Race to the Bottom of the Earth: Surviving Antarctica

by Rebecca E.F. Barone

A nonfiction book for young readers chronicling two treacherous, groundbreaking expeditions to the South Pole—and includes photos of the Antarctic landscape.

In 1910, Captain Robert Scott prepared his crew for a trip that no one had ever completed: a journey to the South Pole. He vowed to get there any way he could, even if it meant looking death in the eye. Then, not long before he set out, another intrepid explorer, Roald Amundsen, set his sights on the same goal. Suddenly two teams were vying to be the first to make history—what was to be an expedition had become a perilous race.

In 2018, Captain Louis Rudd readied himself for a similarly grueling task: the first unaided, unsupported solo crossing of treacherous Antarctica. But little did he know that athlete Colin O’Brady was training for the same trek—and he was determined to beat Louis to the finish line.

Genres: Nonfiction, Middle Grade, Adventure, History, Childrens, Nature, Historical

272 pages, Hardcover

Published January 5, 2021

About the author

As an engineer, Rebecca E. F. Barone has worked on projects ranging from injury analysis for the NFL to engine calibration for hybrid cars. Realizing her love for books in addition to numbers, she now describes the world with words rather than equations.

Reviews

[Rowan :) · Rating 3 out of 5]

"‘We are the stories we tell ourselves.’"

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*

Genre: Middle grade, nonfiction, history 🏫🌿📜

Content Warnings:🚨Animal death (dogs and horses), animal abuse, suicide🚨

•❅──────✧❅✦❅✧──────❅•

A couple things:
1. both people I wanted to win won. yayyy
2. I liked how it it was set up and worded in ways so that people like me who don’t know anything about this subject can understand
3. we could’ve done without the dog death and slaughtering. Multiple times. Now I’m sad.

[Andrea Cox · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was fantastic. It featured several different journeys to Antarctica, and it was written in a way that brought each of them to vivid picture in my mind. I felt the cold. I grieved at the losses the men faced along the way. It was a treacherous journey these brave men faced, and I’m glad the author has shared their stories. I enjoyed learning about them and hope others will too.

[Hoover Public Library Kids and Teens · Rating 4 out of 5]

This riveting nonfiction compares two epic races across Antarctica -- the 1910 race between Scott and Amundsen to the South Pole and the 2018 race between Redd and O'Brady to complete the first unaided, unsupported solo crossing of the continent.

[Christy Gould · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating. I knew the Amundsen/Scott race from the early 1900s, but knew nothing about the 2018 race across Antarctica. It’s a young adult book, but the content is appropriate for younger kids. And because it’s a YA book, the last chapter or two of the fallout with news media and ever-changing social opinions was informative without being pedantic. Highly recommended.

[DoRena · Rating 4 out of 5]

I checked this out from the library for my daughter, but was intrigued enough to also read it myself. Though it is a juvenile nonfiction, it didn't seem oversimplified and was informative and interesting as an adult. All of the journeys chronicled here and the stories of these men fascinate me. The desire to spend any time in a polar environment is completely foreign to me, and it was fun to mentally share a wee bit of their experience, from my cozy couch.

[Kris · Rating 5 out of 5]

An inspiring and arresting story of 4 Antarctic expeditions. Amundsen and Scott in early 1900s and then two modern explorers in the present day. The endurance and the luck that was required for survival is astounding.

[Laurie Hnatiuk · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Edelweis+ and the publisher for an eARC copy of this book.

Race to the Bottom of the Earth was my first book of 2021, and what a DEBUT read! It was surprising how little I knew about Antarctica and its exploration of this continent, and I suspect that many middle-grade readers will be similar. The format that author Rebecca E.F. Barone chose by alternating the different eras, trips and types of explorations is appealing and keeps you turning the pages to find out what will happen next.

The book covers the initial team race to the South Pole by explorers by Captain Robert Scott and his crew from England versus Roald Amundsen and his group from Norway set in the early 1900s. The second race is an individual competition set in 2018 by adventurist Colin O'Brady and Captain Louis Rudd to be the first to travel solo across the continent.

