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Lost #4
Lost in the Antarctic: The Doomed Voyage of the Endurance
There wasn’t a thing Ernest Shackleton could do. He stood on the ice-bound Weddell Sea, watching the giant blocks of frozen saltwater squeeze his ship to death. The ship’s name seemed ironic now: the Endurance. But she had lasted nine months in this condition, stuck on the ice in the frigid Antarctic winter. So had Shackleton and his crew of 28 men, trying to become the first expedition ever to cross the entire continent.
Now, in October 1915, as he watched his ship break into pieces, Shackleton gave up on that goal. He ordered his men to abandon ship. From here on, their new goal would be to focus on only one thing: survival.
Now, in October 1915, as he watched his ship break into pieces, Shackleton gave up on that goal. He ordered his men to abandon ship. From here on, their new goal would be to focus on only one thing: survival.
224 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 2019
53 people are currently reading
242 people want to read
About the author
Tod Olson
19 books44 followersTod Olson is author of the historical fiction series HOW TO GET RICH, a Booklist Top Ten Series Non Fiction for Youth selection (don't tell them, but it's fiction). The first two books in his narrative nonfiction series, LOST, are now available. Tod lives with his family in Vermont and holds an MFA from Vermont College of the Fine Arts.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
January 22, 2019
This book was FANTASTIC. My son and I loved it. It was such an intense and wonderfully fleshed out story of survival that left us in complete awe. I was so engrossed in the book that it made me feel like I was part of the expedition. I know that kids and adults alike are going to love this book. It makes a perfect parent/child book club pick and one that should be in your home library. A must read for lovers of historical novels.
March 3, 2019
I loved this book! It was such a breath of fresh (freezing) air.
I've never read anything by Tod Olson before, but now that I've inhaled Lost in the Antarctic, I'm planning to hunt down some of his other books.
This is a nonfiction survival thriller about a group of 28 men who attempted to hike across Antarctica in 1914. They didn't even make it to shore before their ship got stuck in the ice. The crew was trapped on the ice for almost two years.
If you love survival stories and nonfiction, you absolutely need to read this. As I sat there reading about these men dealing with frostbite, boredom, depression, and starvation, I was amazed that any of them made it out alive.
This book is perfect for kids ages 10-14 (give or take a few years). The narrative is only 178 pages long, so it's a bite-sized piece of history that kids can easily tackle and enjoy. The author did a fantastic job of developing the story, building tension, and keeping things simple enough to understand. You won't find long, drawn-out backstories about the characters' parents and grandparents. You won't find random digressions down rabbit holes that have nothing to do with the story.
Nope. You'll find a riveting and fast-paced story that will keep you tearing through the pages as fast as you can read them.
Content: Perilous situations. Movie rating would be PG.
Source: The publisher sent me a copy of this book.
I've never read anything by Tod Olson before, but now that I've inhaled Lost in the Antarctic, I'm planning to hunt down some of his other books.
This is a nonfiction survival thriller about a group of 28 men who attempted to hike across Antarctica in 1914. They didn't even make it to shore before their ship got stuck in the ice. The crew was trapped on the ice for almost two years.
If you love survival stories and nonfiction, you absolutely need to read this. As I sat there reading about these men dealing with frostbite, boredom, depression, and starvation, I was amazed that any of them made it out alive.
This book is perfect for kids ages 10-14 (give or take a few years). The narrative is only 178 pages long, so it's a bite-sized piece of history that kids can easily tackle and enjoy. The author did a fantastic job of developing the story, building tension, and keeping things simple enough to understand. You won't find long, drawn-out backstories about the characters' parents and grandparents. You won't find random digressions down rabbit holes that have nothing to do with the story.
Nope. You'll find a riveting and fast-paced story that will keep you tearing through the pages as fast as you can read them.
Content: Perilous situations. Movie rating would be PG.
Source: The publisher sent me a copy of this book.
April 17, 2020
An incredible true story of a thwarted expedition to Antarctica. One where you keep asking yourself, "how do they come out of this alive?!" I read this out loud to my boys and we all enjoyed it.
March 11, 2019
Shackleton's famous voyage to Antarctica has been written about a lot. I've had the privileged to read some of those works. This book takes the many accounts of the voyage of the Endurance and makes it understandable for young readers. Having enjoyed his other Lost books, I looked forward to reading this one even though I was already familiar with the story. Olson does a great job of telling the story in a compelling narrative that moves along which is important for the target audience. He includes enough detail for young readers to have an idea of how hard the journey was for the participants while not getting bogged down and losing their interest. In fact, I thought he did a superb job at including important details that give the readers a taste of the hardships the men endured and the difficult decisions that had to be made. The photographs from the expedition were well chosen and did a nice job of showing the realities of the time and place. An excellent addition to a compelling series.
