Antarctica

Children's Literature

The continent of Antarctica is 5.4 million square miles, roughly twice the size of Australia. This enormous land mass is buried under a blanket of ice that is on average, over eight thousand feet thick. This treacherous and frigid land mass was first seen by Captain James Cook in 1773. Explorers did not actually reach Antarctica until 1820. Initial attention to the area stemmed from the challenge in being the first to reach the South Pole. Recent interests, however, have taken a different turn. This book provides information on the climate and ecosystems of Antarctica and then discusses its current conditions. Human interference with this unique, delicate, and influential land mass can have potentially catastrophic implications. Trash now lines some borders of this once pristine land and some countries, in addition to sending tourists, have begun drilling and land mining Antarctica in search of precious minerals. An entire chapter is devoted to the growing need for protecting this important continent. The eye-opening information presented in this book is fascinating. The book concludes with a comprehensive appendix that includes an impressive list of organizations to contact for additional information. It is part of the "Endangered Animals and Habitats" series. 2003, Lucent Books/The Gale Group, Ages 12 up.
—Denise Daley