WILD & WONDERFUL WEDNESDAY: The Indestructible Tom Crean by Jennifer Thermes



REVIEW

During his years as a sailor, Tom Crean served on the crews of three Antarctic expeditions. He survived hunger, freezing temperatures, bitter Antarctic storms, and the loss of animal companions. He saved the lives of other crew members on more than one occasion.  Thermes's book beautifully highlights some of the events that Crean experienced and the choices made by him and others.  Interestingly, much of the information about Crean's choices and heroics comes from his compatriots, since apparently he never shared much about his experiences himself. After a brief introduction, the book focuses on the three expeditions.  The text and illustrations blend beautifully into a marvelous account of the incredible challenges that surround exploring the Antarctic continent and the numerous ways that things went wrong on all three expeditions.  Frostbite, snow blindness, broken ice, loss of animals, and even some human deaths. What I found fascinating though was that Crean kept coming back, even after the difficulties he and the other crews experienced the first two times.  Each time he returned a higher rank than before, having proven himself over and over again.  He too, like others before him, must have found the continent an incredible draw. Thermes's lovely watercolor and colored pencil illustrations perfectly highlight the incredible beauties of the landscape. The amount of work that must have gone into the numerous and detailed illustrations is incredible. This is a great introduction to a remarkable man and the remarkable experiences he had during his lifetime.  The amount of text and harshness of some of the experiences described make the book most appropriate for grades 2 and up. I appreciate the maps, and back matter that gives additional information about Tom Crean, as well as a time line, and select sources. Another beautiful book from a great author/illustrator.

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