Introduction

The opening chapter explores the various ways that authors have imagined the Antarctic in British literature for children over the past century and provides an introduction to the theoretical framework of the text and the archival research that has brought many unexplored texts to light. I highlight the role of children’s books in shaping early Antarctic exploration narratives. This chapter outlines the six dominant genres in British literature for children about Antarctica, along with three central themes which recur throughout these genres: wilderness, time, and death.