Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World

The Extraordinary True Story of Shackleton and the Endurance

Look inside
Paperback
$13.99 US
8.06"W x 9.25"H x 0.43"D  
On sale Sep 12, 2000 | 144 Pages | 978-0-375-81049-7
| Grades 3-7
Reading Level: Lexile 1090L | Fountas & Pinnell Y
The extraordinary true story behind Ernest Shackleton's harrowing expedition to Antarctica on the Endurance—the ill-fated ship that became trapped in ice and sank to the ocean floor. Defying the odds, the crew made it back alive, bringing with them the astounding collection of photographs included in this critically acclaimed, timeless book.

In August 1914, Ernest Shackleton and his crew sailed from England on the Endurance in an attempt to become the first team of explorers to cross Antarctica from one side to the other. Five months later and still 100 miles from land, their ship, Endurance, became trapped in ice. Defying the odds, the expedition survived another five months camping on ice floes, followed by a perilous journey through stormy seas to remote and unvisited Elephant Island. In a dramatic climax to this amazing survival story, Shackleton and five others navigated 800 miles of treacherous open ocean in a 20-foot boat to fetch a rescue ship.

Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World vividly re-creates one of the most fascinating adventure stories in history. Award-winning author Jennifer Armstrong recounts one of the most extraordinary adventure stories in history with vigor, an eye for detail, and an appreciation of the marvelous leadership of Shackleton, who brought home every single one of his men alive.
© Tom Stock, Stock Studios Photography
Jennifer Armstrong is the author of over 50 books for children from kindergarten through high school. Best known for writing historical fiction, she has also been successful in creating picture books, easy readers, chapter books, young adult novels, as well as nonfiction. Armstrong is the winner of the Orbis Pictus Award for Outstanding Nonfiction for Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World. Many of her books have been designated as Notable Books by the American Library Association and the International Reading Association. Armstrong, who grew up outside of New York City, now lives in Saratoga Springs, New York. View titles by Jennifer Armstrong
  • WINNER | 2000
    ALA Best Books for Young Adults
  • WINNER | 1999
    ALA Notable Children's Book
  • WINNER | 1999
    NCTE Orbis Pictus Award for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children
  • NOMINEE | 2002
    Illinois Rebecca Caudill Young Readers Award
ORBIS PICTUS AWARD WINNER FOR OUTSTANDING NONFICTION • ALA BEST BOOK FOR YOUNG ADULTS • BOSTON GLOBE–HORN BOOK HONOR BOOK • A PUBLISHERS WEEKLY BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR

★ "A book that will capture the attention and imagination of any reader." --School Library Journal, starred review

★ "Armstrong's absorbing storytelling, illustrated with dramatic black-and-white photographs, makes this an enthralling adventure." --Publishers Weekly, starred review

“Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World is a book to finish in one breathless sitting, then dream about all night long.” —Riverbank Review

"This unbelievable story is enhanced by the vigorous prose; from the captivating introduction through the epilogue, it is the writing as much as the story that will rivet readers." --Kirkus Reviews

About

The extraordinary true story behind Ernest Shackleton's harrowing expedition to Antarctica on the Endurance—the ill-fated ship that became trapped in ice and sank to the ocean floor. Defying the odds, the crew made it back alive, bringing with them the astounding collection of photographs included in this critically acclaimed, timeless book.

In August 1914, Ernest Shackleton and his crew sailed from England on the Endurance in an attempt to become the first team of explorers to cross Antarctica from one side to the other. Five months later and still 100 miles from land, their ship, Endurance, became trapped in ice. Defying the odds, the expedition survived another five months camping on ice floes, followed by a perilous journey through stormy seas to remote and unvisited Elephant Island. In a dramatic climax to this amazing survival story, Shackleton and five others navigated 800 miles of treacherous open ocean in a 20-foot boat to fetch a rescue ship.

Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World vividly re-creates one of the most fascinating adventure stories in history. Award-winning author Jennifer Armstrong recounts one of the most extraordinary adventure stories in history with vigor, an eye for detail, and an appreciation of the marvelous leadership of Shackleton, who brought home every single one of his men alive.

Author

© Tom Stock, Stock Studios Photography
Jennifer Armstrong is the author of over 50 books for children from kindergarten through high school. Best known for writing historical fiction, she has also been successful in creating picture books, easy readers, chapter books, young adult novels, as well as nonfiction. Armstrong is the winner of the Orbis Pictus Award for Outstanding Nonfiction for Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World. Many of her books have been designated as Notable Books by the American Library Association and the International Reading Association. Armstrong, who grew up outside of New York City, now lives in Saratoga Springs, New York. View titles by Jennifer Armstrong

Awards

  • WINNER | 2000
    ALA Best Books for Young Adults
  • WINNER | 1999
    ALA Notable Children's Book
  • WINNER | 1999
    NCTE Orbis Pictus Award for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children
  • NOMINEE | 2002
    Illinois Rebecca Caudill Young Readers Award

Praise

ORBIS PICTUS AWARD WINNER FOR OUTSTANDING NONFICTION • ALA BEST BOOK FOR YOUNG ADULTS • BOSTON GLOBE–HORN BOOK HONOR BOOK • A PUBLISHERS WEEKLY BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR

★ "A book that will capture the attention and imagination of any reader." --School Library Journal, starred review

★ "Armstrong's absorbing storytelling, illustrated with dramatic black-and-white photographs, makes this an enthralling adventure." --Publishers Weekly, starred review

“Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World is a book to finish in one breathless sitting, then dream about all night long.” —Riverbank Review

"This unbelievable story is enhanced by the vigorous prose; from the captivating introduction through the epilogue, it is the writing as much as the story that will rivet readers." --Kirkus Reviews

PRH Education High School Collections

All reading communities should contain protected time for the sake of reading. Independent reading practices emphasize the process of making meaning through reading, not an end product. The school culture (teachers, administration, etc.) should affirm this daily practice time as inherently important instructional time for all readers. (NCTE, 2019)   The Penguin Random House High

Read more

PRH Education Translanguaging Collections

Translanguaging is a communicative practice of bilinguals and multilinguals, that is, it is a practice whereby bilinguals and multilinguals use their entire linguistic repertoire to communicate and make meaning (García, 2009; García, Ibarra Johnson, & Seltzer, 2017)   It is through that lens that we have partnered with teacher educators and bilingual education experts, Drs.

Read more

PRH Education Classroom Libraries

“Books are a students’ passport to entering and actively participating in a global society with the empathy, compassion, and knowledge it takes to become the problem solvers the world needs.” –Laura Robb   Research shows that reading and literacy directly impacts students’ academic success and personal growth. To help promote the importance of daily independent

Read more