Epic Climbs Epic Voyages

Gr 3—6—Cleare gives the history of five of the most famous and dangerous mountains to climb: Eiger, K2, Everest, McKinley, and Matterhorn. Each section has a short, easy-to-read summary that gives the history of climbers who have conquered these peaks. Full-color photos include the view from the top and historical and contemporary climbing equipment. The second book offers five amazing tales of well-known and not so well-known ship captains. The brief narratives describe the voyages of Magellan, Cook, Shackleton, Heyerdahl, and Chichester and give details of their journeys, why the men embarked on them, and what was going on in the world at the time. Both books include poster-sized foldouts filled with illustrations, maps, photographs, and short anecdotes with interesting facts. With of the combination of text and art, these titles resemble the "Eyewitness" books (DK). Young readers will enjoy browsing through them.—Erik Carlson, White Plains Public Library, NY