The Canadian Arctic Expedition of 1913 is not meant for children, so it doesn't look like bookish Helen or her squirmy little brother, Michael, will be having any fun. To fight off the boredom, Helen plans to keep her nose in her favourite books. But on their way to the Arctic, the ocean freezes over early, catching the captain and crew by surprise. The boat becomes trapped in ice and everyone is forced to abandon ship before it sinks. It's a long and treacherous road to solid land and many dangers lie ahead. Helen could not have predicted that instead of reading about adventures, she would soon be living an extraordinary one of her own.