Shackleton's Stowaway, by Victoria McKernan
About Shackleton's Stowaway
McKernan's Shackleton's Stowaway is a wonderfully successful work of historical fiction. It's a truly incredible adventure story centering around the true events of Ernest Shackleton's famous voyage on the Endurance.
Perce Blackborow, our protagonist, is a likeable 18 year old from Wales. A sailor who works hard to send money home to his parents and siblings, he is distraught after his ship is wrecked in Uruguay. He's amazed when he finds his idol-- the famed explorer Ernest Shackleton-- is hiring new hands for an unprecedented voyage across the Antarctic. When Perce-- the youngest sailor-- does not earn a place aboard, he decides to stow away until he's too far away from a port to be denied.
What follows is an incredible story of perseverance, bravery, endurance (haha) and sacrifice, made all the more amazing because it's true! The Endurance becomes frozen solid in the Antarctic ice all winter before the sailors need to make the agonizing decision to abandon ship. Perce, now widely accepted as one of the crew, must now fight for survival in perhaps the harshest environment of all.
Perce Blackborow, our protagonist, is a likeable 18 year old from Wales. A sailor who works hard to send money home to his parents and siblings, he is distraught after his ship is wrecked in Uruguay. He's amazed when he finds his idol-- the famed explorer Ernest Shackleton-- is hiring new hands for an unprecedented voyage across the Antarctic. When Perce-- the youngest sailor-- does not earn a place aboard, he decides to stow away until he's too far away from a port to be denied.
What follows is an incredible story of perseverance, bravery, endurance (haha) and sacrifice, made all the more amazing because it's true! The Endurance becomes frozen solid in the Antarctic ice all winter before the sailors need to make the agonizing decision to abandon ship. Perce, now widely accepted as one of the crew, must now fight for survival in perhaps the harshest environment of all.
How would I teach Shackleton's Stowaway?
Some themes encompassed in Shackleton's Stowaway include:
- Adventure vs. Safety
- Family obligations vs. Independence
- Survival
- Consequences of actions
- Bravery and selflessness
- Fulfilling a role vs. succeeding
- Perceptions of success vs. failure
- A hero's odyssey
What resources could I use to teach Shackleton's Stowaway?
- To show students more examples of primary source research and to
provide more insight into Shackleton's voyage, The Endurance: Shackleton's
Legendary Antarctic Expedition gives valuable background
information.
In addition, the 2000 documentary The Endurance features interviews with survivors of the voyage as well as lively reenactments (also Liam Neeson).
The complicated journeys of the Endurance, the James Caird, and the Aurora make The Shackleton Stowaway a wonderful choice for interdisciplinary study. Students could study the historical events and geography in their social studies classes, and could also graph the voyages in math class.
Other books with similar themes include:
"I Will Survive," Stephanie Bentley
- Into Thin Air, Jon Krakauer
- Into the Wild, Jon Krakauer
- Hatchet, Gary Paulson
- Life of Pi, Yann Martel
- The Odyssey, Homer
"I Will Survive," Stephanie Bentley
The Verdict
I would love the opportunity to teach this book in grades 9-12. The text is long and requires an investment on the part of the reader, but it does move very quickly. If given proper context and background information, most readers should find this book highly engaging.