February 11, 2019
I really loved the narrative style of Lost in the Antarctic, how it combined the facts and details of the voyage with excerpts from the crews own diaries and journals, as well as photos and illustrations. There's even a detailed list of the sources in the back of the book. As I began reading the story, I could only imagine all the challenges the crew would have to endure, especially as their progress was slowed and they had to carve out a path through the ice to even move the ship forward a few feet. It's a very engrossing survival story that especially illustrates how treacherous Antarctica is. There's a reason that very little has been explored. How difficult it must have been to abandon their ship just as winter was approaching, knowing they would have months without daylight and their sources of food were quickly being depleted. Always in the back of your mind is the thought of what perseverance these men must have had to endure such harsh conditions. An excellent nonfiction story with just the right amount of historical details, and lighter moments of shared camaraderie where the crew is telling jokes, playing music, even pictures of the crew playing a game of soccer on the snow packed ice. I'd recommend The Lost series for kids who enjoyed reading the I Survived series of books.
August 17, 2019
I read this with my son because I wanted him to take in the story of the Endurance in a format fit for a kid. This is a fascinating story and full of life lessons.
January 7, 2019
First sentence: The ship didn't stand a chance, and Frank Hurley knew it. He'd been in the engine room with the carpenter, trying desperately to keep the water out.
Premise/plot: If you're looking for a compelling read, I'm happy to recommend Tod Olson's Lost In the Antarctic. It is an action-packed adventure story. And it's nonfiction. Every bit of this one is true. It opens with a bit of a teaser set in October 1915. Readers get a tiny glimpse of the fate of the ship Endurance before the story gets properly started--in early 1914.
My thoughts: I loved, loved, LOVED this one. This is the way I like to do bleakity-bleak let me tell you. It has all the bleak elements--desperation, despair, near-impossible odds, tense relationships--yet it stops just short of tragedy. The miraculous thing about this one is that all humans aboard the ship survived until rescued. You might have noticed I said ALL HUMANS. The animals aboard the vessel were less fortunate. The book contains a number of passages that animal lovers would find revolting.
I first read of the Endurance in Jennifer Armstrong's SHIPWRECK AT THE BOTTOM OF THE WORLD (1998). It was required reading in a library science literature class. I believe it was chosen as representing compelling narrative nonfiction for young people. I couldn't find a copy of the book in print form (all checked out), but the library did have it on available to check out on audio. It was my first audio book. It was SPELLBINDING and COMPELLING and FASCINATING. I found it unforgettable. Especially the plink, plink, plink of the amputated frostbitten toes.
I'd have to reread Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World to see how it compares to Lost in the Antarctic--which one is 'better' from a literary standpoint--but I'm happy to recommend either or both.
Original audience born circa....2007 to 2011.
Premise/plot: If you're looking for a compelling read, I'm happy to recommend Tod Olson's Lost In the Antarctic. It is an action-packed adventure story. And it's nonfiction. Every bit of this one is true. It opens with a bit of a teaser set in October 1915. Readers get a tiny glimpse of the fate of the ship Endurance before the story gets properly started--in early 1914.
My thoughts: I loved, loved, LOVED this one. This is the way I like to do bleakity-bleak let me tell you. It has all the bleak elements--desperation, despair, near-impossible odds, tense relationships--yet it stops just short of tragedy. The miraculous thing about this one is that all humans aboard the ship survived until rescued. You might have noticed I said ALL HUMANS. The animals aboard the vessel were less fortunate. The book contains a number of passages that animal lovers would find revolting.
I first read of the Endurance in Jennifer Armstrong's SHIPWRECK AT THE BOTTOM OF THE WORLD (1998). It was required reading in a library science literature class. I believe it was chosen as representing compelling narrative nonfiction for young people. I couldn't find a copy of the book in print form (all checked out), but the library did have it on available to check out on audio. It was my first audio book. It was SPELLBINDING and COMPELLING and FASCINATING. I found it unforgettable. Especially the plink, plink, plink of the amputated frostbitten toes.
I'd have to reread Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World to see how it compares to Lost in the Antarctic--which one is 'better' from a literary standpoint--but I'm happy to recommend either or both.
Original audience born circa....2007 to 2011.
