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Survival Tails #2
Endurance in Antarctica
A group of sled dogs race to survive a perilous journey across Antarctica in the exhilarating second installment of Survival Tails, perfect for fans of the Ranger in Time and I Survived series!
Sled dog Samson wants nothing more than to be part of Ernest Shackleton's historic voyage to Antarctica. He wants to feel the snow under his paws and the wind on his face as he races across the ice fields, and most of all he wants to help his humans find eternal glory as they chart the continent. His fellow sled dog, Bummer, just wants to get through the voyage in one piece. Why would he want to face down a dangerous, icy wasteland when he could stay inside his kennel, warm and safe?
When their ship, the Endurance , becomes trapped in sea ice, leaving the dogs and men with no way home, their journey becomes not about personal glory, but about survival. Samson, Bummer, and the other dogs will have to put aside their differences and band together to rescue their humans...and themselves.
With engaging nonfiction back matter that delves into the fascinating true story behind the book, Survival Endurance in Antarctica is sure to keep readers entertained as the second entry in this series of action-packed animal adventures.
Sled dog Samson wants nothing more than to be part of Ernest Shackleton's historic voyage to Antarctica. He wants to feel the snow under his paws and the wind on his face as he races across the ice fields, and most of all he wants to help his humans find eternal glory as they chart the continent. His fellow sled dog, Bummer, just wants to get through the voyage in one piece. Why would he want to face down a dangerous, icy wasteland when he could stay inside his kennel, warm and safe?
When their ship, the Endurance , becomes trapped in sea ice, leaving the dogs and men with no way home, their journey becomes not about personal glory, but about survival. Samson, Bummer, and the other dogs will have to put aside their differences and band together to rescue their humans...and themselves.
With engaging nonfiction back matter that delves into the fascinating true story behind the book, Survival Endurance in Antarctica is sure to keep readers entertained as the second entry in this series of action-packed animal adventures.
272 pages, Hardcover
Published December 11, 2018
12 people are currently reading
106 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
April 29, 2020
Don't read this review because it contains spoilers. Also don't read this review if you are too lazy to read my long, detailed review.
So, ehhhhhhhhhhh, I had a LOT of problems with this book. You may be wondering, so.. why'd you give it 5 star then. I will get into that as well.
1st. So, in the book ALL the dogs that weren't sick or already died made it home. I was super happy for that, and it got my hopes up. But, if you read the author's note, NONE of the dogs survived. They were thought to be too much of a burden than a help. They basically let 69 freaking dogs die!!!!
2nd. Amundsen. So he was the 'alpha' in the group, and nobody really liked him. When he and Samson were racing, he got too caught up on trying to win that he hurt Bummer. But when Samson left his best friend (Bummer) behind, Amundsen came to the rescue and saved Bummer. But, when the Endurance, their ship, busted, all the men and dogs were forced to pull lifeboats full of supplies hundreds of miles to get to land. But, Amundsen got sick, and wouldn't eat. Eventually he talked to Bummer about. He had worms, and later that night he died. When he died he said he just wanted a friend. Through all his Jerkface times and Pigheadedness, he only wanted a friend. And his death was probably painful as it was slow. :(
3rd. Ehhh, OH MY LORD, Samson!!! Like I feel he is too caught up in his head about being the best, being the alpha, and honor and recognition to realize his surroundings. So, I just feel like the main character was kind of dumb headed.
Why I gave it a 5 stars: Through all the bad things that happened, this was an amazing book! Full of action and adventure. I love how the author used real character names, the things that happened happened in real life. It was great. IT TOOK ME 8 DAYS TO FINISH! I HATE READING SLUMPS!!!!
So, ehhhhhhhhhhh, I had a LOT of problems with this book. You may be wondering, so.. why'd you give it 5 star then. I will get into that as well.
1st. So, in the book ALL the dogs that weren't sick or already died made it home. I was super happy for that, and it got my hopes up. But, if you read the author's note, NONE of the dogs survived. They were thought to be too much of a burden than a help. They basically let 69 freaking dogs die!!!!
2nd. Amundsen. So he was the 'alpha' in the group, and nobody really liked him. When he and Samson were racing, he got too caught up on trying to win that he hurt Bummer. But when Samson left his best friend (Bummer) behind, Amundsen came to the rescue and saved Bummer. But, when the Endurance, their ship, busted, all the men and dogs were forced to pull lifeboats full of supplies hundreds of miles to get to land. But, Amundsen got sick, and wouldn't eat. Eventually he talked to Bummer about. He had worms, and later that night he died. When he died he said he just wanted a friend. Through all his Jerkface times and Pigheadedness, he only wanted a friend. And his death was probably painful as it was slow. :(
3rd. Ehhh, OH MY LORD, Samson!!! Like I feel he is too caught up in his head about being the best, being the alpha, and honor and recognition to realize his surroundings. So, I just feel like the main character was kind of dumb headed.
