Louise Arner Boyd: Arctic Explorer

Children's Literature - Children's Literature

Incredibly wealthy, socially astute, Louise Arner Boyd led a pampered life. With the deaths of her parents and brothers, the thirty-two year old Boyd turned to travel to fill the void in her life. After travelling the usual European destinations, she set her sights on the Arctic--a passion that was to last a lifetime. An accomplished photographer and botanist, Boyd helped to define and map unknown areas of Greenland and the Arctic. She joined a crew that searched for explorer Roald Amundsen, traveled within 800 miles of the North Pole, went to Norway to retrieve equipment impounded by the Germans, served with military intelligence on a secret mission in the Arctic Sea, and at age 68 became the first woman to fly over the North Pole. The wealthy socialite with daring-do died impoverished but extremely accomplished in 1972. Her fascinating life is reported in dry, utilitarian prose that only comes to life when the author quotes from Boyd's friends or her diary excerpts. There are only 12 photos in the book and six of them are of the fashionably attired Boyd. More of Boyd's own photos would have breathed life into the book. However the author does manage to give Boyd dimension and introduce readers to a remarkable woman. 2000, Morgan Reynolds, Ages 10 to 14, $19.95. Reviewer: Beverley Fahey—Children's Literature

Childrens Book Watch

When she was 32, Boyd inherited millions in 1920, but became bored with a life of leisure and decided to achieve her dream of becoming an Arctic explorer. A little over a hundred pages of detail provides middle school grade levels with insights on her life and her many explorations.
—Childrens Book Watch