| Summary: | Martin, Jacqueline Briggs. The Lamp, the Ice, and the Boat Called Fish. Illustrated by Beth Krommes. Houghton Mifflin, 2001. ISBN 0-618-00341-X. $15.00. 48 pp. A 3-6 PB Reviewed by Janice Card Martin, author of the Caldecott Award-winning Snowflake Bentley, provides readers with a unique experience. Through the written word and Krommes’ scratchboard artwork, we step back in time to 1913 and join the Canadian Arctic Expedition that traveled north on a boat called Fish. When the boat freezes in the ice, those aboard pool their knowledge and resources to build shelters and survive in the harsh climate. When the ship sinks, the explorers must make their way to land, an arduous and dangerous journey. With sleds and dogs and their own strength they fight their way over the ice. Some survive and others perish. An Inupiaq family (father, mother, and eight- and two-year-old daughters) are among the survivors of the expedition. Their experience and abilities help others cope with the trials of living in the High North. Crafts and skills that are centuries old are introduced to young readers. They get a feel for the Inupiaq culture and lifestyle and learn about teamwork and survival. The book includes photographs of the survivors and information about all those who participated in the adventure. A map shows the route they followed. Tucked inside parentheses after each strange name given in the text are helpful pronunciation guides. How nice it is to learn about the frozen north through the experiences of others. I doubt readers will want to hop the next boat heading north to the arctic, but they will have a healthy respect for those who have traveled there. [48] p. : col ill. 29 cm. Children's Book and Play Review, May / June 2001
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