This was an amazing book full of excitement and cliff hangers. It grabbed my attention from the beginning with an engaging storyline but also lots of factual information. On this expedition Shackleton and his crew are aiming to break the record for the longest distance travelled into the Antarctic. The leader of this expedition is Sir Ernest Shackleton and his boat, the Endurance, which was named after his family motto – ‘by endurance we conquer’.
When I first saw the book I wasn’t really sure if I would like it, but when I started reading I was immediately hooked.
The focus of the story is on a man whose dream it is to sail away in a big sail boat – but he has no idea of the struggles he will face and the difficulties that lie ahead. Among all the other issues there is even a stowaway on the boat!
The new aim of the expedition is survival, with issues like toes getting amputated, falling in below-freezing water and being stuck on rations with only 20 per cent chance of survival. Do you think they will survive?
Shackleton’s Endurance is a great book full of adventure and suspense. I would recommend it for Year 6 and above because it does use challenging vocabulary.
Reviewed by Ollie, Year 6
St Xavier’s Primary School, Gunnedah NSW
Age Guide 10+
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
History and people are my passions. I don’t believe in heroes but I do believe one can always find hope in adversity. I’m optimistic about the world and about what ordinary people are capable of achieving in even the bleakest settings.
As an author, my aims are pretty simple: to tell a good story and to keep to the truth. If I can inspire readers to find out more about a particular person or place or period in history, then the effort and passion that goes into researching and writing my books is well worth it!
I was born and raised in New Zealand but spend much of my time travelling the world. I feel a special affinity with places both beautiful and austere – I love the mountains, icy regions, and the sea.
I was brought up in a family that valued a sense of adventure and am fortunate to share my life with a man who has never been afraid to cast off without a plan into the unknown. Our two sons spent much of their childhood ‘on the road’. Hopefully they’ll take after their parents and wander far and wide, open to possibility and endlessly intrigued by others.
0 Comments