November 11, 2019
I have read several accounts of the adventure of Ernest Shackleton and his crew to South America. The incredible two year story of survival and the will to live. I have even seen a very well done picture book that captured the details very well. This 187 page rendering of the story is as absorbing as any other I have encountered. You would have to be without a pulse not be fully engrossed by the events that took place on this voyage into the harshest environment on earth. Even the most hardened adventurer would be hard pressed not to be amazed by the number of obstacles faced by Shackelton to save his men from sure death.
When you think of some of the uncomfortable situations in your life, other than perhaps some health concerns, nothing will compare to the pure misery the crew of the Endurance had to put up with. Two years of unspeakable cold and wind with no hope of outside help or rescue, not to mention the constant threat that the environment they were living in on the ice could have killed them in an instance on a whim. The irony of the ship's name could not capture what took place on this trip to Hell any better. I doubt that a twelve-year-old could write this story and not have the audience on the edge of their seat begging for more.
This was not written by a twelve-year-old. Tod Olson does an exceptional job of keeping the story moving on a rapid pace. This is part of a series of adventure books under the caption "Lost" that is written for a tween to young adult audience. However, the subject material is so powerful in combination with Olson's well organized and systematic capturing of the events that it can't miss with adults as well. If you have never read about the adventure of Ernest Shackelton and his crew this is as good as any and highly recommended.
When you think of some of the uncomfortable situations in your life, other than perhaps some health concerns, nothing will compare to the pure misery the crew of the Endurance had to put up with. Two years of unspeakable cold and wind with no hope of outside help or rescue, not to mention the constant threat that the environment they were living in on the ice could have killed them in an instance on a whim. The irony of the ship's name could not capture what took place on this trip to Hell any better. I doubt that a twelve-year-old could write this story and not have the audience on the edge of their seat begging for more.
This was not written by a twelve-year-old. Tod Olson does an exceptional job of keeping the story moving on a rapid pace. This is part of a series of adventure books under the caption "Lost" that is written for a tween to young adult audience. However, the subject material is so powerful in combination with Olson's well organized and systematic capturing of the events that it can't miss with adults as well. If you have never read about the adventure of Ernest Shackelton and his crew this is as good as any and highly recommended.
March 14, 2019
I do not know how I am just learning about this series! It is right up my alley! As a huge fan of narrative nonfiction, I couldn’t put the book down, and I cannot wait to read the others in the series. What I loved about the book is it is written like a novel but is all truth! The author did a great job taking the truth of the historical event and turning it into a story that will truly suck in a reader.
And I know I am on the right track because when I went to school to talk to my students about the series, specifically to my historical fiction and nonfiction loving 4th period, there were a few kids who had already heard of, read, and loved previous books in the series.
Full review with teaching tools: http://www.unleashingreaders.com/?p=1...
And I know I am on the right track because when I went to school to talk to my students about the series, specifically to my historical fiction and nonfiction loving 4th period, there were a few kids who had already heard of, read, and loved previous books in the series.
Full review with teaching tools: http://www.unleashingreaders.com/?p=1...
March 15, 2019
I can't say enough great things about Tod Olson's Lost series. He writes with so much detail that you'd think he was present at the disaster recording everything like a journalist. His books are so good they read like a fiction novel. If you are a librarian, I recommend that you buy multiple copies of each book in the series. Trust me. Any young reader who reads one, will want to read the entire series. They are that good.
This Lost book is about Shackleton's expedition to Antarctica at the start of World War I. Since Amundsen had beaten Shackleton to the South Pole, his new goal is to traverse Antarctica from one side to the other. The Endurance becomes bound in ice for a year before it finally succumbs to pressure and must be abandoned. The men lead life boats across ice and water before finally landing at an uninhabited island. Shackleton and five men leave on an 800-mile journey to the nearest settlement, hoping to return with a rescue ship. The men remaining on the island wait, not knowing if rescue will ever come. Shackleton returns and rescues every member of the original crew. It's a testament to Shackleton's leadership that all the men survive.
Saddest part. Killing the dogs. Dog lovers beware.
This Lost book is about Shackleton's expedition to Antarctica at the start of World War I. Since Amundsen had beaten Shackleton to the South Pole, his new goal is to traverse Antarctica from one side to the other. The Endurance becomes bound in ice for a year before it finally succumbs to pressure and must be abandoned. The men lead life boats across ice and water before finally landing at an uninhabited island. Shackleton and five men leave on an 800-mile journey to the nearest settlement, hoping to return with a rescue ship. The men remaining on the island wait, not knowing if rescue will ever come. Shackleton returns and rescues every member of the original crew. It's a testament to Shackleton's leadership that all the men survive.
Saddest part. Killing the dogs. Dog lovers beware.
