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Synopsis
Read about Matthew Henson-the first African American to reach the North Pole.
Children's Literature
Matthew Henson, an orphan, went to sea when he was twelve years old and that was the start of an adventure that would lead him to becoming the first African American to reach the North Pole. Henson was introduced to explorer Robert Perry who was looking for men to support his expedition. The Inuits in the Arctic region believed him to be one of their own culture and Henson learned their culture and their languages on his many journeys in the Arctic. It took the Perry Expedition over six tries before finally reaching the North Pole on April 6, 1909. This book uses an easy reading level to tell the story of Henson's life and includes pictures commemorating his life and experience. It also includes several writing prompts, a timeline, a vocabulary list, a resources list and an index for teachers who may be using it for classroom lessons and research. This biography is, itself, a good resource for elementary libraries. Reviewer: Janis Flint-Ferguson