Onward: A Photobiography of African-American Polar Explorer Matthew Henson

by Dolores Johnson Narrated by Caroline Clay

Overview

Matthew Henson's destiny was set when he met naval officer Robert Edwin Peary in 1887. An African-American son of poor farmers, Henson shared Peary's desire to be the first person to reach the North Pole. In 1909, the men set out one one of their many voyages together. They battled sub-zero temperatures, deadly ice formations, and bone-chilling winds. Many times it was Henson who saved the expedition with his knowledge of Inuit language and culture. But when the men finally achieved their goal, few people believed them. Worse still, because Henson was black, he was seen as nothing more than Peary's manservant. This exceptional biography from noted author and educator Dolores Johnson tells the full story of Henson's extraordinary life, from his humble and self-taught beginnings, to his proper recognition as Peary's equal. "The story demonstrates that fortitude, strength, and loyalty are not determined by the color of one's skin, but 'by the determination of one's spirit.'"-School Library Journal, starred review "Johnson provides an excellent volume that gives insight into the men as well as the expeditions, with particular appeal to middle school readers."-VOYA ". an excellent introduction to a man of courage and adventure who is all too often forgotten."-Children's Literature

Editorial Reviews

School Library Journal

Gr 5-8-Stunning archival photographs from the early 20th century help tell the inspiring story of the African-American polar explorer. They document the excursions of Robert E. Peary and include some of the first images captured of the Inuit people and of the North Pole. Henson was hired as Peary's manservant, though proved himself a loyal friend and worthy trailblazer in the fierce, frozen conditions at the top of the world. Henson's story is told in informative, descriptive prose based on research from ample resources. Surviving family members help personalize this ennobling biography of a deserving innovator and the only person to be awarded National Geographic Society's Hubbard Medal posthumously. The story demonstrates that fortitude, strength, and loyalty are not determined by the color of one's skin, but "by the determination of one's spirit."-Jodi Kearns, University of Akron, OH Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

Kirkus Reviews

"Our breath was frozen to our hoods of fur and our cheeks and noses frozen . . . it was a night of Plutonian Purgatory." Drawing from Henson's autobiography and other published sources, Johnson vividly chronicles the explorer's life and exploits with, understandably, particular reference to the multiple attempts he and Robert Peary made to reach the North Pole, as well as the dismal reluctance subsequently shown by American authorities and public to acknowledge his role in the achievement. Illustrated with dim, grey-and-silver expedition photos that capture a sense of the bitter Arctic climate (capped by a newer shot of one of Henson's Inuit descendants), this frank account pays tribute to the characters and abilities of both Henson and Peary. This is a more readable and visually appealing version than Laura Litwin's Matthew Henson: Co-Discoverer of the North Pole (2001). (chronology, resource list) (Biography. 10-13)

From the Publisher

"Stunning archival photographs from the early 20th century help tell the inspiring story of the African-American polar explorer. The story demonstrates that fortitude, strength, and loyalty are not determined by the color of one’s skin, but by the determination of one’s spirit." —starred review, School Library Journal

Product Details

BN ID:	2940170905706
Publisher:	Recorded Books, LLC
Publication date:	03/08/2013
Edition description:	Unabridged
Age Range:	10 - 13 Years

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