Why I gave it a 5 stars: Through all the bad things that happened, this was an amazing book! Full of action and adventure. I love how the author used real character names, the things that happened happened in real life. It was great. IT TOOK ME 8 DAYS TO FINISH! I HATE READING SLUMPS!!!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 28, 2020
This book was amazing, and I learned a lot about the expedition and the people aboard through the eyes and mind of the dogs, Samson and Bummer. The only reason I gave it 4 stars, is because of the author's note. It shattered my heart. It said that none of the dogs made it back, they were just left there. :( But in the book, they all make it safely back home. Like that doesn't make sense to me at all.:(
November 29, 2020
Not a bad read. I have gotten a bit more tolerant of books that involve dogs talking like humans. This is geared toward middle grade readers. It's a fun story about adventure and survival… I picked it because I needed something lighter and to give my brain a break from the other books I've been reading that are more mentally consuming. I committed a reader's crime by not reading the first book. 😝Apparently, this is part of a three book series.
October 27, 2021
I loved how the author pays tribute to the dogs of the Endurance Expedition. It was a very exciting book to read and I was never bored with this story. The author did well with intertwining history with fiction but making it enjoyable. Really liked this book.
But for real...read this book and don't look up the true story like I did!!! The fate of the real dogs was just WAY too sad. 😭
But for real...read this book and don't look up the true story like I did!!! The fate of the real dogs was just WAY too sad. 😭
January 31, 2024
Actual rating 3.5/5
It's a solid (yet simple) book on the Endurance expedition, but not great. First of all, Samson is a pretty boring main character, he has no real arc to go through (especially when compared to Bummer or even side characters like Amundsen). I really feel his POV could've been cut with just a few alterations, or maybe he should've been a side character instead. This really feels like Bummer's story, not Bummer's and Samson's story, despite both being POV characters.
Second, the ending is way too uplifting and upbeat only for the afterword to reveal the cold hard reality to the reader: none of the dogs of this expedition survived in real life. Which is just delivered in a really curt way to the reader and especially for the younger audience can be rather upsetting.
Why would you even write a book about these dogs then in a series called SURVIVAL Tails, if none of these dogs really ended up surviving. If they really wanted to write about sled dogs surviving on Antarctica based on real events, they could've just written about Taro and Jiro instead? This just feels a bit iffy, not gonna lie.
Full review at: https://skybookcorner.blogspot.com/20...
It's a solid (yet simple) book on the Endurance expedition, but not great. First of all, Samson is a pretty boring main character, he has no real arc to go through (especially when compared to Bummer or even side characters like Amundsen). I really feel his POV could've been cut with just a few alterations, or maybe he should've been a side character instead. This really feels like Bummer's story, not Bummer's and Samson's story, despite both being POV characters.
Second, the ending is way too uplifting and upbeat only for the afterword to reveal the cold hard reality to the reader: none of the dogs of this expedition survived in real life. Which is just delivered in a really curt way to the reader and especially for the younger audience can be rather upsetting.
Why would you even write a book about these dogs then in a series called SURVIVAL Tails, if none of these dogs really ended up surviving. If they really wanted to write about sled dogs surviving on Antarctica based on real events, they could've just written about Taro and Jiro instead? This just feels a bit iffy, not gonna lie.
Full review at: https://skybookcorner.blogspot.com/20...
February 9, 2020
I did learn of the expedition and pondered the sanity of the people involved. The storyline dragged but it kept with the passage of time. It did seem to be a bad choice to focus on the dogs in my opinion and then reveal the true story in the author’s note on p234. I am not likely to give this to a kid (especially a dog lover) because the truth is overwhelming and makes you question the series title and publisher decision making.
July 26, 2022
First sentence: Samson panted, trying to stay cool as he kept pace with the dogs at the front of the pack. Each dog was determined to stay one step ahead of the others, trying to prove himself.
Premise/plot: The second Survival Tail book stars the [sledding] dogs for the Antarctica expedition led by Ernest Shackleton. It is narrated primarily by two dogs--Samson and Bummer. A third dog, Sally, occasionally pops in with her point of view. The novel opens in 1914--but their journey will not be a quick one, a safe one, or even remotely go according to plan. The ship, Endurance, becomes trapped/bound in sea ice--for months if not a full year. Ultimately, the ship goes down--the men do not. But what is to become of man...and beast...without a ship?
My thoughts: I have extremely mixed feelings on this one. I do. I've read up on Shackleton and the Endurance. And read up quite recently--a couple books this year alone. So I know very well what does happen to the dogs [and ship's cat]. It was not good...at all...especially from their point of view. So the author has had to lie for about eighty percent of this book. The focus is almost exclusively on the dogs. And so if you are curious about the human explorers...this isn't for you.
