Aleutian Adventure (Direct Mail Edition)

This is not a flawless book, by any means. The author dumbs the writing down just a little too much for a suggested audience of "Ages 10 & up," the book shifts randomly from past to present tense, and there's at least one paragraph that's repeated almost word for word more than once. But, that said, it's one of the ONLY books about the Aleutian Islands, and as far I can tell, is the ONLY book period about kayaking along them. For that alone, it's worth a lot. One of my dreams is to kayak from Anchorage, Alaska to Russia, along the Aleutian peninsula and the Aleutian Islands, and in my research for this trip I've come across very few books on the topic. My wife found this one for me. Not only does this book contain some beautiful photos (by Barry Tessman, R.I.P), but it gives a good idea of the dangerousness of the waters, of the area's history, of the general terrain, and of the preparations neccesary for such a trip. It's a quick read, but for those in love with Alaska or this area in particular, it will haunt you for days.

As a fourth grade teacher in the central California foothills, I am always looking for nonfiction titles with high interest for my classroom. A friend bought this book from Barry Tessman's widow and I immediately ordered a copy. We study Explorers and Geographers as part of our 4th grade curriculum and this book leads into a great discussion about modern day exploring. Pictures and maps are easy to read, text and font grade-appropriate, natural history and wildlife pictures very appealing.