Into the Ice: Reflections of Antarctica by Alison Lester and Coral Tulloch

Title: Into the Ice: Reflections of Antarctica

Author: Alison Lester and Coral Tulloch

Genre: Non-fiction

Publisher: Allen and Unwin

Published: 29^th October 2024

Format: Hardcover

Pages:  96

Price: $35.00

Synopsis: Bestselling creators Alison Lester and Coral Tulloch share their fascination with Antarctica through a personally selected mix of their own and others’ work, from the early age of exploration through to the present day.

Go on an extraordinary journey with Alison Lester and Coral Tulloch, two of Australia’s most celebrated creators, as they share their reflections on Antarctica: sketches, writing, paintings, journal entries, their own and others’. This is a book for explorers and dreamers of all ages, and for anyone who wants to be inspired by the wonder of Antarctica.

~*~

Antarctica is a space of wonder and danger. It’s a place that has captured people’s imaginations for generations. It’s silence and majesty penetrate our psyche, and has been a place of dreams and exploration as well. In this book, fantastic Australian authors and creators Alison Lester and Coral Tulloch head out on an epic journey into the ice, where they learnt, kept diaries and journals, took photos and made sketches of what they saw and discovered. They’ve brought it all together along with historical facts and context in this wonderful non-fiction picture book for older readers.

Many people think picture books are only for children in preschool – but they’re actually for everyone, and there are some wonderful picture books for older readers that explore a wide range of topics from science to history, conservation and the role that Antarctica plays in the world and the environment, from grand expeditions, ships below the ice, and the animals that call the icy world home. Unlike many picture books I have read, it takes a different approach to how the story is told, with reflections, journal entries, and captivating sketches as well as quotes from other people who have explored the ice and snow covered continent to tell its story. And, being able to read a contemporary experience reminds us of the perils faced by people in the past, and in many ways, the perils that people who head there might face today. As I read, I could feel the isolation of Antarctica but its beauty as well. What we see is a fraction of the continent. Much of it is below the surface, or are icebergs that have broken off and drifted away, to become part of the ocean. The freezing cold leapt off the page as well. I felt as though it was a character reaching out to invite people into its grip.

Alison Lester’s ability to put magic into every story she has told has never changed. Whether it has been her utterly joyful picture books filled with magic, fun and adventure to her middle grade novels that have an ethereal sense of place and character, it always feels like she has put her heart and soul onto the page.

What this book offers is a deep insight into a world that very few of us will ever get to experience unless we read about it, as I did in this book, or see it on a screen. Travel is a wonderful experience, but Antarctica is one place that is not as easily accessible as other places It is a place that we learn about through books, rather than experiencing it. And yet, this sort of book that tells someone’s story and puts it in a wider historical context that brings the history and geography of our world to life. The world has more in it than we can ever imagine, and this is one of those books that opens this world up to everyone. Into the Ice has brought Antarctica to life for readers of all ages, and I can see this book being used in a wide range of educational and entertainment purposes, depending on what your goals are.

A fantastic and interesting book that many of all ages will enjoy.