May 20, 2019
Caught amid slabs of ice, the Endurance groaned and creaked as it was slowly squeezed tighter and tighter. The vessel had sheltered twenty-eight men for more than a year; it was only a matter of time before she broke apart. Far from home, the only place to go was the frozen Weddell Sea – a million square miles of ice. On 26 October 1915, there was no guarantee that they would survive.
In August 1914 two momentous events happened the same week in England: Britain declared war on Germany and Sir Ernest Shackleton and his crew set sail for Antarctica. This was his third such journey, but this time he planned to cross 1,800 miles of land by dogsled. It would be a journey fraught with danger, especially since the night temperature could drop to -80 degrees and for three and a half months a year there is no sun. He selected twenty-eight men out of 5,000 to accompany him, including a longtime friend, two scientists, two doctors, a carpenter, two engineers, a storekeeper, a cook, an artist, and a photographer. Aside from the seventy dogs to haul the sleds, they took with them food, three lifeboats, film, and supplies. Upon Shackleton’s return to England, he planned to engage in a speaking tour and to write of his experience in order to pay the massive debts he accrued financing the expedition.
Part of Scholastic’s Lost series, this book opens with a photograph of Endurance’s crew and a cast of the characters readers meet in the story. Olson includes maps, a diagram of the ship, glossary, author’s note, sources, and end notes. Interspersed throughout the chapters are captioned photographs taken by Frank Hurley, the expedition’s photographer.
The intended audience for Lost in the Antarctic is children in grades three through eight, but some subject matter may not be appropriate for all readers as it involves the killing of seals, penguins, and the dogs. Yet this book is also a tale of how men work together to endure and survive desperation, isolation, and extreme conditions. Olson describes this ill-fated expedition with such vivid intensity that even on a hot day in Texas, this reader shivers. He pulls no punches, portraying the hardships endured with brutal honesty. The inclusion of Hurley’s pictures adds a realism that words alone cannot portray. Together they transport readers, young and old alike, back in time to a place few of us will ever visit.
In August 1914 two momentous events happened the same week in England: Britain declared war on Germany and Sir Ernest Shackleton and his crew set sail for Antarctica. This was his third such journey, but this time he planned to cross 1,800 miles of land by dogsled. It would be a journey fraught with danger, especially since the night temperature could drop to -80 degrees and for three and a half months a year there is no sun. He selected twenty-eight men out of 5,000 to accompany him, including a longtime friend, two scientists, two doctors, a carpenter, two engineers, a storekeeper, a cook, an artist, and a photographer. Aside from the seventy dogs to haul the sleds, they took with them food, three lifeboats, film, and supplies. Upon Shackleton’s return to England, he planned to engage in a speaking tour and to write of his experience in order to pay the massive debts he accrued financing the expedition.
Part of Scholastic’s Lost series, this book opens with a photograph of Endurance’s crew and a cast of the characters readers meet in the story. Olson includes maps, a diagram of the ship, glossary, author’s note, sources, and end notes. Interspersed throughout the chapters are captioned photographs taken by Frank Hurley, the expedition’s photographer.
The intended audience for Lost in the Antarctic is children in grades three through eight, but some subject matter may not be appropriate for all readers as it involves the killing of seals, penguins, and the dogs. Yet this book is also a tale of how men work together to endure and survive desperation, isolation, and extreme conditions. Olson describes this ill-fated expedition with such vivid intensity that even on a hot day in Texas, this reader shivers. He pulls no punches, portraying the hardships endured with brutal honesty. The inclusion of Hurley’s pictures adds a realism that words alone cannot portray. Together they transport readers, young and old alike, back in time to a place few of us will ever visit.
May 14, 2019
LOST IN THE ANTARCTIC takes you on the doomed, yet brave journey of the ship called the Endurance and its crew. Ernest Shackleton wanted to be the first person to lead a crew across the Antarctic continent. However, the ice won't give in to their desires so easily and their trip lands them stranded on the ice when it fights back.
This book is full of historical facts and shows how quickly a brave adventure can turn into a desperate search for survival. LOST IN THE ANTARCTIC is both gruesome and inspiring. Ernest Shackleton is a man who should be admired for the journeys he made in life and how he cares for his crewmen as if they were family.
The pictures throughout the book are a great touch that give us even more insight to what their journey was like. This one is a page turner and Tod Olson does an amazing job at giving us enough facts in a way that leaves you hanging on each word. My heart went out for the crew as I read and I love the glossary and author's note in the back of the book.
Final Verdict: I would recommend this to fans of history, adventure, survival situations, and exploration.
This review can also be found on YABC: http://www.yabookscentral.com/kidsnon...
