Matthew Henson

School Library Journal

Gr 3-6 An uneven account about the only black man to travel with Robert E. Peary in his discovery of the North Pole in 1909. Henson had been Peary's personal servant, but became an explorer in his own right when he accompanied Peary on two unsuccessful North Pole expeditions. Henson's story is told as a narrative, focusing mainly on the excitement and dangers of the expedition. Full-color illustrations covering each page add detail to the simple text. But the story stops with the discovery of the North Pole, leaving many unanswered questions. Was the trip back as difficult and dangerous as the trip up? What did Matthew Henson do with the rest of his life? The last page of the book states in a regrettably negative tone: ``. . .Henson, a black man in a time that seldom recognized black achievement, never got the glory, the riches, or the fame that should have come with his success.'' The authors neglect to mention that Henson was asked to join the exclusive Explorers Club in New York, an honor in itself for anyone. He received many medals and was awarded honorary degrees from two colleges. They also ignore that in 1911 he wrote his autobiography, which included laudatory introductions by Peary and by Booker T. Washington, and that near the end of his long life he met with President Eisenhower at the White House. Henson's story deserves a more complete and more positive ending than this short volume gives. Deirdre R. Murray, Pine Road School, Huntingdon Valley, Pa.