Reviews for Keep On!: The Story of Matthew Henson, Co-Discoverer of the North Pole

The average rating for Keep On!: The Story of Matthew Henson, Co-Discoverer of the North Pole based on 2 reviews is 4.5 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2011-04-10 00:00:00 Paul Truman I admit to knowing who Matt Henson was prior to reading this. I knew that he was instrumental to the Peary expeditions to reach the North Pole, probably more responsible for them getting there than Peary was, but I still liked this book a lot. The illustrations were probably the most difficult piece to grasp for me. The book was a lively, wild disarray that I found captivating, even when it was a bit confusing. The Henson quotes that ran as footnotes throughout were nice, though I didn't quite get the context of them at times. The end notes were brilliant. Hopkinson obviously went to great lengths to research her subject. Henson's story has the potential to be very discouraging, but Hopkinson instead decided to focus on giving credit where it was due and writing a story that glorified Henson's accomplishments rather than dwelling on how unappreciated he was when he returned to civilian life. She told the whole story in the end notes, but for the body of the text she chose to focus on writing him into the hero that he was. Children don't need to be depressed by the obstacles of their heroes all the time. They need the whole story, but first they need to appreciate the finer qualities of the person they are coming to know. They need to be convinced to care, and Matthew Henson certainly was the right character to do that. Hopkinson did a masterful job, as she tends to do regularly, and this is a fine children's biography.

Review # 2 was written on 2020-03-04 00:00:00 Bruce Haggar My discovery of Keep on! coincided with my discovery of Matthew Henson himself (see The Water Castle, by Megan Frazer Blakemore). Deborah Hopkinson's biographical picture book does not disappoint. She seamlessly weaves the subject's own words into the narrative and layers stories of exploration, prejudice, determination, and personal ambition into a moving story perfect for inquisitive young minds. I personally would have preferred more interesting illustrations'as it is, these took on a sameness akin to the tundra, which was perhaps appropriate after all. Definitely a book kids should be reading in the classroom or out of it. Both an important historical book and a biography of a remarkable man whose story still has the power to impact the next generation.