"In 1868, a day of seal hunting takes a terrible turn for Alika and Sulu. The ice floe they are standing on starts to break free from land. The two boys watch as the land disappears and they start to drift south, away from family and home. While on the ice floe, the two boys must find food and shelter, and protect themselves from the bitterly cold elements and the polar bears. After months of floating by themselves, the two boys realize that the help they need may never come and they must find a way to survive on their own."--Ministry of Education website.

English language arts grade 6 (2009). "Note: There are incidents in the book that may require additional student background information. An example includes the birthing process where women would spend three weeks alone in an iglu. Use of the term ”Eskimo“ would also require explanation."--Ministry of Education website.