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The Pole
The Pole is Eric Walters’s powerful fictionalized retelling of Robert Peary’s 1909 expedition to the North Pole aboard The Roosevelt, as experienced by a young cabin boy named Danny, away from home and at sea for the very first time. This highly adventurous tale features Canadian hero Robert Bartlett, captain of The Roosevelt (featured in Walters’s mega-bestselling Trapped in Ice), and Matthew Henson, Peary’s assistant and the first African-American Arctic explorer.
288 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2008
45 people want to read
About the author
Eric Walters
158 books909 followersEric was born in Toronto in 1957, which makes him "real old". But, as Eric says, "Just because I have to grow old doesn't mean that I have to grow up!" In his many roles as parent, teacher, social worker, youth sports coach and writer he is in constant contact with children and young adults. He draws from these experiences and feels that this helps him to capture the realistic interaction between young people—the conflicts, tensions, stresses and interests that make up their lives.
Eric began his writing as a teacher. He taught in classes from kindergarten up and his stories often reflect the curriculum that he was teaching. He always read stories—picture books and novels—to his students and this helped him to understand what children liked, responded to, and were inspired by. He enjoys the enthusiasm of his students and often looks at them to provide him with the inspiration to pursue a particular topic in both the classroom and in his writing.
Eric tries to write every day. When he has a story idea he starts with research. This could involve reading books, watching a documentary, or trying to experience the things that his characters are going to go through. This could include rock climbing or riding white water (for Stars), spending time in a wheelchair (Rebound), playing and walking with tigers (Tiger by the Tail), hanging around a tough biker bar (Diamonds in the Rough), standing out in his backyard in a blizzard wearing a T-shirt and shorts (Trapped in Ice), or traveling to Africa (Alexandria of Africa).
"The most important thing anybody ever told me about writing was to write what you know . . . and the only way to get to know things is to do your homework and research before you write," Eric stated.
Once the writing begins the story is always playing around in his head. He takes any opportunity, even if it's just a few minutes between presentations, to put things down, either with pen and paper or on his laptop.
Prior to entering teaching and writing Eric was a social worker (B.S.W., M.S.W., B.A.Hons—specialized major psychology). He worked in a variety of settings including child welfare, private practice, a mental health centre, and, for twenty years on a part-time basis as a Crisis Social Worker in an emergency department. He stopped teaching 4 years ago and left the ER only last year.
The majority of Eric's time is spent in the company of his wife, children and dogs (Lola a big standard poodle and a little white dog named Winnie the Poodle).
Eric began his writing as a teacher. He taught in classes from kindergarten up and his stories often reflect the curriculum that he was teaching. He always read stories—picture books and novels—to his students and this helped him to understand what children liked, responded to, and were inspired by. He enjoys the enthusiasm of his students and often looks at them to provide him with the inspiration to pursue a particular topic in both the classroom and in his writing.
Eric tries to write every day. When he has a story idea he starts with research. This could involve reading books, watching a documentary, or trying to experience the things that his characters are going to go through. This could include rock climbing or riding white water (for Stars), spending time in a wheelchair (Rebound), playing and walking with tigers (Tiger by the Tail), hanging around a tough biker bar (Diamonds in the Rough), standing out in his backyard in a blizzard wearing a T-shirt and shorts (Trapped in Ice), or traveling to Africa (Alexandria of Africa).
"The most important thing anybody ever told me about writing was to write what you know . . . and the only way to get to know things is to do your homework and research before you write," Eric stated.
Once the writing begins the story is always playing around in his head. He takes any opportunity, even if it's just a few minutes between presentations, to put things down, either with pen and paper or on his laptop.
Prior to entering teaching and writing Eric was a social worker (B.S.W., M.S.W., B.A.Hons—specialized major psychology). He worked in a variety of settings including child welfare, private practice, a mental health centre, and, for twenty years on a part-time basis as a Crisis Social Worker in an emergency department. He stopped teaching 4 years ago and left the ER only last year.
The majority of Eric's time is spent in the company of his wife, children and dogs (Lola a big standard poodle and a little white dog named Winnie the Poodle).
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
October 23, 2024
A fictionalized retelling of the 1909 voyage to the north pole by Commander Deary as told by a young boy from Newfoundland hired on as a cabin boy. An interesting story with some great characters.
However, not one of my favourite Eric Walters stories.
However, not one of my favourite Eric Walters stories.
July 12, 2018
I recommend this book because you get to understand more about what happened on the way to the pole and adds a certain twist to the story. It was very entertaining and action packed.
December 30, 2015
I was trying to find a good book for a young boy who loves science and I was surprised by the quality of this book. Winner of the Outdoor Book Award for 2008, in the children and young adults class, the book surpassed my expectations. I was glad that I searched high and low for it. It seems to be out of circulation. Not only does the book discuss the science of the North Pole and seafaring, but it also manages to have pretty in-depth discussions about sophisticated ideas, including the theory of evolution and faith, several of Shakespeare's plays, the culture of the Inuit, race relations, what it means to grow up into a man from a child and many other things. The book is punctuated by biblical quotes from the poetic character of Captain Bartlett on the wonder of nature and the nature of honor. Really a wonderful book for a young boy to dream with.
September 25, 2014
I rated this book 5 stars because I really liked the character's personalities and loved the adventure that was happening in the story. I was really surprised that this story was based on a true history(which really happened in real life and in history) because the story was so deep with trusting someone...My FAV book! Thanks to Eric Walters who has written with great deep thoughts! It is truly amazing!
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January 1, 2015It has been a few years since I read a Eric Walters book. When I realized, belatedly that he wrote another book about Captain Bob Bartlett, I immediately downloaded it.
Having just read Peary's account of this same excursion, I loved that Walters made sure to show each person as he did. Peary may have been the Commander, but it was Hensen, Bartlett and all the Inuit that made the whole excursion possible.
Having just read Peary's account of this same excursion, I loved that Walters made sure to show each person as he did. Peary may have been the Commander, but it was Hensen, Bartlett and all the Inuit that made the whole excursion possible.
April 16, 2015
I really liked the character's personalities and loved the adventure that was happening in the story. I was really surprised that this story was based on a true history(which really happened in real life and in history) because the story was so deep with trusting someone...My FAV book! Thanks to Eric Walters who has written with great deep thoughts! It is truly amazing!
November 25, 2008
Good ending, very informitive on who acctually reached the Pole firts
October 27, 2010
really exciting so far but it doesn't out favor my top Eric Walters book
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews