Frozen in Time

December 1, 2023
A chill introduction to how ice cores are excavated and what paleoclimatologists can learn from them. Drilling out ice cores and analyzing them may sound straightforward in principle, but as the author takes readers from remote sites atop glaciers or in forbidding polar locales to repositories such as the Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center in Ohio, where the cores are preserved, a very different view of the challenges involved emerges. Van Vleet precisely describes the specialized gear and techniques, not to mention hazards ranging from 200-mile-an-hour Antarctic winds to what she dubs "the dreaded exploding ice core." She also explains in specific detail how cores are transported to warmer climes, preserved, and then prepared for study. Along with indicating what the ice's layers (as well as the solids and gases in them) reveal about past climate patterns, she fills in background information about natural climate cycles and the clear evidence that we are currently in a decidedly unnatural one. Van Vleet inserts both thought experiments and hands-on projects into each chapter and closes with substantial lists of online and video information sources. "It's all pretty cool," Van Vleet writes. Agreed. The photos are informative, if small and scanty; the few human figures not muffled in heavy weather gear are light-skinned. Drills deeply into its subject. (photo credits, index) (Nonfiction. 10-13)

COPYRIGHT(2023) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

March 1, 2024
Grades 4-8 As the planet heats up, ice is melting around the world, and, as a result, paleoclimatologists at the Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center at Ohio State University are studying the cryosphere, specifically ice cores, to understand Earth's climate history and predict future climate models. Van Vleet offers a comprehensive look at this niche yet revelatory area of science in a book that will be especially appealing for fans of the Scientists in the Field series. The logical presentation begins with ice-core basics, such as the impact of climate change and melting ice, where ice cores are found (every continent except too-hot Australia), and how scientists date the ice. Successive chapters take readers behind the scenes in planning an expedition (in this case, to Antarctica), drilling and retrieving ice cores, working in extreme-weather research stations, and analyzing the ice cores back in the lab. The challenges of this work come with fascinating details, like painstaking methods to keep ice cores frozen and how scientists go to the bathroom in freezing temperatures. Related math problems and science experiments add engaging, real-world relevancy.

COPYRIGHT(2024) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Starred review from October 4, 2024

Gr 6 Up-Engaging, relevant, and informative, this book introduces the vital role ice cores play in understanding the Earth's climate. The narrative follows a new breed of scientist-the paleoclimatologist-whose work not only dives deep into history but also provides solutions for our future. Through a blend of scientific insight and accessible language, it is revealed how these frozen time capsules hold thousands of years of atmospheric data, revealing patterns and changes that are crucial in the face of today's climate crisis. Each chapter is thoughtfully crafted, featuring a "Cool Vocabulary" section that enhances understanding. Readers are taken on an adventurous ice core expedition, learning how scientists drill in extreme conditions, like Antarctica, while addressing practical matters, such as keeping warm and going to the bathroom. The book masterfully combines this real-world experience with photographs, diagrams, charts, and maps, alongside a conversational penguin who narrates interesting sidebars. The content is enriched by hands-on activities, and each chapter concludes with a meaningful science experiment or "science in action" section. These age-appropriate experiments sometimes require adult supervision. The inclusion of related math problems also helps with the understanding of scientific principles, making them applicable to everyday life. The closing chapter emphasizes the critical role of ice in the fight against climate change, tying together the book's themes and inspiring a sense of agency in young readers. The back matter's source list, photo credits, and index add to the book's educational value. VERDICT Guaranteed to inspire young scientists and environmentalists eager to learn how the past can guide us to a sustainable future. Highly recommended for the middle school library and classroom.-Lynne Stover

Copyright 2024 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.