10 Books for Antarctic-Obsessed Kids

Isolated at the southern end of the Earth, Antarctica may be largely unreachable for most young explorers. But is anywhere truly too far away when you have the power of imagination? 

We're sharing ten awe-inspiring books for Antarctic-obsessed kids to add to their reading list! With these books (and a little creativity), the White Continent is well within reach.

1) Ten Animals in Antarctica: A Counting Book | Moira Court

• Ages: 2-5
• This book introduces your little learner to Antarctica's freezing environment and unique wildlife, from the well-known emperor penguins and orcas to the lesser-known blackfin icefish, while allowing them to practice their counting skills. You and your little one will surely love this book's beautiful collage-style illustrations and clever rhymes!

2) Except Antarctica | Todd Sturgell

• Ages: 3-7
• There are turtles on all continents except Antarctica, but one is determined to prove their sceptical narrator wrong. Turtle recruits other animals that are adapted to all continents except Antarctica to travel there, too. But what happens after these ill-equipped animals travel from the comforts of home to reach the frozen continent? Read on to learn more about animals that are found everywhere except Antarctica and those that are special to the region. 

3) The Indestructible Tom Crean: Historic Explorer of the Antarctic | Jennifer Thermes

• Ages: 4-8
• Tom Crean was a courageous crew member on the Discovery, Terra Nova, and Endurance expeditions during the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration (1898- 1922). He rose to the challenge of hauling sleds filled to the brim with hundreds of pounds of supplies, trudging many miles across the ice alone, and sailing across the world's most tumultuous seas in small lifeboat to save his shipmates. Learn more about trials and tribulations of being an early polar explorer through Crean's incredible story of adventure!

4) The Adventures of a South Pole Pig: A Novel of Snow and Courage | Chris Kurtz

• Ages: 6-10
• Flora the pig was raised on a farm, but she always dreamed of bigger and better adventures. After being chosen to go on an Antarctic expedition, Flora is determined to become a sled pig. But will she survive the lengthy journey to Antarctica, a bacon-hungry cook, and a shipwreck? Will she turn her wildest dreams into reality?

5) Antarctica: The Melting Continent | Karen Romano Young

• Ages: 8-12
• Take a trip to Antarctica with author Karen Romano Young and learn more about all things South of 60 degrees -- the wildlife, the environment, and the people that go there from explorers in the Heroic Age to scientists in the modern day. As the people travelling to Antarctica have changed, so has the continent, but what's changing and why? 

6) The Winter Pony | Iain Lawrence

• Age: 9-12
• Early Antarctic expeditions were assisted by animals, but have you ever wondered what they were thinking? The Winter Pony tells the story of James Pigg, a Siberian horse chosen to join Robert F. Scott's Terra Nova expedition, from his perspective. Will James Pigg and the rest of Scott's crew win the race to the South Pole against competitor Roald Amundsen? Will he survive the strenuous journey, or will he end up nourishing the desperate survivors?

7) The Impossible First: An Explorer's Race Across Antarctica (Young Reader's Edition) | Colin O'Brady

• Age: 10 + 
• After a tragic accident, Colin O'Brady was unsure if he'd ever walk again. But in 2018, he defied all expectations and did what had never been done before. He crossed the landmass of Antarctica alone and completely human-powered, even outcompeting British Special Air Services Captain Louis Rudd, in his bid to be first!  The Impossible First recounts O'Brady's 54-day, 932-mile journey across the icy continent and inspires young readers to persevere against the odds.

8) Can You Survive Antarctica? An Interactive Survival Adventure | Rachel Hanel

• Age: 10-13 
• Antarctica's harsh climate makes it the perfect setting for this "choose your own adventure" book, where every choice is the difference between your survival and catastrophe! Will you embark on a race to reach the South Pole, ski across Antarctica, or study the region's wildlife alongside other scientists? What will happen to you? How will your story end? This book will keep your tween entertained for hours as they explore the seemingly endless adventure opportunities.

9) Shackleton’s Stowaway | Victoria McKernan

• Age: 12+ 
• This historical novel tells the story of Ernest Shackleton's Endurance expedition from the perspective of an 18-year-old stowaway named Perce Blackborow. While a clandestine journey seemed like an awesome idea at the time, Perce soon faces a struggle for survival after the Endurance sank. What will happen to Perce and the rest of his crew?

10) Antarctica: A History in 100 Objects | Jean de Pomereau & Daniella McCahey

• Age: 14+ 
• This book recounts the human history of Antarctica through the stories of 100 objects found in polar museum collections around the world. Among these fascinating finds are Roald Amundsen's snow goggles inspired by Inuit culture, ice cores containing 800,000 years of Earth's climate history, and even a frozen beard! The way that the authors break 250 years of Antarctic history into bite-sized tidbits will surely keep your teens engaged and curious to know more.

Did you read these books with your child, or did you recommend them for them to read on their own?  Join the Antarctic Ambassador Facebook group and let us know!

Happy reading!