Illustration of a person in the ocean floating on a piece of ice
Geography Background

The Arctic is the area around the North Pole. It includes northern Canada and Greenland. Traditionally, people used dogsleds to travel across the ice and snow there.

Arctic Circle

Arctic Circle

Before You Move On

  • 1. Author’s Style Why do you think the author begins this story with a letter?

  • 2. Recall and Interpret What does the letter say? Why did the man write this?

  • 3. Setting Where and when does the first part of the story take place?