A for Antarctica [Paperback]

Jonathan Chester (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 4 and up | Grade Level: P and up

Where can intrepid kids find the Aurora Australis, warm Boots, and icy blue Crevasses? Where does X mark the spot, Yachts break through the ice, and Zooplankton abound? Antarctica!With gorgeous full-color photographs and informative, easy-to-read text, this adventurous alphabet book takes young explorers far away to find out what it's really like—and what it takes to survive—in the frozen land at the "bottom" of the world.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 1-3?An introduction to human and animal activities in the Antarctic. While the full-color photographs are beautiful, bright, and clear, their relationship to each letter is sometimes questionable. Many photos include more than one object, so that one of a waterfall could also be interpreted as ice, glacier, or water. Others portray unique aspects of Antarctic life, but are confusing. For example, "Nest" shows a snow petrel and chick on a rocky outcrop. Also, the photo of a large white "X" painted by surveyors as a reference point for mapping is taken from an angle that makes it look more like a cross. The typeface is clear, dark, and easy to read, but often the vocabulary is difficult and unfamiliar, e.g., crevasse, yacht, nunatak. Children may be frustrated by the use of such words as zooplankton, quad, and quest?they are briefly defined, but are not always accompanied by pronunciation guides. This glimpse of life in a fascinating area of the world lacks clarity and focus.?Frances E. Millhouser, Chantilly Regional Library, VA
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

Gr. 2^-4. Since this is not an alphabet book in the usual sense--" Aurora australis" is way beyond the primer stage--the letters are simply a linking device for photos of Antarctica that were taken by Chester during his several polar explorations. Indeed, the pictures are excellent, even showing surprising flashes of humor and fun. Antarctic wildlife and equipment used by contemporary explorers pop up in the many pictures, with each photo keyed to a letter of the alphabet and described in a brief caption. An orientation map would have helped readers locate the various places mentioned, such as Mount Minto and the Antarctic Peninsula, but even without one, Chester's book turns the frozen desert into something magical and alive. Stephanie Zvirin --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: Tricycle Press (March 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1883672732
• ISBN-13: 978-1883672737
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 8.3 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5 ounces
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,633,402 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Jonathan Chester is a veteran polar photographer. For this book, he photographed polar bears at Churchill, Manitoba, Canada. He lives in Kansas City, Missouri.