Polar Regions Books

Sir James Clark Ross went from end of the world to the other in a little wooden ship (or so it seems to me, comparing the expedition craft of the early nineteenth century with the supertankers and aircraft carriers of today).

His uncle, Captain John Ross, managed some of the most successful Arctic winterings-over of his time, as well as suffering some of the most appalling privations. (Captain John Ross' operant procedure for the prevention of scurvy deserves respect and praise.) At the same time neither of these gents was perfect in every respect, and Captain John Ross' career may be said never to have recovered from a premature decision he made to abandon a search for the Northwest Passage based on a disputed sighting of a mountain chain (later found to be non-existant) that would have made northerly progress impossible.

This book presents the accomplishments, and errors, of uncle and nephew in full recognition of their human failings and failures of judgment; but appropriately credits them for their accomplishments -- which are unexpectedly significant when seen as a whole.

It also traces the history of the animosity that existed between Captain John Ross and Secretary of the Admiralty John Barrow -- a relationship characterized by sometimes truly puzzling venom. It seems pretty funny now to read about the violence and vitriol with which the two of them spoke of each other in print, and there is probably something to be said about the cultural environment then versus now; but the conflict was very real, and had very real -- sometimes tragic -- repercussions.

This book may be very profitably read either by itself -- for the entertainment and interest it provides -- or in conjunction with Fergus Fleming's "Barrow's Boys," which also provides a window on the tension between Barrow and Captain John Ross (one is tempted to say, sometimes between Captain John Ross and the world).

It is a biography that covers a remarkable span of Polar exploration during the glory years of Royal Navy expeditions. A readable and intriguing study of the careers of two of the English-speaking world's more influential Polar explorers!

Our Fragile Planet Polar Regions: Human Impacts
Dana Desonie, Ph.D.
Grade:6-12
Each book in the Our Fragile Planet series focuses on the causes and effects of climate change and human impact on the atmosphere, biosphere, climate, geosphere, the natural environment, hydrosphere, oceans, and polar regions. Each fact-filled book includes photographs, charts, and graphs along with a glossary, an index, and references for further reading. The information found in this series will engage children's curiosity and provide them with a sense of stewardship.

In Polar Regions students will read about the uniqueness of the Arctic and Antarctic, and life on land and in the polar seas. The book emphasizes global warming as caused by atmospheric pollutants. It discusses the ozone hole in the Antarctic and the future of the polar climate. As they consider measures to protect the region, readers will learn about chemical pollution in the Arctic and the effects of over-fishing and hunting in polar regions.

This thought-provoking book will make children and adults view our fragile planet in a new way. Written for students in grades 6 through 12, it could also be read by some students in grades 2 through 5. It would also be an excellent reference book for teachers. Teachers using differentiated instruction would find this book very useful.

www.edconnectionsllc.com

POLAR WILDLIFE
Kamini Khanduri
The main purpose is to inform to about Polar Wildlife many people do not under stand at gust how many different animals life in the Artic. Many of them are water animal like a land killer Wales, seals, and a walruses and that is just some of the animals. Most of those migrate during the winter because it is hard to survive in the ice-cold water. Not much vegetation grows in the Artic so the land animals must keep moving to find food.
Some of thee land animals include Polar Bears, penguins, and Caribou. Polar bears they are mammals and travel great distances to find food. Basically all of the polar life revolves around krill. Another animal ate most animals that eat krill so that is why most polar life lives by krill. I hope you have fun if you read this book.

One of Elaine Scott's true talents is taking a complex topic and making it understandable for children and adults. She incorporates a fabulous mix of history, geography, biography, and science in Poles Apart.

I loved reading this book with my daughter. The story was great and the illustrations were so lush. It engages all the senses. A book to treasure...

The Qallupilluq is an imaginary Inuit creature that lives on Hudson Bay, according to the book's afterward. This troll-like thing wears a parka made of loon feathers and is said to grab children when they walk near the cracks in the ice.

This creature was invented much like others' hobgoblins, to frighten children into listening to their parents.

This version of an encounter with the Qallupilluit comes from Michael Kusugak, an Inuit man who was raised in the Arctic. He sent it to Robert Munsch, who had stayed with Kusugak's family while visiting Rankin Inlet in Canada's Northwest Territories.

The result is a dance with some of the greater truths that transcend all cultures.

--Alyssa A. Lappen

Colorful pictures help you understand what the animals look like and the descriptions are good.

Lonnie Dupre grew up dreaming about the Artic and its people. As an adult, with a friend, he goes on a 3,200 mile journey around Greenland. Its cold and dark and lonely. Both men sometimes wonder if it is all worth it. Yet right when Lonnie feels like it's just too hard he is visited by a Raven.
The Raven is a tough bird and one from myth and legend. It gives him a stone which seems to remind him of why he was doing all this to begin with. His dreams.
The story is very short and the artwork is very simple, great for a young child interested in the Raven or the Artic, but not very detailed.

This book started as a commission from the Los Angeles Public Library for Marissa Roth to take photographs of Los Angeles' downtown. In this completed form, it combines her photographs with D.J. Waldie's words in a clear-eyed and/yet loving paean to the city.

Roth presents startlingly beautiful, stark black and white photographs of underground parking garages and murals, freeway underpasses and Chinatown neon, barbershops and street scenes. Waldie's passages are elegant and sparely poetic, from explanations of why downtown streets are 36 degrees off the true grid which rules most US cities (including much of the rest of this one) to the legend of La Llorona, with detours into the Church of Our City of The Angels and musings on the nature of downtown(s).

Throughout the book, there is an awareness in both images and text of the special quality of the light that shines over Los Angeles and the shadows it casts. It's an aspect of life here that I have not seen addressed elsewhere, which I find surprising as it ensures that L.A. can not be mistaken for any other city, especially on an autumn afternoon when the sun is low.

Altogether, the combination of beauty and information makes this book a wonderful addition to any collection of books on Los Angeles, American cities, or photography.

This is a great book!! If you live in, or are interested in visiting Alaska, be sure to read this. Then with all that is within you, attempt to check out what it says in the field. It is written by geologists who actually live in Alaska. It is great to read along with a rock and mineral identification guide, so you can more easily identify them in the field later. Buy it, read it.