Race to the Frozen North

A super-readable, dyslexic-friendly retelling of Black explorer Matthew Henson’s life, told from his point of view.

“We made it!” I cried. “We’re here. The North Pole! We’re on top of the world! The first men ever to stand here in all of history.”

When eleven-year-old Matthew Henson ran away from his cruel stepmother to find a new life in the big city, no one could have predicted that he would become the first man to reach the North Pole.

With a little luck and a lot of hard work, Matthew found a life of adventure on the high seas and in the Arctic. But back home in America his achievements were largely overlooked because he was Black. Race to the Frozen North tells his remarkable true story.

Perfect for anyone seeking captivating middle grade books about historical adventures and overcoming challenges, the Everyone Can Be a Reader (Nonfiction) hi-lo book series presents accessible history books for kids in an easy-to-read style. Union Square & Co.'s Everyone Can Be a Reader books utilize dyslexia reading tools like specialized fonts and paper tones, and are carefully formatted to meet readers where they are with engaging stories that encourage reading success across a wide range of age and interest levels.