First Man: Reimagining Matthew Henson

by Simon Schwartz

Overview

In this graphic novel, Simon Schwartz weaves biography and fiction together to explore the life of Arctic adventurer Matthew Henson. Moving between different time periods and incorporating Inuit mythology, Schwartz offers a fresh perspective on the many challenges Henson confronted during his life.

As a member of early missions to reach the North Pole, Henson braved subzero temperatures and shifting sea ice. As an African American at the turn of the twentieth century, he also faced harassment and prejudice. Henson won a place on Arctic expeditions through skill and determination—though he didn't receive the same credit as his teammates. He also won the respect of the native peoples he met during his journeys—though he couldn't prevent the harm that the expeditions caused them.

More than a biography, First Man: Reimagining Matthew Henson is an artistic homage to Henson's accomplishments and the complicated realities of being a trailblazer in a society that didn't recognize black men as equals.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781467789561
Publisher:	Lerner Publishing Group
Publication date:	08/01/2015
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	160
File size:	163 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	13 - 17 Years

About the Author

Simon Schwartz grew up in Berlin, Germany. He is a freelance illustrator and illustration professor in Hamburg, Germany.

Editorial Reviews

07/20/2015
Schwartz (The Other Side of the Wall) blends history, legend, and his own fictional interpretations as he traces Robert Peary’s attempt to reach the North Pole, focusing on the condescension, cruelty, and prejudice endured by his African-American associate, Matthew Henson. Two-color panels in icy grays and pale blues shift subtly and gorgeously between time periods as Schwartz follows the race to the pole, the role Henson played in Inuit myth, Peary’s clashes with explorer Frederick Cook, and more, including a horrific sequence in which Peary brings several Inuit to the American Museum of Natural History in chains, most dying soon after. Schwartz openly admits to fictionalizing Henson’s life, but the liberties he takes remain frustrating. Is a poignant moment in which an elderly Henson visits his wife’s grave worth altering the fact that he actually died more than 10 years before her? Is it fair to highlight Peary’s affairs with Inuit women while ignoring Henson’s? (A detailed time line sets the record straight somewhat.) Still, as a work of fiction rooted in injustices suffered by African-Americans and indigenous peoples alike, it’s powerful and almost unbearably sad. Ages 8–12. (Oct.)

Publishers Weekly

"[A]n unforgettable title that will resonate with readers. . . . A compelling graphic novel that biography lovers will greatly enjoy, and a wonderful addition to Black History Month book lists."—School Library Journal

From the Publisher

11/15/2015
The first African American to be accepted into the prestigious Explorer's Club, Matthew Henson accompanied Robert Peary on his 1909 expedition to the North Pole and actually reached the target before Peary. Here, Schwartz fictionalizes Henson's childhood and career, when Henson first worked as a cabin boy and then became proficient at multiple skills and learned the Inuit language. Graceful, bold artwork suits the arctic setting and incorporates Inuit mythological elements. (SLJ 10/15)

Library Journal

10/01/2015
Gr 7 Up—A fascinating look at Matthew Henson's life that combines fact, fiction, dual time lines, and Inuit mythology, this graphic novel is a tribute to a remarkable man who was judged by his skin color rather than his accomplishments. Henson was an African American explorer who accompanied Robert E. Peary on most of his expeditions. Although Peary received many honors for being the first to lead an expedition to the North Pole, Henson's contributions were largely ignored. Effective artwork allows the story to alternate seamlessly between Henson's younger days and his twilight years. The panels are striking and easy to follow, created in black and white with shades of grays and cool arctic blues. Henson spent extensive time with the Inuit people, learning their ways and gaining their respect and a permanent place in their history and legends. The main characters are occasionally portrayed in traditional Inuit Spirit Masks, which adds another layer of depth to an already poignant story. Blake A. Hoena's Matthew Henson: Arctic Adventurer (Capstone, 2006) is a work of true graphic nonfiction but is dry and rushed compared to this fictionalized work. Though Schwartz plays fast and loose with the facts in places, this is an unforgettable title that will resonate with readers. VERDICT A compelling graphic novel that biography lovers will greatly enjoy, and a wonderful addition to Black History Month book lists.—Kelley Gile, Cheshire Public Library, CT

School Library Journal

2015-07-22
A fictionalized account of the life of Matthew Henson, the black American who reached the North Pole before Robert Peary, told in graphic form.While history has credited Peary with the discovery of the North Pole, it has largely forgotten his companion, Henson, who not only participated in Peary's polar expeditions, but actually arrived at the North Pole hours before him in 1909. Henson notably forged connections with the Inuit and inspired the figure Mahri Pahluk in their stories. Schwartz attempts to rectify this oversight with his highly laudatory retelling of Henson's life. Though he draws upon historical reports as well as Inuit legends, he also takes considerable artistic license with some details, eliding some less-flattering ones. A chronology at the end of the book helps clarify the historical record. Bold artwork in a cool palette of white, gray, black, and pale blue will remind readers of Marjane Satrapi's. Some illustrations feature a highly abstracted style reminiscent of Inuit art, while the other, more-realistic drawings often shift subtly between time periods. The panels featuring the older Henson are almost entirely silent, reflecting how his achievements were largely suppressed by Peary's fame. A welcome profile of a little-known African-American explorer, despite its somewhat heavy-handed embroidery of the facts. (introduction, chronology, selected bibliography) (Graphic historical fiction. 13 & up)

Kirkus Reviews