This book is full of historical facts and shows how quickly a brave adventure can turn into a desperate search for survival. LOST IN THE ANTARCTIC is both gruesome and inspiring. Ernest Shackleton is a man who should be admired for the journeys he made in life and how he cares for his crewmen as if they were family.
The pictures throughout the book are a great touch that give us even more insight to what their journey was like. This one is a page turner and Tod Olson does an amazing job at giving us enough facts in a way that leaves you hanging on each word. My heart went out for the crew as I read and I love the glossary and author's note in the back of the book.
Final Verdict: I would recommend this to fans of history, adventure, survival situations, and exploration.
This review can also be found on YABC: http://www.yabookscentral.com/kidsnon...
January 3, 2019
This is another great installment in Tod Olson's lost series. The narrative structure of the book sucks the reader in and makes them feel like they're reading a story versus a traditional nonfiction book. The individuals come to life through narration, excerpts from their diaries, and artists. This is one area of history that I'm not super familiar with (I'd heard of Shackleton, but not the Endurance) and I was captivated from page one. I needed to know how many of the men survived, if any, and how they did so. My students love this series and I can't wait to add this book to my classroom library.
November 2, 2020
This series is so fascinating! I read aloud the other book about Lost in the Pacific 1942 with some students a few years back, and it always stuck with me. I plowed through this fascinating if sorrowful book in less than a day. What these poor men had to resort to is nothing short of amazing. Reader, be aware that sad misfortunes await the sled dogs at various moments in the book, which I hadn’t considered when I started it. For compelling storytelling, I can overlook that portion and award this book five stars.
February 5, 2023
I was very excited to find this book, as it is narrative non-fiction, so it reads like a novel, and grips my students as they get caught up in the adventure. I started the year reading this aloud to my fourth graders as they read along in their own copies. One of their options for research projects late rint he year is polar exploration, and several have used this as their springboard into reading other non-fiction books on the subject.
February 21, 2019
Full of action; vivid descriptions; personal – you felt as though you were taking part in the expedition. The photographs were well-shot & displayed exactly what they were supposed to show. The deprivations the men went through, & willingly for the most part, were incredible. I’d say this would be a great nonfiction book for a teen to read & esp. appealing to boys.
March 17, 2019
This is a great book written in language that makes it easy for kids to understand just how serious the Shackleton experience was. My only issue with this book is the fact that on the maps, the trails of the expedition were marked too close to the spine of the book - it was hard to follow their travels in the fold.
May 29, 2019
This book was my personal favorite because of the risks they had to take and how they survived the great Antarctic with sinkable ships. I liked how they didn't give up after the Endurance got crushed. I loved this book and I'm hoping to read the rest of the series. It's crazy how they survived for almost 2 years. I would recommend this book to history lovers
October 23, 2024
This was the third book in the series that i have read, and so far, it was the hardest. There was so much pain and sorrow, among other hardships, during this expedition that made it hard to read. It was a well written retelling, and I would recommend it. Just be warned that there are several parts that are hard to read through.
January 23, 2025
In my personal opinion, the book is very good, the number of pages is adequate for the long history told, the book is very interesting!
Ir you’re searching for something interesting I definitely think this book is a very great option! And also a great point is that the book is so clearly in the aspect of details and it’s easier to understand it.
Ir you’re searching for something interesting I definitely think this book is a very great option! And also a great point is that the book is so clearly in the aspect of details and it’s easier to understand it.
September 9, 2019
AMAZING
I loved this book it’s so amazing how they tell the story enjoyed every bit of it I started to read it at school then wanted to finish it at home so I bought this book on kindle app I downloading on my iPad OVER ALL AMAMZING
I loved this book it’s so amazing how they tell the story enjoyed every bit of it I started to read it at school then wanted to finish it at home so I bought this book on kindle app I downloading on my iPad OVER ALL AMAMZING
April 4, 2019
It was amazing to read about all the sailors went through on their voyage.
May 28, 2019
This book was really good because it talk about how animal came and why they were going to the antarctic
Read
November 18, 2019I think it was a great book. The story was amazing and it was a great thriller. I loved.
Read
December 9, 2019the books was good and i would reccomend it to a lot of people
January 3, 2020
I have read several other books on this topic. The inclusion of specific details, quotes, and photographs make this addition worthy of praise.
April 29, 2021
This book wasn't actually bad or anything I was just so extremely bored and forced to read this and as I am a petty human, alas, 2 stars
June 2, 2022
definitely an edge of my seat rendition of a battle for survival.
November 2, 2022
warmjaks seething over coldchads
April 4, 2023
Interesting
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews