reached the South Pole with his companions in 1912, 35 days after Amundsen’s Norwegian expedition. The story may be Scott’s, but the focus continually turns to animals: his pet Aberdeen terrier, sightings of penguins and petrels, the collection of marine-animal specimens by the team’s biologist, the special snowshoes worn by the expedition’s Manchurian ponies, the brave rescue of a dog team in peril, and even the use of reindeer hide in pajamas and sleeping bags. A glossary and annotated lists of books and Internet sites are appended. Students researching polar animals or Scott will probably want to consult other resources first, though this handsome book provides intriguing sidelights on both topics. Children fascinated by both explorers and animals are the natural audience for this unusual series, which will be an asset to larger collections.