Students, seals and science

Amy Leventer¹

BOOK REVIEWED - The Lost Seal

• by Diane McKnight
• Moonlight Publishing: 2006 40 pp. $19.95

Although most people can imagine that life on the ice can be difficult, actual glimpses into the daily lives of the denizens of Antarctica (and the humans that visit them) are rare. The Lost Seal, which is intended for readers between the ages of 9 and 12, recounts the adventures of polar scientists and a young wayward seal.

This story engages the reader from the start, challenging the common misconception of deserts as hot places full of cacti and snakes. Aridity is the key, and some of the world's most unusual deserts are found in the Dry Valleys of Antarctica. McKnight shares a story based on her real-life experience of a seal who had wandered away from the coastal ocean into one of the dry valleys. The scientists (and the readers) are forced to ask why the seal strayed so far from the shore, and how it might survive so far from its home. This is a naturally interesting story line, and it gives McKnight the opportunity to explore a range of scientific fields from the microscopic to global scale.

The story follows a dedicated group of scientists who are interested in the remote ecosystem of the dry valleys. The researchers venture into this polar desert, which is always cold and extremely windy and, for many months each year, completely dark as well. Mummified seals were discovered in the desert by the early polar explorer Captain Robert Scott in the early 1900s; his journal is woven into the book to provide insight into the early history of polar exploration. McKnight's group, however, is surprised to find fresh seal tracks, and finally the young seal itself, miles from its home at the coast. They then contend with international rules regarding Antarctic wildlife and their own feelings for the seal as they work to reach a solution that eventually results in a happy ending for all.

The book opens a window into a world that very few people know exists and even fewer understand. The hidden continent below the ice is described in vivid detail. The cut-away map illustrating the underlying mountains and continental configuration is one of the best I've seen. The abundant microscopic life in the form of bacteria, algae and worms in the seemingly inhospitable environment of the frigid Dry Valleys is revealed by photographs of these tiny forms of life previously foreign to most children.

It is impossible to read The Lost Seal without being captivated by the illustrations of the scientific party and their surroundings. The full-page colour sketches are friendly and inviting, and serve as accurate portrayals of the landscape and the people who work there. Particularly noteworthy are the drawing of the seals, ranging from a mummified seal as observed by Scott and his companions to several sketches of The Lost Seal on a lonely patch of snow in the Dry Valleys, which perfectly capture the expressive face of a Weddell seal. An additional feature of the book that I particularly loved are the children's drawings, contributed by young students from around the world who watched a video of this lost seal as part of their study of Antarctica. Inclusion of their first names and hometowns personalize the story and demonstrate how receptive the students were to scientific outreach. While many lament the decrease in scientific literacy, a book like this, with an engaging story line and beautiful images, goes a long way toward conveying science to the public.

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