Ms. Barone has divided the book into three sections; The Set-Up, The Race, and Epilogue followed by Bibliography and Endnotes. Each section alternates between the competitors; Amundsen/Scott and O'Brady/Rudd. Presented this way kept me racing to find out what would happen next. Perhaps this was my lack of knowledge about the individuals and Antarctica in general, but talking with others more familiar and read the book found the story enjoyable. I am not sure what the final images look like having an eARC, but I did appreciate having the maps to see the path and know the photos will also help readers appreciate the conditions these men experienced.

As a retired educator, there are numerous ways one could use this story; research and primary sources, author's craft, comparing and contrasting between the two different eras and engagement. The realities exposed and perseverance from all the individuals who were part of the trips would also fit into many middle-grade themes. I found that I wanted to find out more and searched on the side. Now I have Alfred Lansing's Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Journey narrated by Simon Prebble to enjoy and further my learning.

Released on January 5th, be sure to add this nonfiction title to your purchases and TBR piles!

[Kathie · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a remarkable read!

I've always been interested in polar exploration, especially since living in a small community in the High Arctic. The history behind the search for the Northwest Passage and surviving the harsh, stark and barren land that I only experienced with modern day comforts fascinates me. So when I saw this book I knew I had to read it and see what adventures were like at the opposite end of the world.

This nonfiction book for young readers book is told from the perspectives of two races separated by over a hundred years. Captain Robert Scott and Roald Amudsen each manned expeditions to the South Pole in 1910, with the intention to be the first to reach the South Pole. Captain Louis Rudd and Cody O'Brady each set off to be the first to complete an unaided, unsupported solo crossing of Antartica in 2018. With in depth and extensive research, including photographs, these four journeys are brought to life and show the reader the dangers, challenges, obstacles, losses, and triumphs faced by the individuals involved in journeying across this unforgiving landscape. Both races involved extreme endurance, and though technology made the modern day race different in many ways, it was no less a feat to return to tell the tale (spoiler alert: not everyone was lucky enough to survive).

I found it difficult to put this book down, and I loved how the modern day story helped bring a relatability that will keep many young readers hooked. I enjoyed learning about the geography and landscape, especially phenomenon such as sastrugi which is snow that's been sculpted by wind, and crevices that complicated travel for humans and animals alike. The treatment of animals used in the early 1900s will be difficult for some readers, but the reality of what was required for survival is truthful.

I highly recommend this story, and hope to read more from the author in the future.

[Terry Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the way this was organized and written. Great adventure!

[Noah Crocker · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found the cuts from perspective to perspective a bit off-putting; otherwise it was interesting and a tad anti-climactic.

[Becky B · Rating 4 out of 5]

A look at the 2018 efforts of Colin O'Brady and Lou Rudd to cross the Antarctica landmass unassisted. Every other chapter, the book also looks at the Roald Amundsen and Captain Robert Scott expeditions to be the first to the South Pole in 1910. The juxtaposition of the two challenges, over a century apart, reveals timeless challenges of surviving in Antarctica and getting anywhere in the cold, inhospitable climate.

I've read the YA adaptation of O'Brady's book, Impossible First so I had heard some of this story from his perspective. It was vey interesting to read it presented from a 3rd party perspective. Lou Rudd continually insisted he never saw it as a race (he planned and announced his trip long before O'Brady announced his), he was making an effort to honor a mentor who died trying to complete the same challenge. In O'Brady's book it seemed much more like a competition, and it is obvious that's how he viewed it. The race to be the first to the South Pole was in a sense a competition, but like the Rudd/O'Brady circumstance, Scott was planning and announced his trip long before Amundsen did. It was very interesting to see the difference in planning, preparation, experience, and leadership that made Amundsen's journey a success and Scott's a tragedy. I have absolutely no desire to ever trek across any part of Antarctica. Brrrr! But this was fascinatingly and engagingly written. I couldn't put it down, even though I knew how everything turned out already. Highly recommended to nonfiction fans, true survival story fans, and fans of feats of human strength/ingenuity/grit.

