Surviving Antarctica: Reality TV 2083 - Hardcover

White, Andrea

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0060554541 ISBN 13: 9780060554545

Publisher: HarperTeen, 2005

Synopsis

It's 50 degrees below zero.

The wind and snow blow so hard, you can't see your hand in front of your face. Your heating fuel is nearly gone, and so is your food. How do you survive?

Five fourteen–year–olds face this desperate situation on a deadly journey in Antarctica. It is 2083. They are contestants on a reality TV show, Antarctic Survivor, which is set up to re–create Robert F. Scott's 1912 doomed attempt to be the first to reach the South Pole.

But in 2083 reality TV is not just an act. Contestants literally relive – or die during – the simulations of events. Robert Scott and his team were experienced explorers and scientists, but their attempt to reach the Pole proved fatal. What chance does the Antarctic Survivor team have?

This action–packed, riveting adventure –– full of fascinating direct quotes from Scott's journals and other accounts of the expedition – is both a heart–wrenching drama from the past and a disquieting glimpse into the future.

About this title

About the Author:

Andrea White was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, but has spent most of her life in Houston, Texas. She received both undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Texas. She has had several short stories published; this is her first book.

Besides writing, Ms. White is a community volunteer and education activist. She is married to Bill White, formerly an energy official in the Clinton administration and now the mayor of Houston. The Whites have three children: Will, Elena, and Stephen. They love to hike and camp, and although they've had some hair-raising adventures, says Ms. White, all were tame compared to what happens in Surviving Antarctica.

From School Library Journal:

Grade 6-10-In 2083, all education in the United States is conducted through television. Shows re-creating historical events like the Battle of the Alamo are used to teach history, and also to give losers in the educational dice roll a chance to earn fame and money. The Secretary of Entertainment, worried about falling ratings, has come up with a splendid idea-re-create Robert F. Scott's 1912 expedition to the South Pole, using 14-year-old kids, most of whom have never even experienced snow. And make sure they are completely isolated by implanting tiny digital cameras directly into their corneas, thus avoiding the need for pesky camera crews who might interfere with the drama. The five participants are the usual band of misfits, including Grace, an Iñupiat Eskimo transplanted to Arizona after Alaska is turned into a nuclear waste dump, and Billy, who desperately wants to be voted MVP, but hides snack food from his starving companions. There's also Polly, who has an amazing memory and a surprising capacity for leadership; Robert, great with engines and sheer determination; and Andrew, searching for his special talent and finding unexpected depths of courage. Back in the television studio, a few brave employees surreptitiously help the kids and try to figure out a way to stop the madness. Brisk action, interesting characters, and intriguing (sometimes gruesome) details make this a compelling story, while television's pervasive presence in our lives and the undeniable popularity of the "reality" format give a rather frightening timeliness and believability to the tale.-Mara Alpert, Los Angeles Public Library
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About this edition

• Publisher: HarperTeen
• Publication date: 2005
• ISBN 10: 0060554541
• ISBN 13: 9780060554545
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 336