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Race to the Frozen North

The Matthew Henson Story

Catherine Johnson author Katie Hickey illustrator

Format:Paperback

Publisher:HarperCollins Publishers

Published:5th Sep '18

Should be back in stock very soon

Race to the Frozen North cover

Inspired by the incredible life of Matthew Henson (Dyslexia-friendly)

A thrilling fictionalised account of the life of Matthew Henson, the first African-American man to travel to the North Pole, from the Carnegie-nominated author Catherine Johnson.

A thrilling fictionalised account of the life of Matthew Henson, the first African-American man to travel to the North Pole, from the Carnegie-nominated author Catherine Johnson.

Matthew Henson was simply an ordinary man. That was, until Commander Robert E. Peary entered his life, and offered him a chance at true adventure. Henson would become navigator, craftsman, translator, and right-hand man on a treacherous journey to the North Pole. Defying the odds and the many prejudices that faced him to become a true pioneer.

This is his remarkable and often untold story.

Particularly suitable for readers aged 9+ with a reading age of 8.

"Catherine Johnson is the master of historical fiction for children; her prose is warm and wise and utterly gripping" – Katherine Rundell

"If it doesn't make you angry you haven't read it properly" – Fleur Hitchcock

"Matthew Henson's life plays out like a story … This book really highlights our ignorance in not recognising sooner his incredible plight in defying the odds, breaking boundaries, fighting prejudice and becoming a true black pioneer" – Scott Evans, The Reader Teacher

"Wonderful … Uncovering the forgotten and hidden histories of those who have been marginalised is a serious and necessary undertaking and this book is a great addition to that genre" – The Letterpress Project

  • Short-listed for Young Quills Award 2019
  • Short-listed for UKLA Award 2020
  • Short-listed for STEAM Children's Book Prize 2020
  • Long-listed for North Somerset Teachers Book Award 2019
  • Long-listed for Steel City Book Club Awards 2020

ISBN: 9781781128404

Dimensions: 198mm x 130mm x 8mm

Weight: 200g

128 pages