Notes on content:
Language: None that I remember
Sexual content: None
Violence: The 1910 expeditions both killed ponies and dogs on their treks to conserve resources and provide more meat. Injuries in members of Scott's crew are related (the gore is kept to a minimum). Deaths among members of Scott's crew are related. O'Brady's burn injury pre-trek is only minimally described. Death of Rudd's mentor in a failed effort to cross Antarctica is talked about. Amundsen's eventual death in a plane crash is mentioned.
Ethnic diversity: Amundsen and his crew were Norwegian, Scott and his crew were primarily British, Rudd is British, O'Brady is American, Amundsen learned polar survival tips and tricks from Inuit people he befriended during a Northwest Passage search
GBLTQ+ content: None
Other: Celebratory champagne is served Rudd & O'Brady at one point. O'Brady talks about meditation techniques he likes to use.

[Sandy Brehl · Rating 5 out of 5]

This account of four different adventure/challenges involving Antarctica was a compelling read, made more so by the structure of the content and narratives. Concurrent efforts are compared, one set in 1911 (Amundsen's and Scott's drive to each the magnet South Pole) and the other set in 2018 (as personal/ideological challenges to cross the Antarctic landmass from coast to coast, as unsupported individual efforts). This alternating narrative welcomes comparisons and also reveals the stark reality that technology, communication, and knowledge of that continent have changed drastically across a full century and more, but the continent itself changes on a more glacial pace, no pubnnintended.
The text is detailed and intense, offering excellent content for adult readers but remaining readable and worthy for teens.
Back matter sites direct quotations, and a thorough index makes this an excellent reference source. The chronological and clearly labeled alternating chapters in the table of contents produces an excellent mindset as the reader begins this journey through time and travel.
This offers one of those strange reading experiences in which the outcome is known and well-documented before the cover is cracked, and yet the narrative is as page-turning and powerfully engaging as the most compelling of suspense novels.

[Carin · Rating 4 out of 5]

In 1910, Robert Scott and Roald Amundsen raced to see who could get to the South Pole first. Both were intrepid explorers. Both lamented they were at the end of the age of discovery, when there was little left unexplored. So Antarctica became their last stand, the last place on earth still unseen by human eyes. Their equipment was rudimentary--although I was impressed that Scott had three transports of a sort made, which used tracks like a tank instead of tires for traversing the ice, even if they broke down frequently (and permanently, after not a very long run.)

In 2018, Colin O'Brady and Louis Rudd competed to see who could be the first to travel to the South Pole completely unaided by other humans, at least after their initial preparations. They had a lot of technology--from satellite phones to ultra-light tents and sledges. Since we can no longer discover new lands, the adventurous sorts have to come up with new ways to test their own limits and the boundaries of the possible.

Neither competition was intentional--they were both coincidental. The first one ended tragically. The second one began with a tragedy. And both show that no matter how well you prepare, sometimes Mother Earth has other ideas for you. A fantastic pair of tales of struggle, science, and a lot of ice.

[Michelle Adamo #EmptyNestReader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two exciting stories of two separate, groundbreaking attempts to reach the South Pole in one book. Four separate expeditions, one involving 2 men in 1910, the other involving 2 different men in 2018. All expeditions were dangerous and life-threatening.

Wanting to be the first to reach the South Pole, Captain Robert Scott led his team on an expedition across Antartica in 1910. He wasn’t aware that, Roald Amundsen departed at the same time, with the exact same goal.

In 2018, Captain Louis Rudd hoped to be the first man to complete a solo crossing of Antartica, completely unaided. He was unaware that another man, Colin O’Brady, an athlete, was training to do the same. Both men planned to race alone, without stopping to resupply.

A story of survival, adventure, grit and tragedy as 4 men, in two separate eras, competed to be the first to traverse Antartica. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I read this as an audio book but recommend that future readers choose a hardcopy in order to to enjoy the photos and maps.

#emptynestreader #instagram #RacetotheBottomoftheEarth #RebeccaEFBarone #nonfiction #YoungAdult #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookstagramalabama #NovemberReads #bookstagrammichigan #bookreviews #bookreviewer #bookrecommendations #NonFictionNovember #readalittlelearnalittlelivealittle #EmptyNestReaderAudioBooks🎧

[Elna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Centuries apart, two pairs of explorers find themselves in a race against each other to be first: Scott and Amundsen, to be the first to reach the South Pole, and O'Brady and Rudd, to be the first to cross the Antarctic landmass unaided and unsupported.

