Mission: Arctic

Ages 9 to 14, Grades 4 to 8

For kids 8 to 13, join the largest Arctic expedition ever undertaken—and discover the secrets hidden deep in the ice that reveal how one of the world’s crucial ecosystems is changing.The Arctic is changing—fast. The once-frozen landscape is melting before our eyes, and the effects can be felt around the world. But the Arctic is also the region we know the least about. Thick ice, extreme cold, and total darkness have always prevented scientists from uncovering its secrets. Until now.

This science-based guide for middle readers follows the 2019 MOSAiC expedition on the largest expedition to the Arctic ever undertaken. On board the Polarstern, a powerful ice-breaker research vessel, more than five hundred scientists from all over the world turned their attention to this mysterious region. Their mission? To let their vessel freeze in the sea ice and drift towards the North Pole in order to study how the Arctic is changing, and how these changes will affect our world.

Mission: Arctic features:

Filled with photographs from the expedition
Thrilling facts, illustrations, diagrams, and fact bars about the polar region
The dangerous conditions the scientists endured, from freezing temperatures to terrifying storms and polar bears
The important discoveries made on the mission
Through this thrilling book, readers will discover the Arctic ice is not as permanent as we thought, and what happens in the Arctic doesn’t stay in the Arctic.

The knowledge gathered on the Polarstern has the power to determine our planet’s future—if only we pay attention.

About the Author

Katharina Weiss-Tuider writes about the environment, climate, food and agriculture. She accompanied the MOSAiC Expedition as communications manager at the Alfred Wegener Institute. The protection of the Arctic has become especially important to her ever since she saw her first polar bear in the wild.Christian Schneider loves nature in all its facets, which he captures on paper with colored pencil. He especially enjoys glimpses of the foxes who live in his neighborhood-a touch of wilderness in the urban jungle of Berlin.