In 1982, Laurie Skreslet became the first Canadian to climb to the summit of Mount Everest. This book, packed with detail and illustrated extensively with colour photographs, is his story of that expedition and the years of preparation before it.

Funky sidebars, a format that has worked so well in Scholastic’s I Was There series, complement Skreslet’s narrative, adding information on such topics as oxygen deprivation, avalanches, Sherpas, dealing with fear, and the myths surrounding the mountain. These tidbits answer questions that Skreslet’s narrative will certainly provoke and provide tidy links to science and other curriculums.

Using his own life as proof, Skreslet peppers his narrative with plenty of “you can do it!” messages for his young readers, insisting that even “ordinary people” can achieve their dreams if they want something badly enough, and are willing to give more than their best to the effort. Skreslet casts himself as a bit of a wayward youth who found direction through the outdoor challenge program Outward Bound, though parents may question his decision to include as evidence a story of taking a dare as a child to climb a bridge cable to the top.

Skreslet, with Elizabeth MacLeod (author of Alexander Graham Bell), has penned a dramatic, easily accessible narrative, and kids aged 10 and over who are nuts for rock-climbing, adventure tales, and sports biographies will certainly find what they are looking for in this text. The straightforward writing style, vibrant layout, and two-page chapters should also grab reluctant readers and those needing a high-interest low-vocabulary narrative.