Trapped in Antarctica!

April 15, 2015
Grades 2-4 Both of these new graphic novels in the Nickolas Flux series focus on a dramatic historic incident from the point of view of the hero, an unwitting time traveler. The frame stories are slight, but they allow the history to shine. Except for Nickolas Flux, the characters are real historical figures, and their words and actions are pretty closely based on factual details. In Trapped in Antarctica!, Nickolas' sudden presence among Shackleton's expedition team is explained by lumping him together with a real-life 18-year-old stowaway on the Endurance. The character of Nickolas, though not particularly compelling, does provide a kid-friendly point of view that may help readers relate to unfamiliar historical situations. Some young readers will enjoy the running gag of Nickolas returning to the present cold, wet, or with strangely long hair. Flux Facts throughout the text and Flux Files at the end of each book keep the books grounded in nonfiction, while the graphic-novel format highlights the excitement of each episode. History fans, graphic-novel enthusiasts, and any kids who like a good, dramatic story will enjoy these books.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)

July 1, 2015
Nickolas Flux travels back in time, joining the Shackleton expedition as the Endurance becomes trapped in ice. The spindly typeface is difficult to read and historical information is awkwardly grafted onto the fictional story, but this graphic novel conveys the gist of events. The comic-panel illustrations adequately support the text. Sidebars and appended information provide more context. Reading list. Glos., ind.

(Copyright 2015 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)