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Keep On!: The Story of Matthew Henson, Co-Discoverer of the North Pole
Deborah Hopkinson

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In 1866 Matthew Henson was born in a small log cabin to poor parents. He would grow up to become the co-discoverer of the North Pole.

At the age of thirteen, Henson was left alone by his family. So he walked to Baltimore and got work at a young age as a cabin boy on the ship Katie Hines, learning navigation and visiting historical places all over the world. He also learned how to build and fix almost anything that needed it on the ship.

After his captain died, Henson worked at a store in Washington D.C. that Robert Peary often visited. After buying a hat from Henson, Peary became so impressed with the young man’s talents that he took him on as an assistant.

The two traveled to Greenland and other places in the far north—and along the way Henson made friends with the Inuit people and learned their language.