Alvin is a twelve year old African-American who lives in Washington, D.C. with his mother and great grandmother. His mother is over-protective and won’t let him do things the other kids his age get to do. He has never even been allowed to spend the night with a friend.
Alvin really wants a mountain bike to go on a trip with his Uncle Pete. He hopes to get one for Christmas, but doesn’t. He wants to use money he has earned to buy the bike, but his mother refuses to let him.
Alvin starts to work on a social studies project about his hero, Matthew Henson, who helped discover the North Pole. As he reads more about Henson, he thinks that he should do what Henson did, and go north. He thinks that if he does that, his mother will see that he is not as immature as she thinks he is.
Follow Alvin as he goes north. Read about the people he meets, the places he sees and the adventures he experiences.
Mrs. Sellin says:
I found myself very engaged in this book. Alvin is a very likeable character and you find yourself hoping that he will be successful. I learned a good bit about the Matthew Henson and his explorations and the ways of the people of the north.
