This book was fantastic. It featured several different journeys to Antarctica, and it was written in a way that brought each of them to vivid picture in my mind. I felt the cold. I grieved at the losses the men faced along the way. It was a treacherous journey these brave men faced, and I’m glad the author has shared their stories. I enjoyed learning about them and hope others will too.

This fascinating read compares two Antarctic races, the race for the south pole by Scott/Admunsen in the early 1900's and the race between Rudd and O'Brady in 2018 for the first unaided solo crossing of Antarctica. It is meticulously researched and well written though the narrative jumping back and forth in time and between competitors can be hard to follow and will keep readers on their toes. I would have liked to see more added features like a webliography of general information about antarctica, but this is a solid and interesting narrative of the pursuit of "firsts" in an extreme environment.

With thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for an early copy in return for an honest review.

Admittedly, I don't read enough non-fiction, and Race to the Bottom of the Earth showed me why I need to change that in 2021. I was worried about following the journeys of 4 different teams, but my concerns were entirely unnecessary. I was quickly caught up in their individual journeys, 100 years apart. I think too many kids (and grown-ups) think of explorers as people from hundreds of years ago and yet exploring is still happening today. There were a number of lessons learned during the book from these explorers and their adventures, and it will be inspiring to a new generation of explorers!

One of the best nonfiction books I’ve experienced in a while. I honestly could not put this book down and when I did, I found I was talking about it with the people around me...my co-librarian, my husband, my 15-year-old son. Juxtaposing the original race to the South Pole with the 2018 single mane race was brilliant. The reader is left wondering what happens at just the right crucial moment. Honestly, I felt like I was watching the Olympic Games and watching the human interest stories draw the viewers in enticing you to root for a team or player because of their backstory. There was so much drama! The best thing about this book? It really happened...

Race to the Bottom of the Earth - by Rebecca E. F. Barone - a story of four explorers trying to complete the most dangerous polar expedition, to reach the South Pole. While completing the expedition on their own, brave explorers endure unimaginable natural elements while crossing the environmentally hostile continent. If your students live through yearly northern winters, they will be surprised to learn about a place that makes a polar vortex a balmy day.