November 1, 2005
Gr. 4-7. Matthew Henson was the sort of man that pulp heroes such as Doc Savage and Indiana Jones were based on: resourceful, resolute, and courageous. In this entry in the Graphic Biographies series, Hoena speeds through a whirlwind of facts about his life, from his stint as a 12-year-old sailor and hard times during which he was forced into demeaning jobs to his travels with Robert Peary, during which he played a crucial role in befriending the local Inuit population and locating the North Pole. Although the motives of certain historical figures in the account remain unaddressed, the encapsulation of facts moves briskly along and is filled with fascinating nuggets of information (for example, how dog sledges were kept together in temperatures that made nails too brittle to use). The art feels contemporary, and the layout recalls classic comic books, a great boon to the pacing. Reference to the publisher's dedicated FactHound Internet site and a list of further readings will cast light on more complex aspects of Henson's life and work. Other titles in the series introduce such figures as Clara Barton and Cesar Chavez. (Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2005, American Library Association.)