Premise/plot: The second Survival Tail book stars the [sledding] dogs for the Antarctica expedition led by Ernest Shackleton. It is narrated primarily by two dogs--Samson and Bummer. A third dog, Sally, occasionally pops in with her point of view. The novel opens in 1914--but their journey will not be a quick one, a safe one, or even remotely go according to plan. The ship, Endurance, becomes trapped/bound in sea ice--for months if not a full year. Ultimately, the ship goes down--the men do not. But what is to become of man...and beast...without a ship?
My thoughts: I have extremely mixed feelings on this one. I do. I've read up on Shackleton and the Endurance. And read up quite recently--a couple books this year alone. So I know very well what does happen to the dogs [and ship's cat]. It was not good...at all...especially from their point of view. So the author has had to lie for about eighty percent of this book. The focus is almost exclusively on the dogs. And so if you are curious about the human explorers...this isn't for you.
December 9, 2020
This book is told in alternating perspectives between 2 dogs- Samson and Bummer. The story opens up in the summer of 1914 in a large kennel in London, where they’re being kept.
Bummer is one of the smallest dogs with short, wiry hair –very different from the others because most of the dogs are big and fluffy. They're built for hard labor. Samson is one of the biggest. He’s a mutt – a combination of Saint Bernard and New Foundland, which means his coat is very thick. Perfect for a voyage to Antarctica, which is where they’re chosen to go.
This story is based off one of Ernest Shackleton's real-life expedition to Antarctica. He made 4 during his lifetime.
It was a cute story and I thought the title was clever. (The ship Shackleton and his team sail on is named Endurance and it's also foreshadowing since the story is about enduring the harsh weather and events down south)
But was it just me or did everyone else have trouble saying Bummer's name in their head? Every time I read it, I said Boomer in my mind.
Bummer is one of the smallest dogs with short, wiry hair –very different from the others because most of the dogs are big and fluffy. They're built for hard labor. Samson is one of the biggest. He’s a mutt – a combination of Saint Bernard and New Foundland, which means his coat is very thick. Perfect for a voyage to Antarctica, which is where they’re chosen to go.
This story is based off one of Ernest Shackleton's real-life expedition to Antarctica. He made 4 during his lifetime.
It was a cute story and I thought the title was clever. (The ship Shackleton and his team sail on is named Endurance and it's also foreshadowing since the story is about enduring the harsh weather and events down south)
But was it just me or did everyone else have trouble saying Bummer's name in their head? Every time I read it, I said Boomer in my mind.
October 24, 2024
This was a good book to get a tiny glimpse into Shackleton's expedition (from a fictional dog's point of view). It was a great animal adventure book for the target audience, which I would say is ages 6-10. The POV switches between Samson and Bummer, two of the sled dogs with very different personalities. It's a quick read, with fairly short chapters, that moves along nicely. There's some instances of bullying between the dogs, but it focuses more on the friendships and "found family" that develops.
There's a few illustrations throughout that add a nice touch. Overall, I enjoyed this story. 3 solid stars
There's a few illustrations throughout that add a nice touch. Overall, I enjoyed this story. 3 solid stars
January 13, 2022
Really great book! It was a really cool insight into how everyone survived from a viewpoint that most might not think about. I honestly want to read the other books in this series after reading this and the titanic one in the series. I think its a great way to give a bit of a history lesson to kids that might be more engaging then just reading out of a textbook.
January 31, 2025
My 9-year-old was assigned this book for school, so we read it aloud together. We both enjoyed following the dogs' heroic adventures that were based on the true story of the Endurance expedition. It was a good contemporary book that kept my son's attention, and we hope to watch the National Geographic documentary that describes this harrowing tale of survival in greater detail.
September 22, 2025
I literally loved this as a kid, but I reread it just barely because it’s an easy read and it wasn’t bad it just wasn’t good, it’s just a kids book which is chill and kids would like it but if your over 11 years old I don’t think you’d like it. To be fair it’s amazing for teaching kids about this event. Overall 2.5 stars.
August 2, 2021
I always love dog sledding stories
February 28, 2022
Great novels for grades 3-6. Highly recommend. The author takes historical events and re-tells them from the view of an animal. In this novel we read about an expedition that set out in 1914.
September 7, 2022
Loved it!
Read
February 1, 2026I read it bc my sweet wonderful niece picked this out for me at her school’s book fair :)
October 29, 2024
A decent YA book. Historically inaccurate in many ways, but it does have the feel of being on the expedition. The fate of dogs on polar expeditions is foreordained, and skirted in this book.
The personification of the dogs in the book is inartful. There is an attempt to write from a dog's point of view but it is superficial and fails. The dogs just become people with paws in many ways. It does not work well in the book.
The target audience will probably enjoy the book, though.
The personification of the dogs in the book is inartful. There is an attempt to write from a dog's point of view but it is superficial and fails. The dogs just become people with paws in many ways. It does not work well in the book.
The target audience will probably enjoy the book, though.
January 23, 2020
4th grader enjoyed. Great history lesson adaptation from the perspective of the animals. The vocabulary development was excellent.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews