To the Top of the World
Barbara Hillary, the First Black Woman to Reach the North and South Poles
$43.25
- Hardcover
40 pages
- Release Date
16 December 2025
Summary
Go exploring with Barbara Hillary, the first Black woman to set foot on both the North and South Poles in this thrilling and inspiring picture book biography about perseverance, imagination, and following your dreams.
As a young girl, Barbara Hillary imagined a life of adventure. Despite facing hardships in her childhood and illness as an adult, she never gave up on her dream: to travel the world and explore hard-to-reach places. So, at age seventy-five, she became the first Black wom…
Book Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781665927734 |
|---|---|
| ISBN-10: | 1665927739 |
| Author: | Deborah Blumenthal, Anastasia Magloire Williams |
| Publisher: | Simon & Schuster |
| Imprint: | Atheneum Books for Young Readers |
| Format: | Hardcover |
| Number of Pages: | 40 |
| Release Date: | 16 December 2025 |
| Weight: | 488g |
| Dimensions: | 254mm x 254mm x 13mm |
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What They're Saying
Critics Review
“Blumenthal laces her upbeat text with personal details—like Barbara getting frostbite after enthusiastically yanking off her gloves for a photo-op—that make for an intimate portrait. Williams’ digital illustrations feature both snowy, wide-open vistas and close-ups of Barbara striking triumphant poses as she succeeds again and again. A remarkably uplifting tale of tenacity and determination.” – Kirkus Reviews * 9/15/25 *“It is rare to find a picture book biography that truly brings life to a subject…Recommended for purchase for any collection wishing to spotlight a truly remarkable individual.” – School Library Journal * 10/3/25 *“Blumenthal’s laudatory text spotlights the figure’s grit as she raises funds and trains for her successful 2007 arctic journey, becoming the first Black woman to make the trip, and then travels to the South Pole in 2011, before devoting her final years to learning and lecturing about climate change—all the while continuing to “dream… learn… and plan” more trips. Magloire Williams’s realistic artwork energetically captures their subject’s resolve.” – Publishers Weekly * 8/11/25 *
About The Author
Deborah Blumenthal
Deborah Blumenthal is an award-winning journalist and nutritionist who has written many books for children and adults. She was a regular contributor to The New York Times and a home design columnist for Long Island News. Her health, fitness, beauty, travel, and feature stories have appeared widely in many other newspapers and national magazines including Daily News (New York), The Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Harper’s Bazaar, Cosmopolitan, Woman’s Day, Family Circle, Self, and Vogue.
Anastasia Magloire Williams is an illustrator, writer, and graphic designer with a lifelong passion for storytelling. Using various styles and vibrant colors, her mission is to elevate unsung histories that reflect the beautiful, diverse world we all share. When she is not tapping away at her tablet, she enjoys gaming with her husband, fantasy novels, tending to her plants, and ice in all her drinks.
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