Shackleton's Stowaway

Finally, a book I can review!  Shackleton's Stowaway is a fabulous work of historical fiction about Ernest Shackleton's Endurance expedition of 1914 to Antarctica.  It is written by Victoria McKernan and, in my library, is found in the Young Adult section.  It is barely historical fiction and reads like true history.  The author writes a fabulous author's note at the end.  She said, "All of the main events in Shackleton's Stowaway actually happened as they do in this book.  I have used my imagination to develop some scenes, but these are always based on actual historical information.  I have combined some events...and occasionally nudged time around a little bit.  I have made up conversations and thoughts for the characters, and this makes for a novel, but the story is all true."  She also includes short histories at the end of the novel of the main crew members.

The story roughly follows Perce Blackborow, a stowaway on the Endurance, who was kept aboard and made a steward.  Though I have tried to find out how to pronounce his first name I couldn't find any help: Percy?  Pierce?  Perce?  I tended to go with Percy in my head, but you can decide for yourself.  I don't feel like I need to tell you too much about this since the story is already known, but the book is a quick read and is rather engaging in the way it is written.