Vilhjalmur Stefansson, young Arctic explorer

the long version

This book for young readers looks at the life of Arctic explorer Vilhjalmur Stefansson, born William Stephenson in Canada in 1879. His parents had emigrated from Iceland to Manitoba two years earlier, and, after losing two children during a period of devastating flooding, the family moved to North Dakota in 1880. This story tells how the young lad worked to earn money for his education, ultimately attending two universities (North Dakota and Iowa), graduating in 1903 from the University of Iowa. During his college years, in 1899, he changed his name to Vilhjalmur Stefansson. His graduate work at Harvard led to a scientific grant and eventual expedition to explore the uncharted lands of the Arctic.