I've always been drawn to Artic expeditions, and have read quite a bit about them. Thus there wasn't much new for me in this book, but for readers with no prior knowledge will learn a lot. Barrone is great at citing her sources and showing them clearly in the text. The only quibble is how it started: it felt a little disorienting to be thrown into preparations for the race before any background.

These expeditions lend themselves to drama, as they're so dangerous and wild. And Barrone does a good job of recounting the dangerous voyages but balancing them with facts and objectivity (I was pleased to see a section on the controversy surrounding O'Brady and Rudd's journeys).

When recommending it I'll have to remember to add a warning for lots of animal death (since that was a sad reality). But I'll definitely be recommending it.

[Amanda Sanders · Rating 4 out of 5]

Following 4 different stories about exploring Antarctica was easier than I thought it would be. I was afraid things would get confusing. These are the stories of 2 modern-day explorers, O'Brady and Rudd, and 2 early 20th century explorers, Scott and Amundsen. The differences in preparation from modern to 100 years ago are fascinating. The dogs and ponies from the past were unpredictable. In modern times, O'Brady had a special high caloric bar made for him for his journey and he posted to Instagram during his trek. Scott had a mechanical sled. I was impressed with that much technology for the time. I, personally, have a hard time understanding the desire to explore such a wild and cold terrain, but the author does a nice job of character development and gives background stories that explain their drives to explore. Neither O'Brady nor Rudd thought they would finish their cross-country journey, yet they persisted. In both scenarios, it was 2 journeys at the same time and that is what makes the book riveting. The last couple of paragraphs were brilliant.

[David Rough · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book of nonfiction paralleled two "races" to the south pole. The one that I found most interesting was Robert Falcon Scott and his British crew's attempt to reach the pole before Norwegian Roald Amundsen and his company of explorers. This race took place in the early 1900s and was the attempt to be the first to reach the south pole.
The second adventure involved two individuals attempting to cross Antartica unaided and unsupported in 2018. Louis Rudd and Colin O'Brady were the two brave explorers racing one another in this brutal journey in the frozen land of ice and white.
The story were distinctively different. taking place 100 years apart. I found both stories interesting, but I had a more difficult time appreciating the connection of the two races. I think maybe two books emphazing the uniqueness of the challenges would have been more effective.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

With thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for an early copy in return for an honest review.

Admittedly, I don't read enough non-fiction, and Race to the Bottom of the Earth showed me why I need to change that in 2021. I was worried about following the journeys of 4 different teams, but my concerns were entirely unnecessary. I was quickly caught up in their individual journeys, 100 years apart. I think too many kids (and grown-ups) think of explorers as people from hundreds of years ago and yet exploring is still happening today. There were a number of lessons learned during the book from these explorers and their adventures, and it will be inspiring to a new generation of explorers!

[RuthAnn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Would recommend: Yes, and definitely not just for kids, especially fans of history and survival stories

Thanks to Janet for this recommendation! I agree with her take that this book is not only for kids; it's pretty intense with straightforward explanation of when people and animals die in the unforgiving Antarctic landscape. I really like the parallel stories of the Amundsen/Scott race and the 2018 overland trek race. It feels historic and immediate. I felt that the combination of prose and photos was effective in educating the reader on some of the terms and to give an idea of what the equipment looked like. For this antarctic nerd, it was an excellent read. I would recommend it to kids and adults who like history and survival stories.

[Alicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fantastically arduous book to read about the expeditions of both the past and present in tackling the rugged and unforgiving terrain of Antarctica. Not only does it detail the lives of the men and expeditions from those willing to try but the landscape, the physical and nutritional needs, the science of the Antarctic, and the myths, legends, and disappointments that went along with this kind of expedition because as noted, it was less exploratory as it was a feat of endurance-- to test the limits-- which is most certainly does/did/will do forever based on geography and climate.

The images tell a story alongside the narrative. Endlessly fascinating and I'm a fan of dual timeline/narrative.

