The North Pole Was Here: Puzzles and Perils at the Top of the World [Hardcover]

Andrew Revkin (Author)

Book Description

Series: New York Times | Publication Date: April 22, 2006

The sun never sets, the air is twenty degrees below zero, and the ice is moving at four hundred yards an hour. Welcome to the North Pole. In 2003, environmental reporter Andrew Revkin joined a scientific expedition to one of the world's last uncharted frontiers, where he was the first New York Times reporter ever to file stories and photographs from the top of the world.

In his quest to understand the pole, Andrew leads readers through the mysterious history of arctic exploration; he follows oceanographers as they drill a hole through nine feet of ice to dive into waters below; peers into the mysteries of climate modeling and global warming; and ultimately shows how the fate of the pole will affect us all.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Starred Review. Grade 6 Up–This exciting book is certain to fascinate readers. Revkin, a New York Times reporter, relates his journey to the top of the world in the company of scientists studying climate changes. The informative chapters weave together accounts of his experiences and observations with details about the environment, its exploration, and scientific concepts. He recounts ancient perceptions of the far north, the difficulties faced by the first explorers, and the highly publicized early-20th-century race to the pole. He also covers topics such as the movement of the magnetic pole, extracting and studying core samples of ancient rock for geological information, and tactics for surviving extreme conditions. The work of climatologists and oceanographers is introduced, along with a glimpse at the possible effects of global warming. Shortened articles from the New York Times on related subjects appear throughout. The illustrations include full-color photographs of the author's trek, archival reproductions and photos of previous excursions, original diagrams that clarify concepts, and maps. A blend of colorful full-bleed photos with text overlaid and smaller, bordered images makes for a dynamic layout. The wonderfully written narrative will pull youngsters into the book and hold them there willingly until the last page.–Jodi Kearns, University of Akron, OH
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

Gr. 6-9. Published in association with the New York Times, this title chronicles environmental reporter Revkin's trip to the North Pole, where he shadowed a research team studying the relationship between the dwindling ice cap and global warming. Full-color photos and other images support Revkin's cogent discussions of polar history and science, but readers are likely to be most impressed by the vivid travel details; Revkin arrives armed with pencils (ink freezes), pocket warmers to insulate his laptop battery, and a cautious respect for the mercurial ice underfoot. Excerpts from theTimes tend to disrupt the flow of Revkin's central narrative, and the concluding resource listing is conspicuously dominated by citations to articles from the media giant's archives. Still, the firsthand perspectives give this New York Times series book an edge, and students aspiring to careers in field science or journalism may find their enthusiasms stoked by the extreme forms of both professions on display here. Jennifer Mattson
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 12 and up
  
• Hardcover: 128 pages
• Publisher: Kingfisher (April 22, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0753459930
• ISBN-13: 978-0753459935
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 7.9 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,546,045 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Since 1995, I've been a reporter for THE NEW YORK TIMES, covering environmental issues and, once in a sad while, calamities (9/11, Hurricane Katrina, the Asian tsunami). I'm also an author of books on the AMAZON, GLOBAL WARMING, and the NORTH POLE. In spare moments, I'm a performing songwriter and part of a fun retro-rootsy band called UNCLE WADE (www.myspace.com/unclewade).
I live in New York's Hudson River Valley with my wife (a middle-school science teacher) and two sons (8 and 15). My passions are family, music, and the truth. I write about music once in awhile. One story, on a tribute-band singer who replaced the lead singer of Judas Priest in 1997, was the basis for the movie ROCK STAR, starring Mark Wahlberg & Jennifer Aniston.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent non-fiction for kids, August 3, 2010

By 

Carey Hagan (Arlington, VA) - See all my reviews

This is a great example of well-written, entertaining, informative non-fiction for kids and teens. It's a great blend of science, history, culture, and travel commentary. Revkin gives the perfect amount of science about the North Pole without bogging the reader down. The photos were great, as were the New York Times articles scattered throughout. Very readable and attractive book.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A good read for both the young and old., June 14, 2010

By 

Christopher P. Obert (Massachusetts) - See all my reviews

I love to read anything about the poles! They just fascinate me; I mean who doesn't fantasize about the ends of the Earth? This book covers both the legends and lore of the northern most point as well as the science of the cold and white place. A good read for both the young and old.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars *'Walking on Water' takes on NEW MEANING . . . *, January 2, 2007

By 

mcHaiku "nmi" (Brown County INDIANA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The North Pole Was Here: Puzzles and Perils at the Top of the World (Hardcover)

After moving 400 yards an hour on an ice floe at the top of the world for three days, Science Writer Andrew Revkin looks down from a helicopter. He watches the icy expanses recede far below while he weighs questions and answers about global warming, and the challenge of presenting these to young readers who are often lured in other directions by iPods & computer games.

Tomorrow's scientists need to be 'shook up' and know there are still discoveries to be made; they can be the ones inventing new techniques needed to retrieve & examine rock core samples from deep below the ice. (See pictures on page 66). They can be detectives competing with the changing ice for answers to frustrating puzzles about the rising seas, for example.

The editor has used engravings and diagrams along with the latest photographs to give an impressive smattering of the history of arctic exploration. The double-spread of a lone seal on pages 100-101 should have been placed to better advantage, to help make Revkin's point about the loneliness of the Arctic where the silence is often interrupted by questions about the future of mankind. This is a excellent, stimulating book for all ages to read and discuss together.

The polar regions have always drawn explorers and it is our luck that the New York Times sent Andrew Revkin to the North to look for ways of stirring the public. We must each take an active interest and help stimulate youthful curiosity by showing the techniques used today. It is not enough to feel the exhilaration of travel without becoming responsible global citizens. In a recent interview by Gwen Iffel on PBS, Revkin cited the "slow drift" of events that do not receive adequate coverage by the media, as for example the recent announcement that the first whale species in China is now extinct. Consider also the projection that by 2040 the Arctic Ocean could be blue for the first time in a thousand years.

Already the levels of contaminates in the bodies of Inuit persons living in the North is beyond acceptable. The Pole is indeed moving . . . can we be instrumental in putting the puzzle pieces back together and work toward unity for the good of the Earth and our children's future?

We must not lose generations of the ingenuity of bright young minds to Wars and the Pestilence of mediocre minds.