[Mary Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having lived with an avid reader of all things Antarctic Exploration, I brought more than a little background knowledge to this book, but it is so well written that you can dive right in. LOVE that it details both the historic race between Scott and Amundsen, but also the more recent race between O'Brady and Rudd. Great for compare/contrast. Short chapters pull the reader along. The writing is very journalistic, which is to say unbiased. She presents both sides of all the stories. Illustrated with photographs of the explorers and of Antarctica. I'll go so far as to say this would make a fabulous read aloud, right alongside ALL THIRTEEN.

[Flhooco0279 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book that follows the parallel journey's for two sets of races to Antarctica - one set beginning in 1911 and the other set in 2018. The stories of the individual men, their motivations, difficulties, success and failures is at times inspiring, thought-provoking, and at others sad. This would be great for anyone to read, but upper middle and high school students who enjoy a good adventure tale that gets into the nitty gritty (like sled dogs that go ferral and begin attacking pack horses and exactly what the men at and how they went to the bathroom in subzero weather) this is a good pick.

[T&H · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a parent re-aloud. It is intense! It’s billed as a book for kids but it’s long, filled with complex geography and vocabulary, and has some bleak scenes (warning: people and animals die in gruesome ways - not for sensitive readers). That said, we learned a ton and found it incredibly interesting and captivating. What an amazing way to learn about Antarctica and what it’s like to be an extreme explorer in two different time periods. We had to pause frequently to look at maps, pictures, recap where we were, etc.

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Explores the race to the South Pole in 1911 by Scott and Admundsen, and the solo trek across Antarctica in 2018 by Colin O'Grady and Lou Rudd. Each team/ person tried a different approach. Amundsen had teams of dogs, while Scott used a mitor sledge until it stopped working, at which point the men had to pull the sledge. O'Grady had a terrible accident fire jumping and was told he might not walk again, and was determined to prove that wrong. Rudd had a great friend who had wanted to cross Antarctica but died, so he did for him.
Fantastic comparisons.

[Laura Webb · Rating 4 out of 5]

Luke and I listened to this book together. It was FASCINATING. We kept pausing it and rewinding to make sure we had heard some of the crazy details correctly. The true story of two different races - one to reach the South Pole first and the second to cross Antarctica solo and unassisted. It’s mind boggling what the human body is capable of.

My only complaint is it was a little hard to follow on audio. They didn’t do a great job of making clear when they were jumping back-and-forth between time periods. I wonder if it would be more clear in the print version.

[Patti Sabik · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best nonfiction books I’ve experienced in a while. I honestly could not put this book down and when I did, I found I was talking about it with the people around me...my co-librarian, my husband, my 15-year-old son. Juxtaposing the original race to the South Pole with the 2018 single mane race was brilliant. The reader is left wondering what happens at just the right crucial moment. Honestly, I felt like I was watching the Olympic Games and watching the human interest stories draw the viewers in enticing you to root for a team or player because of their backstory. There was so much drama! The best thing about this book? It really happened...

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this aloud to my kids. It is intense! It’s billed as a book for kids but it’s long, filled with complex geography and vocabulary, and has some bleak scenes (warning: people and animals die). That said, we learned a ton and found it incredibly interesting and captivating. What an amazing way to learn about Antarctica and what it’s like to be an extreme explorer in two different time periods. We had to pause frequently to look at maps, pictures, recap where we were, etc.

[Rebel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read of two separate “races”, one is in 1911 and the other in 2018. The book was well written, was paced well and was the right level. I felt the excitement, the tension and the joys and heartbreaks. I am still not sure how I feel about the decision to have each race covered in every other chapter. I think that disrupted the flow of each race, but other than that it was a great history lesson, well researched and kept me hooked until the end.

[Amber M · Rating 4 out of 5]

I believe this is labeled as YA but I enjoyed it. I have read several books regarding the polar explorations, so some of this book was a great review for me. The more current solo trips by O' Brady and Rudd were new to me. I also didn't know some of the details surrounding Amundsen and his journey to the South Pole. I would recommend this book as an overview of the South Pole exploration both past and recent. I think it will whet your appetite to read more about these explorers.

[Steph · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely fascinating! The back-and-forth between the brave journeys of so many men was just excellent.

I keep thinking about this book so much in so many different ways - like the extra supplies a woman would need to lug along and if that would even be possible. And how those extra eleven steps could have made Scott’s journey successful… holy cow!!!! That blew my mind!

Just fantastic!